Wheel Fell off car after a tyre change. Advice needed

KaneToad

The tone here is that the OP was negligent in not checking his car wheel. But it is reasonable to assume that wheel nuts were tight given that tyres had just been replaced - as this is a fundamental part of getting tyres done.

The suspicion that it might a CV boot or suspension issue is reasonable too. Driving with same to local mechanic is not outrageous either.

Tyre place is 100% at fault, I think. They should make good all the damage. Glad to see no one was hurt...but if they were, tyre place would be in a lot of bother.

I'd be calling the tyre place. Tell them the story and tell them what you want rectified. If they disagree, that's when I'd be looking to involve solicitors.

Buffman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036771#Comment_118036771

Ye, contact them ASAP. The longer you leave it, the longer it'll take to sort. Don't worry about prices and stuff, that can be sorted later.

It's too early to be even thinking about a solicitor. If they tell you to feck off then that's a different story.

ahnowbrowncow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036736#Comment_118036736

Of course it's strange, the tyre came off his car, it's not exactly a normal occurrence.

Maybe read the thread before your start badgering the OP, he already said he got them changed this morning.

Stallingrad

I'm surprised at the comments from Henry Ford, usually a helpful contributer.

Can't see any debate here, tyre fitted and wheel falls off the same day. Not everyone is mechanically minded and tyre fitters are expected to be able to do their job.

Hope it is resolved quickly to your satisfaction OP.

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036988#Comment_118036988

Maybe it was his garage 😏

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036783#Comment_118036783

This ^^^^

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036783#Comment_118036783

Assumption is the mother of all fuxkups. It's not reasonable to assume anything these days. Tyre places tell you to check the nuts after Xkm for a reason.

dudley72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036834#Comment_118036834

If the tires had been replaced this morning and suddenly you start to hear a strange noise from those wheels, sorry but the automatic reaction would be the tyre was not put on right. Well mine would be anyway. CV boot or suspension yes is reasonable if nothing else has changed on the car.

As I posted already, if you ring a mechanic, say you have replaced the tires this morning and now you have a noise coming from those wheel I would expect the mechanic to have the cop on to tell you to check they are on correctly.

I am not accusing the OP of anything, the garage is at fault and I would expect them to pay up no issue. I'm not saying he/she was negligent

Get Real

Hope you get the issue resolved OP and think if they're any way decent, they'll settle up.

However, just a word of warning, the way the world is, and the type of people out there, the garage may be reluctant.

I'm sure there are all types of..scum..frankly that would get this job done, remove same up the road, and have it happen. Then wait for dollar signs.

Now, the garage may be so skeptical due to people like the above, they'll refuse or be so afraid of a chance that will be afraid to admit a mistake and a chance will suddenly develop "injuries"

Again, I know you're genuine, and it's me being skeptical, but perhaps what might help you is emailing or putting in writing that you've no injuries etc, and just want to be put right.

Henry Ford III

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036988#Comment_118036988

Wasn't my intent to offend OP. Sorry if I did.

dudley72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118037133#Comment_118037133

I dont think you need email etc, just ring them and explain. If your first contact with them is via a solicitor then they will automatically think you are going to sue them and put up the barriers

Buffman

Any update OP, how'd you get on?

Toyotafanboi

Two things here make me think you are at nothing, OP.

What sort of tyre fitting outfit doesn't have a 21mm socket?

The dislodged wheel rim really doesn't look like it has a brand new tyre fitted.

If they are fitting part worns and dont have a 21mm socket at hand i'd say they don't do much in the way of aftersales support or insurance.

KaneToad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118037085#Comment_118037085

I've never had a tyre place tell me to tighten the nuts again. I'm not saying they don't say it, I've just never experienced that.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118038683#Comment_118038683

Some of the chain outfits actually print it on the invoice.

As you say though not so usual for a fitter or someone in the office to say it.

lintdrummer

My wife was complaining about a noise and shake from her wheels. She had some work done by a mechanic a day earlier. Audi A3. This work involved taking the wheels off.

I went out to take a look and started getting ready to jack the car. Took the little plastic centre cap off and one of the nuts fell straight on the ground. The rest weren't even hand tight. Just one wheel in this case, passenger front side.

Rang the mechanic and gave him an almighty bollocking. Was pure luck the wheel hadn't come off considering she had driven the car from Kilkenny to Kildare with the nuts loose.

So while there are many of us here who would instinctively check the wheel nuts when we hear or feel something isn't right after we know the wheel was off, a lot of less mechanically inclined people will not associate the two events. They just think "oh there's something else wrong with it now".

OP not at all to blame here and anyone trying to imply he should have known to check the nuts is just too clouded by there own reasoning. The tyre place is 100% to blame. His mechanic should probably have suggested checking the nuts, but for whatever reason he didn't and it's not his fault either.

Spook_ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036662#Comment_118036662

Well personally I'm still gob smacked that you drove so far on 3 wheels and a disk, if you hadn't posted a picture I still wouldn't believe it

raclle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118038683#Comment_118038683

I've never heard of this in my life either and if any tyre place advised it I wouldn't go near them but I'm baffled how some of you are making this out to be the OPs fault.

SlitDrip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036988#Comment_118036988

Its the general tone of boards for a long time.

Look at any post (especially motoring) and it only takes 2/3 posts before the OP is attacked.

FDave

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118039222#Comment_118039222

And how exactly would you bring a car that's missing it's front left wheel to a stop?

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118039385#Comment_118039385

This is what Continental Tyres in UK advise.

https://www.continental-tyres.co.uk/car/all-about-tyres/tyre-care-maintenance/retorquing-wheels

(I agree it's not he OP's fault)

freddieot

This does happen. It happened to a good friend of me about a decade ago as well. Only went about 100 yards from the tyre place and one wheel fell off. It was in the city centre area, a place he had gone to for years. He rang them straight away and they collected the car. No damage luckily as he was jsut stuck in slow traffic. He noticed all the nuts were very loose on all the wheels so they obviously fu**ed up.

When his rage subsided they did about a grand of work on his brakes and shocks (which was needed) free gratis to say sorry. Very lucky for all that he was not, or rather could not, go at speed.

.

spakman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036767#Comment_118036767

Probably in case they're as sceptical/disbelieving as you.

Wildly Boaring

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118039385#Comment_118039385

McManus tyres Drogheda.

One of the better tyre places out there.

Main fitter checks all with torque wrench.

He then gives you one of those little card signs that hang on the mirror. You are to return following day and give him that. He is to recheck nuts.

Only doing this in last 6 months.

Chris_5339762

Got rear brake discs replaced once before an NCT, I knew they'd be needed.

Done and dusted, short drive to the NCT center. Failed miserably siting a massive imbalance in braking power on one side. No obvious difference in braking power.

Back home and wheel taken off car for a look. Brake disk fall onto the ground, it hadn't been tightened on at all.

Mechanic was my father doing it at home in the garage! He'd forgotten to tighten. Put back on, back to the NCT center and passed with flying colours. Funny story at the end of it all.

MaxFlower

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118040228#Comment_118040228

Want to echo this. Some comments cause me to tune out sometimes, seem to be unnecessarily adversarial/disrespectful. Even had a user contact me by PM with childish comments.

I can sympathise with the op in this case. I would have ruled out the wheels as a source of the noise too. They don't seem to mention so much anymore that you should check tightness but as another said, it will be on an invoice or website for sure.

Pussyhands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036721#Comment_118036721

I was with a friend who ultimately, either didn't tighten the nuts or someone loosened them intentionally.

You will get a rattle in the steering wheel and it will get worse and worse.

silver2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036739#Comment_118036739

ah now, that's just ridiculous.

At the very least allow the garage an opportunity to fix the issue.

Think for a minute - if you made an error and the first thing someone does is send a solicitors letter before you even knew what the issue was?

Tyre garage manager will be really pissed off with whatever employee did this and if they are anyway decent they will remedy the situation immediately.

Spook_ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118040546#Comment_118040546

I would hope in a much shorter distance than that, just seems an incredible distance for a car to travel, after all it's not on a motorway and if there were any kind of rumbling/knocking from my car I wouldn't be driving it at any great speed either.

whippet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118040685#Comment_118040685

I've been using McManus' for years and they always tell you to come back the following day and they check all nuts with a torque wrench