Rented a 2011 impala with loose lugs!!!!

[Stanley Rockafeller]

On my recent road trip from Van city to Regina Sask, after some hard driving my steering and suspension became loose after a few hard stops. Only after pulling the car over to the side of the road and re-torquing them with the supplied lug wrench, did the car perform normally. Then on my trip back to Vancouver, the same thing happened all over again (vibrations in the steering when braking(even under VERY light application of the brakes,...and no, the ABS is not to blame as in both situations, the road was dry as a bone and they werent' hard stops.)

The car onyl had 9000kms on it when I picked it up, so I was basically getting a new car. Not sure what the deal is with these cars as others have noted the same problem in the past

http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/impala/2008/consumer-reviews.html

 

[eljefino]

alloy wheels?

 

[Stanley Rockafeller]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
alloy wheels?


yup...(why should that matter?)

 

[eljefino]

Tire shop has this sign about reqorquing alloy wheels after 25 miles. Maybe they don't have the "spring" of steel wheels that help keep friction on the lug stud surfaces.

Maybe someone actually maintained your rental car and just did a rotation before you got it.

 

[Trav]

Torque should be checked at 50 miles any time they are mounted on the car, its claimed they can loosen.
Personally i have never experienced it but that doesn't mean it isn't so.

 

[tommygunn]

So you had to "toque" the lugs twice? That definitely seems odd..I'd be reporting it to the rental agency...they should be able to hook you up with some "out of area" mechanic/shop "in your area" of travel to do a thorough "once over" to see what's up with the wheels.


I personally wouldn't let them know you torqued them ala lug wrench twice though.....if anything, make it sound like your dumb, and if they don't have a recommended mechanic in the area, ask them if you should "torque" them yourself, just to "cover your [censored]" - if they give you the "go ahead" over the phone to torque them, they can't say you damaged the vehicle when you check it back in.

All else, just stop into a walmart TLE, they should be able to torque them for you properly - no charge, as well as top you off with air.

As mentioned, it could be one of those "disclaimers" about retorquing after ~50 miles" - and perhaps the tires were just rotated....but to come "loose" twice now, that does seem odd....but like I said, don't tell them that you "torqued" them at all...otherwise they'll be making you pay for new lug studs, lug nuts, and wheel hubs or something when you turn it back in...lol.


P.S. I'm not a lawyer, I just play one on the Internet

Have dealt with rental companies previously, and I know how "nit picky" they are about returning the vehicle "as is".....but like I said, play dumb, don't tell them you've torqued the lugs yourself, tell them it feels like the wheels are coming off, etc...




I have heard of alloy wheels "coming loose" if the wheels are bolted back on with an impact wrench.....? so perhaps that may be the case....?

 

[oldmaninsc]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Maybe someone actually maintained your rental car and just did a rotation before you got it.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't 9,000 km about 5,600 miles?
As someone who used to work at a major rental car chain, I highly doubt that anyone rotated the tires. I'd say the chances are good it hadn't even had an oil change yet.

As to what caused this - my GUESS would be something obvious like bad lug nuts or studs.

 

[dparm]

I'd have called the rental company the instant they loosened up again and demanded a new car.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted By: oldmaninsc
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Maybe someone actually maintained your rental car and just did a rotation before you got it.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't 9,000 km about 5,600 miles?
As someone who used to work at a major rental car chain, I highly doubt that anyone rotated the tires. I'd say the chances are good it hadn't even had an oil change yet.

As to what caused this - my GUESS would be something obvious like bad lug nuts or studs.
My vote goes to bad wheels-if you've had to re-torque them twice there is something not seating correctly on the hub.

 

[Trav]

As a matter of fact in some countries its law that installers inform owners with alloys in writing on the service order that re torque should be done at 100 Km on alloy wheels. This is a known and documented issue with alloys.

Quote:
All alloy wheels should be installed using a torque wrench. This ensures that the wheels are not too tight or too loose. Check your vehicle's manual for correct settings. When you install wheels for the first time, you should re-torque wheels after about 100km to 150km (60 to 90 miles).

http://www.1010tires.com/tech.asp?type=wheels

 

[Vikas]

This all true but in real life, how many people really make another trip to the tire store for that? My guess that percentage is less than 0.001 % i.e. for every million tire changes, at the most a single person comes back for torque recheck after 100KM.

Please prove me wrong if you work in a tire shop. I have spent enough time at tire stores and at Costco but never ever seen anybody come in and asked for 100 KM re-torque but whole bunch of people coming in for tire installation or rotation.

It is more or less CYA but never really followed in practice.

- Vikas

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
This all true but in real life, how many people really make another trip to the tire store for that? My guess that percentage is less than 0.001 % i.e. for every million tire changes, at the most a single person comes back for torque recheck after 100KM.

Please prove me wrong if you work in a tire shop. I have spent enough time at tire stores and at Costco but never ever seen anybody come in and asked for 100 KM re-torque but whole bunch of people coming in for tire installation or rotation.

It is more or less CYA but never really followed in practice.

- Vikas

And this is why the tire techs put everything to 150ftlbs...

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: dparm
I'd have called the rental company the instant they loosened up again and demanded a new car.


+1

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: Vikas
This all true but in real life, how many people really make another trip to the tire store for that? My guess that percentage is less than 0.001 % i.e. for every million tire changes, at the most a single person comes back for torque recheck after 100KM.

Please prove me wrong if you work in a tire shop. I have spent enough time at tire stores and at Costco but never ever seen anybody come in and asked for 100 KM re-torque but whole bunch of people coming in for tire installation or rotation.

It is more or less CYA but never really followed in practice.

- Vikas

And this is why the tire techs put everything to 150ftlbs...