Loose wheel nuts following Cam belt change

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Sun 28 Aug 2011 22:31
Loose wheel nuts following Cam belt change - scole01234

Hi I recently had a cam belt change on my car at an idependant garage, when I drove the car after about 20 miles I started to get a strange noise from the front of the car, the following day I took the car back to the garage who looked around the car, took it for a test drive and said it was probably a driveshaft. They had jacked it up, looked underneath, under the bonnet. They suggested booking it in for them to check it out fully (at no cost) I had next week as holiday so thought I would sort it out then. Yesturday I thought I would have a look myself and see if anything was rubbing, I then realised that all 4 wheel bolts were only finger tight. I tightened these, and now problem solved. Is it worth complaining to the garage? Do I have any rights? Me driving my car for 300 miles with loose wheel nuts cause any damage?

Thanks

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Mon 29 Aug 2011 12:36
Loose wheel nuts following Cam belt change - veryoldbear

I would get the service manager into a corner and give him a right rollocking. It won't do you any good at all, they will deny everything, but might make you feel better.

Similar thing happened to me some years ago, with a main dealer who was supposed to be changing front brake pads. I beleive that all they did was get the lad to loosen the front wheel nuts, jack it down and park it in a corner. Main dealer you note ....

I know they hadn't changed the pads 'cos when it went in for it's MOT a month or so later, I was smugly informed that the front discs were worn. Bah ! Humbug ! (or in view of the make of the car ... Merde !)

Another main dealer lost my locking wheel nut thingy, and had to replace the lot ....

Edited by veryoldbear on 29/08/2011 at 12:37

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Mon 29 Aug 2011 13:46
Loose wheel nuts following Cam belt change - nortones2

Might be worth checking that the loose wheel studs haven't affected the wheels. Wheel stud holes may have ovalised, and the studs may be damaged. Similar thing happened to wifey after tyre replaced by main dealer. She noticed unusual noise, stopped and got rescue (Britannia) to retighten the wheel. Later had the wheel and fittings checked out by a trusted garage. All OK, but you don't want the wheel falling off....

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Tue 20 Sep 2011 17:05
Loose wheel nuts following Cam belt change - Robert J.

I am trying to think why you need to take the wheels off to change a cambelt? Did the garage do some other work at the same time?

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Tue 20 Sep 2011 18:10
Loose wheel nuts following Cam belt change - veryoldbear

Depends on the car.

Wouldn't be surprised if there are cars out there where you have to remove the cambelt to change a headlight bulb.

Whatever happened to maintainability ?

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