Ok need some advice. I dropped my car off for its 6 year / 72 month service this morning and I have just been called by the garage and told that in removing one of the front wheels they have sheared-off one of the wheel bolts and done some damage to the alloy wheel.

Obviously I explained as nicely as possible that I wasn't terribly happy with what they have done, so the service manager is going to call me back later when he is in the office.

Has anyone had a similar problem on a service?

Presumably I'm going to need a new wheel hub and either a new alloy or a repair on the existing alloy (depending on exactly what they have done to it). Do the wheel hubs need to be replaced in tandem (i.e. both front ones at the same time), or can you replace one side only?

Any advice greatfully received.

 

Funny you should say that.

Mine had its service over wknd and as i was leaving they said "oh, by the way one of the screws that hold the wheel on has threaded a bit including the bolt.

On my way back from service i was getting my new tyres fitted. When they took my back wheel off the tyre place pointed out the same thing.

Spoke to Honda this morning expressing how dissapointed i was seeing as i'd been going there since 2002 and the fact that they didnt A) replace or B) give me the chance to replace during my service and what was i supposed to do.. wait another 12 months until next service. After all they are the only ones who've had my wheels off in the past couple of years.

Anyway, they got straight back in touch and said that the part itself is only 3 quid but the labour is an hour and a half to replace it. They've offered to do the lot free of charge.

So i'm not grumbling. They've looked after me over the years and i think if you dont get yours replaced then i'd be shocked and suprised especially seeing as your wheels been damaged also

 

Most places will have the usual "we can't be held responsible for any damage..." clause stated clearly around the premises.

If this damage was due to fair wear and tear then you may have to pay to have it made good. If it was due to their negligence / hamfistedness, then you have them bang to rights.

I'm guessing that they have snapped your wheel bolts by using an impact driver to fasten it up, with the sharp bit that broke off then being mashed into the soft alloy wheel...

If the bolt broke during use of an impact wrench, then they should pay to have it all fixed. There is no excuse for using an impact wrench to do up a bolt. They should ideally not have used it to undo the bolt either, as it will inevitably cause some damage to the edges of the bolt.

As for what needs done, most hubs that I have worked with allow the studs to be changed as a seperate item from the hub, with the studs fitting into the hub on tapered splines. This may or may not hold true for the S2000.

Alloy wheels may be repairable, but don't settle for a half-arsed job. remember - S2000 alloys corrode at the slightest provocation. You really don't want the bit of the wheel that does the gripping onto the bolt to turn to powder and vanish when you need it most!

However, the best thing to do would be to rock up and have a look at it.

 

Apparently they sheard the bolt when trying to take the wheel off, but since they are the last garage to have taken my wheels off when it was serviced last year its clearly their fault if the bolt was overtightened (which is what the technician said when he called).

The damage to the bolt doesn't sound too difficult to repair if you can simply put a new lug into the wheel hub. Its the damage to the wheel that I'm more worried about. Please don't say things like "the sharp bit that broke off then being mashed into the soft alloy wheel"

Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to get home and take a look at it before the garage closes tonight, but if they have scratched it then I presume the only way it can be rapaired is to have the wheel refurbed. I really wish I could see what they have done to put my mind at rest.

 

I bloody hate the way garages use air wrenches, it's like they lose all co-ordination and go into spaz mode, like a scene remanent of the 70's Horror Film 'Driller Killer'.

Seriously though hope they cough up and fix it.

 

It doesn't matter what people put up around the premises. They ARE responsible for any damage caused by their employees. Companies in any walk of life cannot evade their responsibilities by putting a disclaimer up - the law is what applies not their policy.

 

:agree:

Spot on alot of companys do this for various things, in the hope that the unknowing will fall for it.

 

Maybe it was corroded and siezed?
It does happen - joys of motoring and all that.

Tiny spot of alu or copper lube keeps it neat.

 

my dealer always lubes my nuts

i had a tyre dealer snap a locking nut in this way once, they removed it for me but i purchased the replacement locking nuts as I saw him do it with a wrench (and they were good enough to remove the remains which was not easy).

 

Had a garage badly scrape one of my wheels during a tyre change. They were very good about it and paid for the wheel to be repaired plus petrol costs for driving to bodyshop. I got discount/credit note in the future.

I would insist they put right the damage with no cost to you and maybe a discount on the service as it's going to mean to have to wait longer for you the car. If they refuse park your car or another car in their entrance way and kick up a stink explaining to any other customers how they broke your car. Being extreme normally works for me!