How to Find a Tire Leak

A flat tire can come out of nowhere and ruin your day. Luckily, it is easy to diagnose what caused the flat and temporarily fix the problem. You only need a minimum of mechanical ability and some dish soap to find the leak in the tire.

Instructions

1. Remove the flat tire from the vehicle. This allows you to get a good look at the tread area, especially the inboard side of the tire.

2. Inspect the flat tire for any cuts, lacerations or other significant damage. If you find any of these, you can't fix it and must buy a new tire.

3. Search the tread for any road hazards embedded in the tire, such as nails or screws. Remove any you find and plug the hole with a tire-plug kit. Continue with the remaining steps as there may be leaks that aren't visible.

4. Re-inflate the flat tire to the proper operating pressure and listen for escaping air. If you get very close to the tire, you can usually hear air hissing out of any leaks. Circle leaks with a marker.

5. Make a solution of soapy water with kitchen dishwashing liquid. Pour the soap solution on the tire, and places where air is leaking out will create bubbles in the soap solution. Circle any leaks with a marker.

6. Take the flat tire to be patched. Even if you were able to plug the hole, it is only a temporary fix. The only permanent fix for a leaking tire is a patch installed on the inside of the tire by a professional.