Dealer forgot to bolt on my tire

[sonofhammer]

I had some fordpass points left over and took my Bronco in for its third oil change. Previous two were at the same dealer using the same fordpass points. I was getting a simple oil change + tire rotation. Should have been fine, right?

Wrong.

The tech at the dealer forgot to tighten the lug nuts on my front driver's side wheel. They just started them on by hand and completely forgot to tighten them.

The wheel was making clunking noises, rattling against the studs as i drove it off. I bet it was clunking as they drove for me to pick up, and they just ignored it.

Luckily, i decided to check the lug nuts before drove to far and ended up tightening them on the side of the road, next to the dealer's lot. I called the front desk and told them about it, and by the time I was done fixing their shit, a service tech ran out with an impact gun to try and help me, lol. I may have ended up yelling at him a little bit.

Dealers, amirite?

Needless to say, I'll be changing my own oil from now on.

Update : now with pics of the damage!

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[Lifeliberty]

I haven't been back to a dealer since I bought. Go to a private garage, not a chain garage.

I would go to dealer for insurance or warranty issues, but haven't had any, except light switch(which I ordered and replaced myself).

Support your local garage

 

[arwhite]

Man, that'll just piss you off, won't it?

I've had it happen before at a small town repair shop and ended up watching my driver side rear wheel pass me by on the highway. It's a wonder I didn't crash.

 

[DUSTYcazOREGON]

I have expensive aftermarket wheels and have explicit instructions for the dealer (when doing "The Works" oil change) to not rotate nor remove the wheels for any reason.

 

[sonofhammer]

Man, that'll just piss you off, won't it?

I've had it happen before at a small town repair shop and ended up watching my driver side rear wheel pass me by on the highway. It's a wonder I didn't crash.

Man that sucks! Glad you survived.

The dealer is right by the freeway. I was three turns away from it. I'm so fortunate to have caught it before I took off!

 

[Sgt Badlands]

It can happen to anyone. I always check my oil level, make sure no leaks and that my skid plate was replaced. Guess I will start checking to see if the lug nuts are tight too.

 

[Rhyas]

Support your local garage

There are plenty of reasons to support other shops, but locality is rarely one of them. Dealerships are like any other business, and hire and train local people. I have known a lot of great people at dealerships over the years, and some pretty terrible "local" garage people. Overall, the "profit" might leave town using a big dealership, but in general that's probably not the heaviest factor you should use when choosing who works on your vehicle.

Just an observation. Not specifically trying to call you out, just noting that the world isn't black and white.

I feel kinda bad for that tech. I'd bet a fair amount that anyone who has done more than a few tire changes over the years has missed tightening a bolt at least once.

 

[sonofhammer]

I feel kinda bad for that tech. I'd bet a fair amount that anyone who has done more than a few tire changes over the years has missed tightening a bolt at least once.

Yeah, it's not the tech's fault. Mistakes happen. People are people and people make mistakes.

 

[HOSSMAN]

Yeah, it's not the tech's fault. Mistakes happen. People are people and people make mistakes.

Glad you were okay, objects can be fixed and repaired but lives cannot. As a service director I hate reading these things as we always train on these little but big things. Unfortunately this was the techs fault but yes mistakes happen. It is hard to have young techs or lube techs understand that for what little they make they are actually one of the most important jobs in the service department that we all take for granted. Forget oil, you cost me a motor. Forget to tighten lug nuts and you can cost a life. Yes, we are all human and make mistakes, one of my fav. sayings as it is true. Good help is hard to find, good techs are even harder. If I know that tech I bet his manager chewed his a$$ and I bet he feels like crap. Good news is there is less of a chance of him doing it again (hopefully). Kudos to you for being so cool about it. Those are the most embarrassing a$$ chewing's to take as a director. Well that and not topping off washer fluid...

 

[SeptuagenerianSasquatch]

Kudos to the service

If I know that tech I bet his manager chewed his a$$ and I bet he feels like crap. Good news is there is less of a chance of him doing it again (hopefully). Kudos to you for being so cool about it. Those are the most embarrassing a$$ chewing's to take as a director. Well that and not topping off washer fluid...

Kudos to the service manager for scrambling a road crew and getting out to you pronto with a properly equipped tech.

 

[Greg2060]

People that do the same thing over and over again, day in and day out, get complacent and probably do it without much thought. It becomes routine and that’s when they can make a mistake. Glad that you caught it before it got much worse.

 

[Lifeliberty]

There are plenty of reasons to support other shops, but locality is rarely one of them. Dealerships are like any other business, and hire and train local people. I have known a lot of great people at dealerships over the years, and some pretty terrible "local" garage people. Overall, the "profit" might leave town using a big dealership, but in general that's probably not the heaviest factor you should use when choosing who works on your vehicle.

Just an observation. Not specifically trying to call you out, just noting that the world isn't black and white.

I feel kinda bad for that tech. I'd bet a fair amount that anyone who has done more than a few tire changes over the years has missed tightening a bolt at least once.

I understand what you are saying, but here in Columbus I go to a shop that has long time mechanics. I know mechanics in Columbus and dealers always get entry level techs with high turnover.

Only service issue I ever had was at a dealer. The tech left my passenger door open while the car was on the lift. When they lowered the car, they lowered the open door on something(table or other) and ended bending the door panel as the door lowered onto whatever was there. Yes they took care of it and gave me a rental, but that's a boneheaded move.

It's mostly the entry level techs getting the oil change and tire rotation jobs, plus the huge turnover that keeps me away.

I'd go for warranty work, but not basic service here

 

[Montana Bronco]

I’m usually one of the first people here to dump on dealers, but years ago this happened to me at a small independent tire place I had used for years. Nuts only on a couple threads, I made it half a block and pulled over. Ruined the wheel. Owner of the shop was good and took full responsibility, the mechanic who did it had worked there 18 years.

 

[BigHoof]

I would pull the wheel and check the studs and holes for damage. You may not have driven far but I’d still have a look.,

 

[USMCAg]

I know I'm showing my age (Gen X), but that's why it's easier to do your own oil changes and tire rotations. You definitely know it's done right when it's your hand on both the wrench and the steering wheel.

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