A woman says a tiny leak in one tire on her nearly new Kia K4 somehow turned into a $300 estimate.

Jenna (@jenna_ration_x) already had a dealership appointment to fix an issue with the car’s weather stripping when one of her tires began losing pressure.

She filled it with air and kept driving, but the pressure dropped again on the way to the dealership. So she asked the service department to take a look.

When the car was initially ready, Jenna says the dealership told her it had added air and the tire was “good to go.” Staff also said they could not find a hole.

Jenna, however, was unconvinced and asked them to check again.

A few hours later, she says the dealership called back after doing a second “soak test” and finding a “tiny hole.” Jenna initially agreed to a patch after being told it should cost no more than $40.

Then came another call.

According to Jenna, the dealership said the tire contained foam designed to make the ride quieter and more comfortable and therefore was not recommended for repair. Instead, she says, they suggested replacing the tire for $297.

“You’re telling me this little pinhole that you didn’t even see the first time — now I need a whole new tire?” Jenna says.

Jenna Googled the issue herself and ultimately told the dealership to patch it anyway.

“What’s the worst that’s going to happen?” she reasoned.

She says the dealership warned that the car might drive differently afterward, but she was unwilling to spend nearly $300 on a replacement. The dealership later told her it would have discounted the new tire by 15%.

“If you have a Kia, have you ever heard of such a thing? I Googled it, and it says it’s certainly patchable,” she says. “They want you to replace the entire tire for $300. I think the [expletive] not. But am I wrong?”

Can A Foam-Lined Tire Be Patched? 

The foam Jenna describes is a real issue. Some modern tires have an acoustic foam solution attached to the inside of the tire to muffle road noise inside the cabin. Michelin, for example, uses polyurethane foam for that purpose.

But having that foam inside does not automatically mean a punctured tire has to be replaced.

The US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has specific repair guidance for what it calls “noise reduction acoustic foam tires.” Its instructions say the tire should be removed from the wheel for inspection and repair, and the foam around the damaged area carefully removed so the innerliner can be inspected and repaired. The removed foam does not even have to be put back afterward.

Of course, not every puncture qualifies.

USTMA’s general guidance says a repair generally should be limited to a hole in the tread area no larger than 1/4 inch. The tire still needs to come off the wheel for an internal inspection, and the proper repair uses both a plug or rubber stem to fill the hole and an interior patch to seal it.

Michelin gives similar guidance for ordinary punctures: It says damage in the tread area that is no larger than 1/4 inch may be repairable, assuming the tire was not driven flat and has no other disqualifying damage.

So Jenna’s Google search was not entirely off base.

A foam-lined tire can sometimes be repaired. But various online sources suggest that whether her tire should have been patched depends on the exact location and size of the hole, the tire’s condition, and the repair rules set by the tire’s manufacturer.

That is the information missing from her video—and what would ultimately help determine whether the nearly $300 replacement was necessary.

Gallery: 2025 Kia K4 Review

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Source: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Viewers Were Split On The Dealership’s Advice

The comments were nearly as divided as Jenna was over whether the tire really needed replacing.

“I am a mechanic, and I have never heard of a foam-filled tire from the factory. Sounds like some BS to me,” one viewer wrote.

Another commenter disagreed.

“The foam is a real thing,” they wrote, adding that some shops may refuse repairs because the adhesive around the foam can make it harder for a patch to hold.

Others were convinced Jenna could have avoided the $297 replacement.

“Forget the dealer!! Just get it patched at an independent shop!!” one person wrote.

Another suggested Discount Tire, saying it patches some punctures for free as long as the damage is not in the sidewall.

Several viewers said they would have plugged the tire instead.

“I would of just plugged it,” one commenter wrote.

Another said, “Plugging it would have done the trick & less than 10 minutes.”

One viewer claimed they had paid much less for a similar repair at a Kia dealership.

“It can be patched, or plugged. And $40? WTH. I paid $25 for a plug at the Kia Dealership,” they wrote.

But one commenter cautioned against assuming an internet search settles the question.

“A dealer is going to go by the tire manufacturer’s recommendation, so they’re not going to take chances,” they wrote.

Another commenter summed up the disagreement more neatly.

“The only thing crazier than the dealership’s handling of the issue is this comment section,” they wrote.

Motor1 contacted Jenna via TikTok direct message. We’ll be sure to update this if she responds.