Planning ahead for tire issues & issues with local tire shops

[Papapatufo]

First post in this forum so please forgive me if this has already been covered. I ran a few searches and didn’t come up with anything quite on point.

I took delivery of a new, ’26 R1S Tri a little over a month ago. It’s had a few minor issues that were mostly resolved via a mobile service visit and now one major (A/C just up and died) that’s requiring a 6hr drive to the nearest service center next week; I live near Destin, FL and the nearest is outside Atlanta. Super excited about that one… This caused me to seriously evaluate if I’m ready for emergencies I CAN control with the nearest center so far away. And that got me working out what to do if I get a flat.

My R1S didn’t come with a spare; just a tire sealant kit. I’ve never used one before but believe they are a temp fix only and make a mess in the process. Historically I’d reinflate and limp to my local PepBoys or jack the vehicle, pull the tire, and just take that. On a whim, I called the PepBoys to just ask if they’d service my vehicle for rotations and swaps. Surprisingly, they told me no! Too heavy for their lifts. I then asked about jacking it and they won’t do that either claiming potential torquing could damage the frame/battery structure. (They will at least fix change individual tires I bring them). I called a couple of other tire places in town and got the same story which blew my mind. This was not a problem I foresaw when wading into the electric world.

I’ve purchased a set of jack pucks and I have a pair of 3K lifts in my garage so I figure I can jack one side of the R1S up at a time and take that pair of tires to PepBoys to change out when it comes to that (shipping OEM replacements from Tire Rack). Tire rotations will be a 3-step slog but I’ll be able to knock that out myself too. However, should I also purchase a Compact Spare Tire? My configuration doesn’t have a dedicated compartment but does have a sizable underfloor storage area in the back. However, I’m not sure if it would fit. Also, has anyone else heard about jacking the vehicle up to change tire potentially causing frame/battery structural damage? I’d think Rivians that are built do some serious off-roading wouldn’t be that delicate. Finally, what the hell with the tire joint lift weight concerns? Super duty trucks weigh similar!

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[Rivian Owner]

Clearly, the vehicles need to be designed to be lifted/jacked. You have pucks for the lifting points, and the owner's manual has info on jacking the vehicle. BTW it is never safe to have a vehicle lifted with just a jack and work on the vehicle as most jacks arent stable and can fall over, so understand the risks and how to protect yourself.

I think you can order a doughnut spare from Rivian that will fit your storage, but I'm no expert, I have the R1T. For my truck I purchased a hydraulic jack and a breaker bar and skipped the Rivian jack kit.

The tire shops around you have enough business and just blow you off because they don't need the business and don't want to take on what they don't understand. If there is a larger metropolitan area closer than the 6 hour drive, you might see if there is a shop there willing to work on your Rivian. Chances are shops in larger cities have already dealt with a variety of EVs.

 

[COdogman]

Welcome! It's true that most tire shops are not able to handle a Rivian, and it's also true you should be very careful who you trust to lift it for any reason. Lots of stories here about clueless shops either trying to lift without pucks or lifting in the wrong spot.

If you have Discount Tire/ America's Tire in your area, they are equipped with their own pucks, and I was even told last week while getting new tires they just got new jacks for vehicles like ours as well. There have been reports of the same mistakes at some of their stores, but as far as national chains go, they are still your best bet. My local store has handled quite a few Rivians so I wasn't worried.

Many folks here handle as much of this work as possible at home, but in a situation like you describe where you get a flat, I recommend you have tire plugs and a jack to go along with your pucks and also just know how to do it yourself just in case you have no choice.

 

[Dave Cundiff]

@Papapatufo: Welcome to the Rivian family!

The closest Discount Tire to Destin appears to be ~40 miles away in Milton FL. Discount Tire's Hillsboro OR store was good to us in early 2024, when Costco's Aloha OR store decided (after first agreeing to do it) that it wouldn't be safe to install snow tires on our new R1S.

Costco Tire has locations in Mobile AL (~98 miles) and Tallahassee FL (~136 miles). Costco's Warrenton OR store has been excellent. We were Costco/Warrenton's first Rivian, and their second as well. (Now they serve other Rivians, with nearly all staff trained.) Costco/Warrenton learned how to fix Rivians safely with help from @Mark_AZR1T (owner of jackpucks.com, which I recommend even if you already bought another brand of pucks).

We carry Mark's jack pucks in each of our vehicles, and we have AAA's highest-tier membership (which I think has a maximum towing range of 200 miles -- there are some pretty remote places in the Northwest). We don't carry a full spare. (New tires are readily available for 20" and 22" Rivian rims -- not so much for the 21" rims found on many 2022-2024 Rivians.) You should decide what preparations you're comfortable with.

No matter where you go, be aware that a new shop may pretend more expertise than they have. It's reasonable to ask them to do all these things: (1) Show you their jack pucks, or be willing to use yours; (2) Tell you how they get access to the jacking location (hint: The obvious drain holes in the underbody cover are NOT jack points. If they don't mention removing the caps at the REAL jack points, they're probably guessing wrong); and (3) Show you how they keep the jack pucks from sliding around on the lifting device (hint: Mark's brand-name Jack Pucks seem to have the stickiest rubber available). Others may have more tricks to identify a Rivian-competent tire store.

Even though Costco/Warrenton is very well trained, we don't know where we will be in an emergency. JackPucks.com also has stick-on labels to put on the jack access point covers. We've bought two sets of labels, installed one set on the R1S, and will install the other set on the R1T at its next tire service.

No matter how confident the tire store's talk, don't confuse confidence with competence. Pretty soon you'll have a tire store you trust, and you'll be on to other adventures.

Isn't Opal's owner from Northwest Florida? He should have some knowledge to share too.... [EDIT: Opal's owner is @moosetags, from Santa Rosa Beach, about 15 miles from Destin on the same peninsula. @moosetags may have local intel that is far better than mine -- hope he can chime in, or contact you directly.]

Very best wishes!

 

[Papapatufo]

@Papapatufo: Welcome to the Rivian family!

The closest Discount Tire to Destin appears to be ~40 miles away in Milton FL. Discount Tire's Hillsboro OR store was good to us in early 2024, when Costco's Aloha OR store decided (after first agreeing to do it) that it wouldn't be safe to install snow tires on our new R1S.

Costco Tire has locations in Mobile AL (~98 miles) and Tallahassee FL (~136 miles). Costco's Warrenton OR store has been excellent. We were Costco/Warrenton's first Rivian, and their second as well. (Now they serve other Rivians, with nearly all staff trained.) Costco/Warrenton learned how to fix Rivians safely with help from @Mark_AZR1T (owner of jackpucks.com, which I recommend even if you already bought another brand of pucks).

We carry Mark's jack pucks in each of our vehicles, and we have AAA's highest-tier membership (which I think has a maximum towing range of 200 miles -- there are some pretty remote places in the Northwest). We don't carry a full spare. (New tires are readily available for 20" and 22" Rivian rims -- not so much for the 21" rims found on many 2022-2024 Rivians.) You should decide what preparations you're comfortable with.

No matter where you go, be aware that a new shop may pretend more expertise than they have. It's reasonable to ask them to do all these things: (1) Show you their jack pucks, or be willing to use yours; (2) Tell you how they get access to the jacking location (hint: The obvious drain holes in the underbody cover are NOT jack points. If they don't mention removing the caps at the REAL jack points, they're probably guessing wrong); and (3) Show you how they keep the jack pucks from sliding around on the lifting device (hint: Mark's brand-name Jack Pucks seem to have the stickiest rubber available). Others may have more tricks to identify a Rivian-competent tire store.

Even though Costco/Warrenton is very well trained, we don't know where we will be in an emergency. JackPucks.com also has stick-on labels to put on the jack access point covers. We've bought two sets of labels, installed one set on the R1S, and will install the other set on the R1T at its next tire service.

No matter how confident the tire store's talk, don't confuse confidence with competence. Pretty soon you'll have a tire store you trust, and you'll be on to other adventures.

Isn't Opal's owner from Northwest Florida? He should have some knowledge to share too.... [EDIT: Opal's owner is @moosetags, from Santa Rosa Beach, about 32 miles from Destin on the same peninsula. @moosetags may have local intel that is far better than mine -- hope he can chime in, or contact you directly.]

Very best wishes!

Dave,

Thank you (and the others that have replied thus far) very much! I'm up in Niceville; only about 20-25min from Santa Rosa Beach. I'm also abundantly familiar with the Costco in Mobile, AL. It's 2hrs away and very close to the nearest Jaguar dealership I used to service my R1S predecessor, a F-Pace S. Costco will be opening an even closer location in Pensacola FL by the beginning of next year.

While I've changed (and even pugged a few) tires over the years, the nuances of this Rivian, like so many of its other features, can make one feel like they are learning cars from scratch all over again.

I did get the stickers when I ordered the jack pucks for the very reasons you mentioned. I've learned that even a service center with a good reputation can unfortunately disappoint when a new, green tech is paired with your vehicle. I wanted a "look here!" Indicator.

I definitely have some more homework and phone calls to make. Thank you again for all the detailed and well laid out advice.

~Brad

 

[Mark_AZR1T]

Dave,

Thank you (and the others that have replied thus far) very much! I'm up in Niceville; only about 20-25min from Santa Rosa Beach. I'm also abundantly familiar with the Costco in Mobile, AL. It's 2hrs away and very close to the nearest Jaguar dealership I used to service my R1S predecessor, a F-Pace S. Costco will be opening an even closer location in Pensacola FL by the beginning of next year.

While I've changed (and even pugged a few) tires over the years, the nuances of this Rivian, like so many of its other features, can make one feel like they are learning cars from scratch all over again.

I did get the stickers when I ordered the jack pucks for the very reasons you mentioned. I've learned that even a service center with a good reputation can unfortunately disappoint when a new, green tech is paired with your vehicle. I wanted a "look here!" Indicator.

I definitely have some more homework and phone calls to make. Thank you again for all the detailed and well laid out advice.

~Brad

Thank you all for your incredible support! As a longtime Rivian owner (of two) and proud forum sponsor, we’re truly grateful for this community and your continued encouragement. Thanks again for entrusting us with your purchase.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

First post in this forum so please forgive me if this has already been covered. I ran a few searches and didn’t come up with anything quite on point.

I took delivery of a new, ’26 R1S Tri a little over a month ago. It’s had a few minor issues that were mostly resolved via a mobile service visit and now one major (A/C just up and died) that’s requiring a 6hr drive to the nearest service center next week; I live near Destin, FL and the nearest is outside Atlanta. Super excited about that one… This caused me to seriously evaluate if I’m ready for emergencies I CAN control with the nearest center so far away. And that got me working out what to do if I get a flat.

My R1S didn’t come with a spare; just a tire sealant kit. I’ve never used one before but believe they are a temp fix only and make a mess in the process. Historically I’d reinflate and limp to my local PepBoys or jack the vehicle, pull the tire, and just take that. On a whim, I called the PepBoys to just ask if they’d service my vehicle for rotations and swaps. Surprisingly, they told me no! Too heavy for their lifts. I then asked about jacking it and they won’t do that either claiming potential torquing could damage the frame/battery structure. (They will at least fix change individual tires I bring them). I called a couple of other tire places in town and got the same story which blew my mind. This was not a problem I foresaw when wading into the electric world.

I’ve purchased a set of jack pucks and I have a pair of 3K lifts in my garage so I figure I can jack one side of the R1S up at a time and take that pair of tires to PepBoys to change out when it comes to that (shipping OEM replacements from Tire Rack). Tire rotations will be a 3-step slog but I’ll be able to knock that out myself too. However, should I also purchase a Compact Spare Tire? My configuration doesn’t have a dedicated compartment but does have a sizable underfloor storage area in the back. However, I’m not sure if it would fit. Also, has anyone else heard about jacking the vehicle up to change tire potentially causing frame/battery structural damage? I’d think Rivians that are built do some serious off-roading wouldn’t be that delicate. Finally, what the hell with the tire joint lift weight concerns? Super duty trucks weigh similar!

The space saver spare in the Gear Shop is meant for R1S. Price shown is installed, including a new tub for the space under the cargo area floor, which the space saver will fit into. Price also includes a scissor jack kit. Look in your Owner Guide and you will see illustrations and instructions. If mobile service appointment is available, it can be installed by one. Add a torque wrench and 22mm socket. Torque for the lugnuts is 190Nm.

 

[J&BOregon]

Dave,

Thank you (and the others that have replied thus far) very much! I'm up in Niceville; only about 20-25min from Santa Rosa Beach. I'm also abundantly familiar with the Costco in Mobile, AL. It's 2hrs away and very close to the nearest Jaguar dealership I used to service my R1S predecessor, a F-Pace S. Costco will be opening an even closer location in Pensacola FL by the beginning of next year.

While I've changed (and even pugged a few) tires over the years, the nuances of this Rivian, like so many of its other features, can make one feel like they are learning cars from scratch all over again.

I did get the stickers when I ordered the jack pucks for the very reasons you mentioned. I've learned that even a service center with a good reputation can unfortunately disappoint when a new, green tech is paired with your vehicle. I wanted a "look here!" Indicator.

I definitely have some more homework and phone calls to make. Thank you again for all the detailed and well laid out advice.

~Brad

The spare will fit in the rear compartment. I borrowed my daughter's from her launch edition for my 2025 R1S trimax when driving from Oregon to Iowa.

 

[Mathme]

I bought my R1T with the off-road package and that includes a full size spare. I also have a Jack puck that I carry around if/when needed. My recommendation is if you're worried, get the spare tire kit for the R1S and carry a Jack puck (I think they are a better design than the Rivian thing).

I'd be worried about any tire-monkey who says "we can't work on an EV because lifting a corner may torque the battery ..." That just proves they aren't smart enough to realize that ALL cars are designed to be lifted from a single appropriate jack location for exactly when there's a flat tire. Additionally, these vehicles weigh about 7,000 lbs so anyone with a 3 or 4 ton floor jack will be able lift a corner to be able to change/fix a tire.

Another thing you may think about is purchasing a 5th full size wheel for your Rivian from the Gear shop and do 5-tire rotations. I do 5-tire orations by myself in my driveway using a 3-ton bottle jack (sitting on a platform of three 2x8 boards for extra height) and one jack puck. If you follow the directions in the owners manual they really aren't any different than any other vehicle out there.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I bought my R1T with the off-road package and that includes a full size spare. I also have a Jack puck that I carry around if/when needed. My recommendation is if you're worried, get the spare tire kit for the R1S and carry a Jack puck (I think they are a better design than the Rivian thing).

I'd be worried about any tire-monkey who says "we can't work on an EV because lifting a corner may torque the battery ..." That just proves they aren't smart enough to realize that ALL cars are designed to be lifted from a single appropriate jack location for exactly when there's a flat tire. Additionally, these vehicles weigh about 7,000 lbs so anyone with a 3 or 4 ton floor jack will be able lift a corner to be able to change/fix a tire.

Another thing you may think about is purchasing a 5th full size wheel for your Rivian from the Gear shop and do 5-tire rotations. I do 5-tire orations by myself in my driveway using a 3-ton bottle jack (sitting on a platform of three 2x8 boards for extra height) and one jack puck. If you follow the directions in the owners manual they really aren't any different than any other vehicle out there.

And it’s possible to lift just about any car from below supported/reinforced part of lower suspension arm, as long as precautions are taken. Owner Guide also has info on how to lift without jack adapters—by removing trim covering the adapter insertion points, to expose larger flat reinforced surfaces.

 

[BTOR]

@Papapatufo: Welcome to the Rivian family!

The closest Discount Tire to Destin appears to be ~40 miles away in Milton FL. Discount Tire's Hillsboro OR store was good to us in early 2024, when Costco's Aloha OR store decided (after first agreeing to do it) that it wouldn't be safe to install snow tires on our new R1S.

Costco Tire has locations in Mobile AL (~98 miles) and Tallahassee FL (~136 miles). Costco's Warrenton OR store has been excellent. We were Costco/Warrenton's first Rivian, and their second as well. (Now they serve other Rivians, with nearly all staff trained.) Costco/Warrenton learned how to fix Rivians safely with help from @Mark_AZR1T (owner of jackpucks.com, which I recommend even if you already bought another brand of pucks).

We carry Mark's jack pucks in each of our vehicles, and we have AAA's highest-tier membership (which I think has a maximum towing range of 200 miles -- there are some pretty remote places in the Northwest). We don't carry a full spare. (New tires are readily available for 20" and 22" Rivian rims -- not so much for the 21" rims found on many 2022-2024 Rivians.) You should decide what preparations you're comfortable with.

No matter where you go, be aware that a new shop may pretend more expertise than they have. It's reasonable to ask them to do all these things: (1) Show you their jack pucks, or be willing to use yours; (2) Tell you how they get access to the jacking location (hint: The obvious drain holes in the underbody cover are NOT jack points. If they don't mention removing the caps at the REAL jack points, they're probably guessing wrong); and (3) Show you how they keep the jack pucks from sliding around on the lifting device (hint: Mark's brand-name Jack Pucks seem to have the stickiest rubber available). Others may have more tricks to identify a Rivian-competent tire store.

Even though Costco/Warrenton is very well trained, we don't know where we will be in an emergency. JackPucks.com also has stick-on labels to put on the jack access point covers. We've bought two sets of labels, installed one set on the R1S, and will install the other set on the R1T at its next tire service.

No matter how confident the tire store's talk, don't confuse confidence with competence. Pretty soon you'll have a tire store you trust, and you'll be on to other adventures.

Isn't Opal's owner from Northwest Florida? He should have some knowledge to share too.... [EDIT: Opal's owner is @moosetags, from Santa Rosa Beach, about 15 miles from Destin on the same peninsula. @moosetags may have local intel that is far better than mine -- hope he can chime in, or contact you directly.]

Very best wishes!

Hello,

The Discount Tire (DT) location in Hillsboro you mentioned, is it the one on Minter Bridge Rd near the Home Depot or the one just off of 185th and Cornell on Eider Ct.? I'm in that area and was planning to use one of these two locations when the time comes to replace the Pirelli OEM tires or for my next rotation.

We have used both of these shops for many years for our ICE vehicles. I must say the service at both these locations over the years on all our non Rivian vehicles has been outstanding. I did speak to the shop on Minter Bridge when it was time to rotate. They said they have the pucks and have serviced many Rivians. As it turned out, my rotation coincided with a Rivian service visit so I just had them do it even though it cost $50 and DT said they would rotate for free since we've purchased so many sets of tires from them over the years. But it would be reassuring to get a confirmation from an actual "Rivian" owner who utilized the shop. Thanks!

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