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Daughter undone
Last week my daughter together with her two small children returned to London via the M1 after visiting me in Stockton. Some way down the motorway the car started vibrating and the steering wheel shuddering. She limped to a service station and called the AA.
They found the wheel nuts on both front wheels were loose and one wheel was so damaged it had to be changed. The car has now been examined by the local dealer and she has had to buy a new wheel.
The car had new tyres fitted a few weeks ago but had not covered a significant mileage before visiting me. It thus appears that the tyre company had not fully torqued the wheel nuts and these had loosened once the car had done a lengthy journey. My daughter is reluctant to confront the tyre company as she expects them to be in denial.
Ignoring the cost of a new wheel (around £300) I take a different view. The thought of a wheel coming off on a busy section of the M1 fills me with horror and I would be grateful if you to publicise this incident in the hope that garages take more care in the future.
They found the wheel nuts on both front wheels were loose and one wheel was so damaged it had to be changed. The car has now been examined by the local dealer and she has had to buy a new wheel.
The car had new tyres fitted a few weeks ago but had not covered a significant mileage before visiting me. It thus appears that the tyre company had not fully torqued the wheel nuts and these had loosened once the car had done a lengthy journey. My daughter is reluctant to confront the tyre company as she expects them to be in denial.
Ignoring the cost of a new wheel (around £300) I take a different view. The thought of a wheel coming off on a busy section of the M1 fills me with horror and I would be grateful if you to publicise this incident in the hope that garages take more care in the future.
Asked on 29 August 2011 by PC, Stockton on Tees
Answered by
Honest John
That's all you and I can do. Because, as you have surmised, you can't actually prove that the tyre fitters were at fault. Something else readers should be aware if is that locking keynuts are not strong enough to be used with airline wrenches. Do not ever allow a tyre fitter to apply an airline wrench to a locking wheel nut or he will probably damage it. Use a spider wrench instead.
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wheels and tyres
legal issues
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