Will Tesla Roadside Assistance Help with Flat Tire? And What Else Does It Offer?

Owning a vehicle means being ready to take the risks of owning and driving it. After all, the vehicle mostly takes you from one place to another without hitches. The risk of driving your vehicle is getting a tire puncture or running out of fuel. But these are risks we have learned to embrace and deal with. Roadside assistance help is a service introduced in the market to help drivers whenever they run into trouble.

In our article today, we look at Tesla Roadside Assistance help. We investigate whether this Tesla service includes help with a flat tire. We will also explore how the service can help Tesla drivers and owners.

Understanding Tesla Roadside Assistance Help

Roadside assistance is a familiar term for most American drivers since it was started in 1915 by American Automobile Association. Roadside assistance is a service that helps drivers whose vehicles have developed problems that cannot generally be resolved by the driver or have prevented the driver from taking their vehicle to a service center.

Roadside assistance has, for the longest time, been offered by vehicle insurance providers, automobile associations, and transportation department. The service includes fixing a flat tire or helping to refill the gas when you run out.

Tesla is one of the latest entrants in the market. Tesla entered the market intending to disrupt and conquer, and indeed it did with its EVs. Rather than go by what tradition has always dictated, Tesla offered Roadside assistance services to its drivers. Understandably, the problems and issues Tesla drivers encountered at the introduction stage were unique, and that is partly why Tesla chose this route.

Roadside assistance is a complimentary service offered by Tesla in line with the Tesla warranty or an Extended Service Agreement (ESA). This service will vary from one model to the next and within regions. A Tesla car in a region or country where Tesla has an official store or a service center is eligible to be covered for roadside assistance under a new or used Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty. The same coverage is accorded to a car under ESA.

Tesla offers Roadside assistance 24/7 every other day of the year. You should never get stranded with your Tesla. Depending on your location, you will find a lot about this service on the support pages of Tesla. For your safety, call emergency numbers if you are ever in an unsafe place or situation.

Does Tesla Roadside Assistance help with a flat tire?

There are many services Tesla Roadside assistance entails, among them help with a flat tire. Usually, any damage to the tire or wheel that makes the flat or unsafe to drive is eligible for roadside assistance. The coverage offered is 80 km (50 miles). This means that the transportation cost is free if you are within 50 miles of the service center or Tesla shop. If the distance exceeds 50 miles, then the extra transport cost above 50 miles will be shouldered by you.

Tesla has selected some markets where roadside assistance includes loaning wheels to the customer where applicable. The arrangement is that when you are loaned a wheel, you must return it within three days after or on an agreed date. Upon taking the loaner wheel back, you will get the original wheel.

In the instance a loaner wheel is unavailable, Tesla will provide transport services to the nearest service center or pre-agreed location, provided such location is within 50 miles. If the location you prefer the vehicle to be taken is more than 50 miles from where you are, transport cost for such extra distance will be on you. 

Tesla service center may offer to repair or replace your wheel or tire at cost. Arrangement for such service has to be made with the service center. This service is subject to availability, and pricing varies from one center to the next.

What other services does Tesla Roadside Assistance offer?

Tesla offers a range of services under Roadside Assistance. The service is tied to the location of service centers, an official Tesla store, and the Tesla warranty or some ESA. If the owner or owner authorized-driver is eligible for the service and is in the prescribed region or country, then they will enjoy these services.

The Tesla Roadside Assistance comes in handy when your car develops a mechanical problem that you can't solve on your own. It is imperative that you read your vehicle's user manual to understand the conditions and terms. It would be best if you also read the Tesla Roadside Assistance guide, found in the glove box, to understand all the terms of the service.

Here are the services to enjoy;

• Lockouts

If your fob key malfunctions and fails to unlock the car, you will need the services of an expert. The car can fail to unlock due to an app failure. You should let Tesla know whenever this problem arises. Tesla can remotely unlock your vehicle without the need for you to spend hours stranded.

There are times when the vehicle may be offline or Tesla is unable to unlock the vehicle remotely. This issue can be compounded by Tesla mobile app not functioning as intended because of a Tesla network issue. When this happens, the Roadside Assistance team will organize how they will assist you. The team will come to your aid subject to the resources it has and availability.

 When the Roadside Assistance team arrives at the scene, it will assess the situation and determine the best course of action. The assistance offered can be to retrieve the car keys, tow the vehicle, or manually unlock the vehicle. If the team decides to tow the vehicle to a service center or shop, Tesla will cover the transportation cost for the first 50 miles.

The lockout roadside assistance is available to all Tesla vehicles. However, if your vehicle is not under new or used Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty or under ESA, the vehicle will be towed at your expense.

• Towing

If your vehicle breaks down and the Roadside Assistance can't repair it by the Roadside for you to drive, towing will be recommended. There are times when the vehicle is drivable, but because of a warranty clause, the Roadside Assistance team recommends towing. This is because further driving might worsen the malfunction and void the warranty.

Tesla will cover transportation costs for 500 miles (800 km) to the Tesla Service Center nearest. Suppose the Roadside Assistance team determines your vehicle's malfunction is not covered under the warranty or ESA. In that case, you will cater for the transportation services all the way to the service center. The distance restriction rule does not apply in China, provided it's because of a warrantable failure.

At the time of towing your vehicle, you must make the Roadside Assistance team beware of the Roadside Assistance Guide, usually in your car. This helps the team adhere to the guide and to prevent any further damage to the vehicle. If any damage happens to the vehicle while towing due to failure to follow the guide instructions, Tesla will take no responsibility.

• Out of range

You might have overlooked your vehicle's distance range, and the charge got depleted far from a charging station. You might also have left the vehicle unplugged for an extended period making the battery deplete the charge. Tesla Roadside Assistance will come to your aid. However, it is worth noting that this service is not financially covered. You will need to call your regional or country Tesla Roadside Assistance number to get more information or arrange how to transport your vehicle.

What is not covered under Tesla Roadside Assistance?

This assistance reduces or removes any inconvenience when your vehicle becomes inoperable. Above are the general services offered by Tesla under roadside assistance. Here is a list of some of the services or circumstances when this service will not be availed or will be offered at an extra charge;

• Accidents or collisions
• Depletion of the high-voltage battery
• Depletion of low voltage battery because of normal wear and tear
• Vehicle abuse and negligence
• A broken window or its replacement
• Any issue related to customs clearance
• Acts of God, or if in a conflict zone
• Transportation of animals or livestock
• Driving the vehicle off-road
• Racing or autocross
• Vandalism
• Installing or removing snow chains
• Overloading your vehicle
• Fines arising from impounding or towing as a result of a violation, either alleged or actual, of any laws
• Storage charges before assistance is given

Conclusion

Tesla Roadside Assistance is a complementary service that serves to endear the brand to Tesla owners and potential buyers. The service is designed to help you get out of a tricky situation, such as when you have a flat tire. For you to enjoy the service, the warranty has to be valid. The Tesla warranty runs for four years or 50,000 miles (80,000 kilometers), whichever comes first.