Got my car back from the dealership - They FORGOT to secure the lug nuts!

[homestarmy]

Originally posted by: Ausm

Originally posted by: homestarmy

Originally posted by: Ausm

Originally posted by: Vegito
Most receipt says to recheck your nutz after 1 mile... no one read it anyway.. personally, I got my own torque wrench and i check almost every 3-5k or right after i drive off a tire rotate/balance

I just got a tire rotation from a huge cheverolet dealer in my location and nowhere on my receipt does it say check your nuts...

If the are using an impact wrench with 100+ lbs of air pressure there is no fvcking way the nuts would come off unless the wheel was improperly installed and/or lack of air pressure in the Impact wrench. One other note at 75/hour those con artists should know enough to do their jobs right

Ausm

Not to be mean, but you obviously know nothing on the subject. You DO NOT use an IMPACT WRENCH with 100+ lbs of pressure to tighten your lugs.

huh?

Ausm

Lug nuts requre a certain amount of torque to be secured down properly. Too little, and you end up like the OP, or too much and you can end up messing up your studs or warp your brake rotors etc.

 

[Rufio]

the same exact crap happened to my car a while back.

firestone said, tough, nohting happened, deal with it. they offered me a free oil change. f uck that.

they seem to be taking responsibilty for it. if i were you, i would see what they offer and if that is good enough for you, then take it. i don't konw if i would get the guy fired....i have mixed feelings about this....

good luck

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: SportSC4

Originally posted by: Ausm

Originally posted by: homestarmy

Originally posted by: Ausm

Originally posted by: Vegito
Most receipt says to recheck your nutz after 1 mile... no one read it anyway.. personally, I got my own torque wrench and i check almost every 3-5k or right after i drive off a tire rotate/balance

I just got a tire rotation from a huge cheverolet dealer in my location and nowhere on my receipt does it say check your nuts...

If the are using an impact wrench with 100+ lbs of air pressure there is no fvcking way the nuts would come off unless the wheel was improperly installed and/or lack of air pressure in the Impact wrench. One other note at 75/hour those con artists should know enough to do their jobs right

Ausm

Not to be mean, but you obviously know nothing on the subject. You DO NOT use an IMPACT WRENCH with 100+ lbs of pressure to tighten your lugs.

huh?

Ausm

He means that they don't tighten them as tight as they can. Each car company (I think it depends on bolt pattern) have a specific amount of torque that each nut should be tightened at. For example, the majority of Lexus cars need to be tightened at 76 ft-lbs in a 1,3,5,2,4 order

I think he was questioning the use of an impact wrench? I really don't give a shat how many ft/lbs of torque was required because the spec is set by the manufacturer of the vehicle so your nuts won't fly off.

Ausm

 

[Gillbot]

ask for new wheel studs, lugnuts and wheels on the affected areas.

 

[icelazer]

Call local DA, negligent homicide or settle for a brand new car

Seriously, of course they called you crying, that could've cost them millions of dollars and jailtime if it had fallen off at an inappropriate time..

However, there could be a reasonable legal defense that you should never drive a car without doing a personal inspection yourself everyt time before you drive, same reason pilots do to their airplanes

 

[Raduque]

I guess nobody else noticed that guy with the Raven av's reference to Ron White... "they FORGOT...... to TIGHTEN....... the LUG NUTS...... on my VAN"

I also had a situation similar to this happen to me in my Honda. I have warped rotors, so it shimmys a bit at highway speeds anyway, and one day it was shimmying really bad, and making a clunking sound. I pulled off the highway at the next gas station to check the suspension, i thought maybe something was loose. Turns out all 4 of my front right lug nuts were loose, and one was even completely missing (sheared the stud clean off). Nobody was at fault that I could find, as I hadn't worked on the tire, nor had anywhere work on it, either.

I'm a conspiracy theorist at heart, so I like to think somebody loosened the lugnuts in a parking lot because of the person I bought the car from.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Just keep your calm. You'll be pissed probably and your face will probably show it enough.

If they ask you to sign anything, DO NOT!

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004
Just keep your calm. You'll be pissed probably and your face will probably show it enough.

If they ask you to sign anything, DO NOT!

ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A DAMAGE CHECK FOR 1 MILLION DOLLARS!

 

[Ulfwald]

Explain you want a full check of the suspension, wheels, rotors, and all moving and mechanical parts related to the front end. You want all the studs and lug nts replaced, as well as 2 new rims because you are afraid that the holes that the studs go through are now damaged.

Also see if you can get future oil changes, brake jobs, check ups to check for related damages for the next 6 months to a year out of this.

 

[chambersc]

Originally posted by: Ulfwald
Explain you want a full check of the suspension, wheels, rotors, and all moving and mechanical parts related to the front end. You want all the studs and lug nts replaced, as well as 2 new rims because you are afraid that the holes that the studs go through are now damaged.

Also see if you can get future oil changes, brake jobs, check ups to check for related damages for the next 6 months to a year out of this.

qft, ftw

 

[BD2003]

It depends what you want to get out of it. Technically, it would probably fall under criminal negligence, and you could sue the crap out of them.

Although it would be a hell of a case, since it would be your words vs. theirs, and if you did sue them, it wouldnt be a quick and easy case if it went to court.

So basically, it depends on what you feel you deserve, and how far youre willing to go to get what you want.

A threat to sue with some followup might even get you a new car, but its all up to whatever will let you sleep at night.

That mechanic definitely needs to be fired. It is NEVER ok to "forget" to secure the lug nuts. Thats like a surgeon "forgetting" to take the scalpel out of your chest when he sews you up.

My suggestion is to be reasonable, but let them know what you *could* do so they know that you're well aware of what you can get from them. Be reasonable and everyone will leave happy, and it will be pain free.

Reasonable to me would be very similar to ulfwalds suggestion, with the added expense of a day's salary.

 

[icelazer]

As someone said a full check, free service, etc.... I would add the stipulation that this full check and repair be performed by an independant third party and completely expensed to the offending company

 

[davew0670]

I wouldnt be worried about your tire near as much as the studs on the wheel. Make sure you get everything fixed. The guy made a mistake, he admitted it and offered to fix everything. Give the guy a break and help him keep his job. The holidays are coming up!

 

[Xyclone]

Your life was in danger, make a big deal out of it.

 

[ShOcKwAvE827]

I have seen a tire fall off a car at highway speeds. Driving back to UT down 35 I was behind this Jeep Cherokee going about 75mph. Suddenly the left rear tire falls off rolls down the highway and veers left into oncoming lanes. The Jeep managed to stay in control and come to a stop safely. An oncoming car just missed the flying wheel. Man... I would have crapped my pants to see that wheel coming at me at 60 mph.

 

[Cattlegod]

bump for the night crew.

 

[Cooler]

Were you trying to reach 88 on your DeLorean?

 

[Ornery]

Originally posted by: davew0670
I wouldnt be worried about your tire near as much as the studs on the wheel. Make sure you get everything fixed. The guy made a mistake, he admitted it and offered to fix everything. Give the guy a break and help him keep his job. The holidays are coming up!

I'll go along with this. People make mistakes, damn!

Whether you take your car to Walmart, Tire Kingdom, or even the high priced dealer, the kids busting tires don't make much money, and have little experience. Did you take it in right when the first few flakes of snow of the season started coming down? Do you know what chaos ensues on the tire line at that time?

 

[tm37]

Originally posted by: cKGunslinger

Originally posted by: Ime
I went to "Expert Tire" once to get a new set of tires on my old Firebird. After they pulled out my car I hand checked all the lug nuts. My wife (who was my GF at the time) was nagging me about doing it, saying it was a waste of time when suddenly one of the lug nuts popped off in my hand!

I made them tighten the lug nuts again, only I didn't release they OVER tightened them. They ended up damaging my brake pads. I had to get them replace prematurely.

Needless to say, I don't goto "Expert Tire" anymoe.

Next time, try Sears.

I guess he missed LUG NUT DAY!

 

[JoPh]

well whats the lastest update? dont feel like reading all the posts.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004
Just keep your calm. You'll be pissed probably and your face will probably show it enough.

If they ask you to sign anything, DO NOT!

ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A DAMAGE CHECK FOR 1 MILLION DOLLARS!

why would he be signing any cheques?

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: Cooler
Were you trying to reach 88 on your DeLorean?

yes his Mazda DeLorean

 

[natto fire]

Originally posted by: Ausm

Originally posted by: SportSC4

Originally posted by: Ausm

Originally posted by: homestarmy

Originally posted by: Ausm

Originally posted by: Vegito
Most receipt says to recheck your nutz after 1 mile... no one read it anyway.. personally, I got my own torque wrench and i check almost every 3-5k or right after i drive off a tire rotate/balance

I just got a tire rotation from a huge cheverolet dealer in my location and nowhere on my receipt does it say check your nuts...

If the are using an impact wrench with 100+ lbs of air pressure there is no fvcking way the nuts would come off unless the wheel was improperly installed and/or lack of air pressure in the Impact wrench. One other note at 75/hour those con artists should know enough to do their jobs right

Ausm

Not to be mean, but you obviously know nothing on the subject. You DO NOT use an IMPACT WRENCH with 100+ lbs of pressure to tighten your lugs.

huh?

Ausm

He means that they don't tighten them as tight as they can. Each car company (I think it depends on bolt pattern) have a specific amount of torque that each nut should be tightened at. For example, the majority of Lexus cars need to be tightened at 76 ft-lbs in a 1,3,5,2,4 order

I think he was questioning the use of an impact wrench? I really don't give a shat how many ft/lbs of torque was required because the spec is set by the manufacturer of the vehicle so your nuts won't fly off.

Ausm

Probably because you are not supposed to use an impact wrench? In fact you are not SUPPOSED to use an impact wrench to install anything on a car. Not that it matters really, facts seem to have no bearing in this thread...

I am really glad I don't own a business with all you "hang 'em out to dry" morons running around. Even if you think it is not a simple mistake, which it is, mechanics are usually really busy. Getting financial compensation for something that could have happened is about the most retarded thing I have ever heard on this forum. Firing the mechanic I could understand, but still seems a little harsh. How many people here have made simple errors at their job that could have resulted in injury to someone? What roads are you people driving on where there isn't a chance you COULD be killed every time you get on them? I realize the dealership increased his chances quite a bit, but if you don't pull over to check your car after it starts shaking like mad, then perhaps you shouldn't be driving. While death is a pretty harsh way to cease your driving, if it could make one person realize that cars are not toys, and put personal responsibility into their own hands. If you trust your life to Jim-Bob the mechanic thats more power to you, but I think if I ever went to any place to have my car fixed and it involved something as critical as the wheels, I would double check for my own sake. I usually do all my work at home, and if I need a tire changed, I take the wheel off the car and bring it to the tire place, ensuring that I put the wheel on the correct way. (with a socket and torque wrench)

Well whatever you do good luck. Unless you hire some scum bag lawyer and try to get some unrealistic punitive damages. In which case, I hope they use their better lawyers to make you only get new wheel studs and lugnuts, and have to pay court costs...

 

[scorpmatt]

Originally posted by: isekii

Originally posted by: scorpmatt
is 80mph the legal speed limit? if not, you are the liability. also, did you check the lug nuts before you started driving?

Do you check your lugnuts prior to driving ?

Everytime that the my wheels get worked on, yes. I've had the same problem as the OP. Luckily I caught it before I went to far and no damage was done.

 

[FrequencyX]

They were just at risk of being sued big time.. I think they could do quite a bit. Fixing everything with the car would be a start

Life is priceless and it shouldn't be your responsibilty to check work that they should have done right in the first place