Took my astra in for a 1st service 56 reg at a large vauxhall dealership in leeds.
They only change oil & filter, check levels a quick look around then it's done,
however they forgot to stamp my service book, then just about to drive off service light still lit, mechanic sent over to re-set just jumps in with mucky overalls sits there & re-sets service indicator!
Then tell's me about a known problem with the locking wheel nuts that they snap!! so i asked have you changed them under warranty? no he said the manager crossed it off the service sheet! has anybody else had as much hassle as this? & any probs with these locking nuts? don't fancy changing wheel in rain/wind/hail to find the damn thing snapped!!
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 10/10/2007 at 18:08
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Not heard about the locking nuts problem but it always amuses me that the protective plastic cap that is supposed to keep the muck out of the locking wheel nut face seems to be missing or never fitted from new in about 85% of cases.
Bet they forgot to stamp the separate page for the anti corrosion warranty as well!
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I haven't heard anything either. That's not to say there isn't a problem though.
Re: the plastic cap. No longer supplied with the locking wheeel bolt kit. In fact the kit fitted to my previous Jan 2004 registered Vectra didn't have any protective caps, so it must have been quite a while ago that they made the decision not to anymore.
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snipquoteBet they forgot to stamp the separate page for the anti corrosion warranty as well! Yes they forgot to stamp that as well.!
Don't you just get fed up! i could have got a better service from my local indi at least they would vac it out & wash it! seams like there after making some more money the wipers were supposed to be split & a new pair required, there's a mark on the screen where the bluebottle fly got struck with the wiper blade and left a mark!! just req a clean..
As for the locking nuts im still investigating may slacken them off copper slip threads & put them back on nipped up not too tight..
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 10/10/2007 at 21:02
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I had to get the AA to remove the locking wheel nuts off of my Astra H, as the mechanism would not grip them anymore. A friend who used to work for Vauxhall said that they had a known problem with the first batches used in 2004/5 - they have since revised the wheel nuts. Still cost me £5.00 per wheel plus a new set of wheel nuts - could have been worse, the day before the garage had to drill some off.
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As for the locking nuts im still investigating may slacken them off copper slip threads & put them back on nipped up not too tight..
For safety's sake they should be tightened up as tight as all the others - that being 110 Nm.
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>>For safety's sake they should be tightened up as tight as all the others - that being 110 Nm.
I would be really careful here. If there's a problem with these bolts snapping, the last thing you should do is to lubricate them and then continue to use the dry torque figure.
The torque is just an intermediate stage - the act of tightening a bolt is done to put the bolt in tension, and the joint into compression. The relationship between this bolt tension and the torque you apply is strongly dependent upon thread friction. By using lubricants, you will stretch the bolts further than design if you also use the dry torque value (ideally manufacturers should also publish a lower, oiled torque, but they don't!).
Usually, there's so much design margin in car wheel bolts that most people get away with it. However, in this case, there's a problem. The only sensible course is to get the bolts changed out, and then, follow the manufacturer's wheel torquing procedure.
Number_Cruncher
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Ive had locking wheel bolts fail on our volvo.
it had the wavey line design - if you understand me
went to undo it using the supplied wheel brace, and the thing twisted.
I took all 4 off and got some proper bolts.
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I tried to speak to the service manager at the vauxhall dealer in leeds but he's in a meeting! well tomorrow hope im sucessfull, very poor service from a national dealer network, i understand your comments nc, all ok on that one.
Next year im off to another vx dealer or my local indie, had a warranty issue i suppose indie's can deal with these if a problem arises?
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 11/10/2007 at 01:38
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Are they nuts or are they studs? What do you mean by they "snap" and where do they "snap"?
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L\'escargot.
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Are they nuts or are they studs?
Vauxhall usually use wheel bolts, not nuts. Have done for quite some time now.
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Then tell's me about a known problem with the locking wheel nuts that they snap!! so i asked have you changed them under warranty? no he said .......
Even if a certain component does have a reputation (whether deserved or not) for being of questionable strength, you can't expect it/them to be replaced "under warranty" on your car unless you have actually experienced a problem. At worst, only a small percentage are likely to be defective. If the problem was sufficiently widespread the manufacturer would do a recall, and replace all of the defective batch. As far as replacement under warranty is concerned, I think you'll find it requires a positive request from the owner, with evidence that failure has either actually occurred or is imminent. I assume that in your case there is no evidence of failure, imminent or otherwise.
Moreover, I think the mechanic spoke out of turn in even suggesting that the components on your car could be defective. I've no doubt that in his mind he's got the problem all out of proportion.
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L\'escargot.
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Yes i understand your point he did say that vauxhall had NOT done a recall, but i just thought i might have a chance, the service manager was supposed to ring me first thing this morning but i guess he can't be pink fluffy diced!
As for the other point im not sure what snaps either the thread or i think it's probably the adaptor that is soft and twists/snaps?
Well i'll be extra carefull with them touch wood they won't be coming off very much, next year's service won't be back there, plenty more dealer's about or my local indie.. many thanks for all replys..
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 11/10/2007 at 11:24
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I don't know whether the actual nuts can snap but when I had the AA out recently to fix a wheel problem on my Honda CRV, the AA mechanic warned against ever permitting tyre/mechanics to use a torqued air gun to tighten or undo locking wheel nuts. Quite how you are to avoid this is a different matter I guess.
In his experience, it seems, there is every chance that the coded nut devices themselves are likely to disintegrate or strip if an air gun is used!
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