Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Honda Accord tires lose air pressure

 

I have a 1994 Honda Accord EX. My tires lose air and sometimes go flat. I had the tire center check them out. They put some sealant in them, but they still lose air. The tire center told me that the aluminum alloy wheels get pitted and there's nothing to do about it. Just buy new rims. Can you give me some advice.

Thanks,

Martin P [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- New York, New York

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As the owner of a Jeep and a Geo Tracker which I and two sons take off road, I have constant slow leakage problems from dings in the rims. While new rims are the eventual solution, I have found to my pleasant surprise that simply swapping the tires on the rims can sometimes fix things.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
 

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Hello Martin,

I've had similar problems with aluminum alloy rims. I think the root of the problem, which I'm sure is the same in New York as it is here in Chicago: potholes. Get some steel rims, it's much easier to hammer them back into shape, and I swear they take the abuse a little better.

Jake Koch
G. J. Nikolas &Co.,Inc.

Bellwood, Illinois

I just had the same problem and I finally found a mechanic who fixed it by sanding the seats with 180-grit- sandpaper [affil links] until good clean aluminum is visible.

Russell Richter
- Danbury, Connecticut, USA
 

Martin,

What comes to my mind is to put in inner tubes... Maybe a crude fix, but it should be effective (and cheaper than new rims?).

Best regards,

Martin W [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- New Zealand
 

If you have a constant slow air leak in a car tire, the first thing to do is find out exactly where the leak is coming from then address it from there. I found the best way to locate a small leak is to mix a solution of soapy water in a spray bottle and spray the entire wheel and tire. Let sit for 10-30 minutes. Small bubbles or foam will appear at the location of the leak. If it is between the tire and the rim, clean the rim with 120 grit sandpaper and treat the rim with clear paint, to prevent oxidation. If the bubbles form on the tire fix the hole.

Mark H [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Elkton, Virginia
 

1994 Honda Accords had a recall on leaking valve stems (BROKEN), which can sometimes lead to instant air loss while driving down the road. At high enough speeds this can cause loss of control.

Scott M [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
Auto mechanic - Ringgold, Ga USA
 

This problem is easy to fix just have a wheel repair shop machined your rims beads so they will be like new.

Nick H [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
wheel refinishing - Ontario
 

I agree w/ the message regarding the valve stems. My Accord is a 2000 model. It was a real mystery as to why my tire continually lost air. The valve stem turned out to be the problem

Peter S [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Atlanta, GA, USA
 

Another possible cause is corrosion between the weight used to balance the wheels and the aluminum alloy rims. Some weights wrap between the rims and the tire near the bead. I had a problem with a leaking tire and found out it was the weight corroding my rim on my Ford F150.

Mike M [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Ballston Spa, New York
 

I had a leaking tire problem with my 99 Honda CRV. At first I was putting air into it once every two weeks. My wife drove it for a while without keeping an eye on it and it flatted out, completely compromising the sidewall. I had a mechanic put the tire under water and he found no leak. I had to buy a new tire because the sidewall was vulnerable.. Two weeks later, I realized I was still losing air. I brought it back to the tire store. They looked at my rim and determined there was too much corrosion on it. They sanded off the corrosion for $18 and I haven't had a problem since.

Dan Browne
- Williston, VT
February 20, 2008

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August 8, 2010

My 2005 Honda Accord EX-L looses about 5 lbs. of air a month. I have taken it to a tire shop and Honda. Neither can find the problem. Any suggestions?

curt ritchie
- Riverside, California USA

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I have a 2005 Honda Accord with the same problem. Someone suggested putting tubes in the tires. Sounds like a good solution. But it would seem to be a lot more trouble to repair the tube if you pick up a nail. Would you have to repair both the tube and the tire if it is, say, a nail?

Bill

Bill Burnham
- Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
November 27, 2010

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Hi, Bill

I'm not saying that a tube is necessarily a good idea. In fact, the reason OEMs don't use them anymore is they think they are not a good idea. But to answer your question, there is no need to repair the tire after a puncture. The tire provides the traction and the containment strength that allows you to blow up the tube to sufficient hardness without it just expanding like a balloon. But if the tube has no holes, a small puncture in the tire is of no consequence.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
November 27, 2010