6 Steps To Find A Leak In Your Wheel

Did you know that car wheels can leak air? When there's a flat tire, the most common assumption is that there's a hole in the tire. A lot of drivers don't realize that the wheel could be the culprit, too.

What Causes A Wheel To Leak?

Tire air loss

The wheel is a metal part, so how on earth could it cause the tire to lose air? When a wheel has a small opening such as a fracture or hole, air can leak out. There are several different ways a wheel can get fractures, cracks, or holes:

1. Tire Installation Gone Wrong

For a tire to be mounted the right way, there must be an airtight seal between the tire bead and the wheel. If there's no airtight seal, air can leak out of the tire. Sometimes the tire removal or installation process will create a small nick in the wheel where it meets the bead of the tire. The nick can cause a slow leak.

2. Wheel Installation Gone Wrong

Shop technicians usually use an impact wrench to tighten the lug nuts. Some impact wrenches can apply much more torque than is required. If the lug nuts are are unevenly torqued, the uneven stress in the wheel can a fracture or crack over time.

3. Manufacturing Defects

When aluminum is poured into a mold, sometimes the aluminum isn't "packed" enough in the mold. This might result in tiny fractures in the wheel that allow air to escape. Manufacturing defects are much more common with aftermarket wheels. OEM wheel manufacturers go through many more checks and measures to ensure the quality of their wheels.

4. Corrosion

Your wheels are always subjected to harsh elements while on the road, such as:

  • Road salt
  • Moisture
  • Road debris
  • Harsh chemicals

These elements can cause corrosion over time, especially around the valve stems and the area that seats with the tire bead. When the corrosion gets bad enough, the tire or valve stem may not seal well to the wheel. This is common in the salt belt states.

5. Road Hazards

It's not uncommon for car wheels to get dinged up over time. If a wheel gets hit hard enough (from a pothole, for example), the wheel can develop a fracture or crack that leads to air loss.

Confirming A Wheel Leak In 6 Steps

Tire leak test

Image Credit: AUTOTECH210

Have you noticed that the tire pressure is low on one of your tires? Does the tire look fine? If so, you're probably dealing with a wheel leak. You don't have to bring your vehicle to a Subaru dealership or an independent repair shop. It's quite easy to find a wheel leak at home. All you need is dish soap, water, and a spray bottle.

To confirm a wheel leak, follow these steps:

  1. Fill the tire with air, if you haven't already.
  2. Lift your Subaru. You can do this with a car jack and jack stands.
  3. Remove the wheel from your vehicle.
  4. Pour water into a spray bottle and then add dish soap. Shake the spray bottle to mix the water and the dish soap.
  5. Spray the dish soap/water mixture liberally all over the wheel. Don't miss any spots. Be sure to cover the lip of the rim, the back of the wheel, the area around the lug nuts, etc.
  6. Stand back and look for any bubbles on the wheel. If you see a large bubble form, it's likely that air is leaking out of that area. The lip of the rim is one of the most common areas for a leak, so check that area closely.

If you find a bubble at the bead or the lip of the rim, there are two possibilities:

  • Corrosion is causing the leak.
  • There is a nick causing the leak.

To find out which issue you're dealing with, remove the tire from the wheel. If you don't have the means to do this, have a tire shop remove it for you. Inspect the wheel closely for any obvious signs of damage. If you don't find anything, it's likely that the tire was not mounted the right way. All you would need to do is to have it re-mounted.

If you find that your wheel is damaged, you need to decide whether to repair or replace it.

Get Genuine OEM Subaru Wheels At Wholesale Pricing

OEM subaru wheels

If you've decided that replacing your wheels is the best option, we have what you need. OEM parts (ranging from body parts to steering knuckles to wheels) are always a much better investment than aftermarket parts. OEM wheels are built better and they're more reliable than aftermarket wheels.

Here at SubaruPartsPlus.com, we sell genuine OEM wheels. Our prices are wholesale, so you'll always get a great deal. Check out our catalog of OEM wheels!