Ford Focus 2012 Locking Nut Tool Replacement

BlackEdelweiss

I have a 2012 Focus and the tyre had a slow puncture over Christmas and has gone completely flat. I went to change the tyre but found I dont have the tool for releasing the locking nut. I called a garage today and he said this is unique to my car and he cant change the tyre without it.

Is this true and if so, what can I do about it?

Paddydow

There's a stud extractor most garages would have to remove the lock nut. Be as well off to remove all 4 and replace with normal wheel nuts

BlackEdelweiss

That's what I thought but the guy I rang said I would have to contact Ford!

GavPJ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058278197/ford-focus-2012-locking-nut-tool-replacement

Why would you not believe what he is telling you?

Most good garages would be able to remove these no worries at all.

Have a good look around the car for the tool, some people throw

them in the boot with the jack, some people keep them in the glovebox.

Some people forget to put them back in the car after getting a puncture

and leave them at the side of the road.

BlackEdelweiss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120067852#Comment_120067852

Not sure I get where you are coming from here.

I thought a garage would have some kind of generic tool that could remove these bolts which is what you said in your 2nd comment. You are basically telling me that what he said is not true. He more or less told me I am fcuked and that I have to go to ford and buy a new tool specifically for my vehicle.

GavPJ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120069545#Comment_120069545

Sorry, what I mean is most "good" garages can remove these, I didn't mention a generic tool.

Sounds like the garage you called are not interested in doing the job and if you don't trust them

move onto one you have faith in. 😊

A lot of them can be removed by beating an old socket onto the locking nut. I had to do it lots of times.

Ford and Jaguar used to use the same stupid locking wheel stud and they were forever breaking. When you

get the old ones off, bin them and put ordinary studs on it.

ahtisyourself

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120066072#Comment_120066072

What he said, happened on my 10 fiesta, I got my tyre place to take out the lock nuts, fix the tyre and put in normal wheel nuts all for less than 30 quid though this was 2 years ago so it'd probably cost a tonne now 😂😂

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120077347#Comment_120077347

Sorry to drag up an old thread but Im im the same boat here now. 161 Kuga needs rear brake pads badly but we've no lock nut key. Rang a few garages and they said they could do other cars but not Fords as they are extremely hard to get out. Here is my lock nut:

Were your Fiesta nuts like this? If possible can you give me some more details on exactly what you got done to get them removed?

Nearest Ford main dealer have a master key but they cant do the job for another 2 weeks.

colm_mcm

Back years ago there was only around 10 different Ford lock nuts, and the dealers often had sets of them for this type of situation.

not sure how it is now.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058278197/ford-focus-2012-locking-nut-tool-replacement

I had this issue many years ago. Wasn't on a Ford but a Nissan. I rang around all the Nissan garages and it turned out they had a set of master nuts once it was once supplied by Nissan. I took it over to the one which had the master set(not all had it) and they removed the lock nuts or gave me the option to buy the lock nut.

The garage by the way is not wrong, you might find the master nut set doesn't include yours because the garage the car was bought at used a OEM lock nut.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121682680#Comment_121682680

Problem is now most garages might not use the Ford nuts as a posted above, buy a cheaper set and trying to find the replica is nearly impossible. I did find on ebay some UK companies used to let you take a picture and they would try to match but they might send you something useless and then you are stuck with it

colm_mcm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121682830#Comment_121682830

I would def try a Ford dealer and see if they have a master set

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121683129#Comment_121683129

The words the Ford main dealer (Heghartys Letterkenny) said to me were "we have the master here". Im not sure exactly what that means but he said they are definitely taking out the lock nuts and putting in normal ones.

I'll probably have to wait on main dealer but there is 1 garage Ive heard of today that apparently can do it. Will ring him Monday morning...

colm_mcm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121683149#Comment_121683149

Sounds like the Ford dealer can sort it then.

BlackEdelweiss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121681827#Comment_121681827

I had to take it to a garage who said they could do it. They were a tyre replacement garage I think but they said they could do it. They basically welded and cut the locking nuts off and I went to the ford garage and bought new nuts to replace them. There was slight heat damage to the ford symbol in the middle of the wheel on 1 but apart from that it was perfect. I was quoted over €200 in a few places, I think it cost me €40 where I went in the end.

jj880

Ford main dealer Letterkenny sorted it with master nut and replaced with normal bolts.

70 euro.

Our car is 8 years old. I noticed every new Ford on the showroom floor except the Fiesta still has lock nuts.

Henry Ford III

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121710083#Comment_121710083

A new wheel and tyre are quite valuable and without locking wheel nuts are easily stolen.

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121710238#Comment_121710238

Sure. Was an FYI more than anything.

Maybe it depends on where you live. In rural Donegal Ive never heard of a new wheels / tyres being stolen. Doesnt mean it hasnt happened of course.

What I do know is Id never even heard of locking wheel nuts until last week. Didnt even know I had them. Ford seem to be more hassle to remove. Tried 5 mechanics and all didnt want to do it.

If we do get another Ford we'll be getting the locking nuts removed before purchase. It's a personal decision I suppose.

colm_mcm

My car is coming up on 9 years old. Has had all 4 wheels off and on at least 20 times each, locking nuts and adaptors still perfect.

If you reckon they’re not at risk of being stolen then fair enough, if you do then there are better aftermarket options than the original Ford ones

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121710664#Comment_121710664

Its a strange one for us. Got the car in 2019/2020 so obviously not new wheels / tyres to be stolen. We dont do a lot of miles. 25000 since we got it. I checked a few days ago. New tyres on it just before we got it. Probably new pads also. So tyres have never been off the car and we 100% did not get a lock nut key with the car. Hassle since to get the lock bolts removed before the discs got damaged as we needed new pads. So yeah its not a normal situation for sure.

Sounds good I'll look into the aftermarket stuff. If I could get a set with a few backup keys to keep in the house then sure why not.

colm_mcm

The wheels were probably taken off during servicing though?

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121710829#Comment_121710829

No. We had words with the mechanic about this. Last week he had the car half way up the lift to do the pads and asked me for the lock nut. I hadnt a scooby what he meant and thats when the search for someone who could get the lock bolts out started. It was only the next day we figured out the wheels had never been off since we got it. Not even during a service like you say. Mechanic apologised and fitted the brake pads for free today as we were not happy about this.

Whocare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121710906#Comment_121710906

That just awful what you did to that man doing work for free of no fault of his own disgusting really 😕 pay the man for his work. You not having Lock nut has nothing to do with him

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121716425#Comment_121716425

We paid him for a full service 3 weeks ago. About 10 days ago we hear metal grinding on metal. The inside rear passenger brake pad was completely depleted. He didnt check it properly during the service. If that isnt bad enough for you he then asks me for a lock nut while attempting to change the pads. We never had a lock nut since getting the car (and were not aware we needed a lock nut key until he asked for it). So he then had to admit he hadnt taken the wheels off the car in 4+ years of us getting it serviced with him.

Edit: can you check the inside rear pads of a Kuga without taking off the back wheels? Im not sure maybe someone else here can answer that...

We are more than fair with him. We take all 3 of our cars to him, always pay cash and never question what he charges. He doesnt itemise his services and we trust him. This has to work both ways though. When I went to pay him for changing the pads he said "Im charging you the price of the pads only after the hassle of what happened". We consider the matter closed now and all is well again. If he wasnt in the wrong he would not have apologised and replaced the pads for free.

Whocare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121717092#Comment_121717092

I thought pads were being changed as there was low and he ask you for lock nut .it completely different things getting car service few weeks ago and now there on metal on metal

BlackEdelweiss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121718798#Comment_121718798

Maybe think that there is more to a story the next time before you jump on someone!

Not so much as an apology in your post. Now that is disgusting.

rob316

Lock nuts are a pain in the ass. The problem is you go get tyres changed some idiot uses the air gun with the key and shears it. Then you get a flat, go to change it and you can't open it. Happened to me

Had to get car towed to vw dealer, who then swapped them out for regular bolts. 50 quid I think it was and they didn't have a master key for it as it was an import, but they got them out.