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Old 20th May 2009, 22:54   #1
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All the wheel nuts were loose! Has this happened to any one else ?

Hello, Last night when I drove back from work, all was well.
This morning, when i took the car out I heard some strange rattling noise from front left wheel. I dove on for a few minutes, could not stop immediately because of the traffic.

I pulled over safely and parked with my hazzard lights on

I first thought may be, the wheen caps . but NO.
I checked the wheel nuts and I was shocked to find all the nuts were loose. Probably a km or two, might wheel would have been off.

Strange because, there was no necessity to remove that wheel in the past and it has always stayed on !

Is it common for them to loosen themselves over period of time ? Has it happened to anyone else.
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Old 20th May 2009, 23:04   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vdiatech View Post
I checked the wheel nuts and I was shocked to find all the nuts were loose.
It is highly improbable, if not impossible, for all the nuts to become loose by themselves. The probable reason for that to happen would be that someone with a weird sense of humor, or worse, someone who you do not humor, has done this intensionally. You might as well consider yourself very lucky that you got away with no damage at all.

Do take care and ensure that your car is parked safely at night(do you have access to a secure parking facility/garage?). If that is not possible, you might consider installing a car security system with motion sensors.

All the best, and I hope that this is the last time you get such a rude shock!
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Old 20th May 2009, 23:04   #3
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I think someone has played a prank with an intent to sabotage! Never heard/seen something like this ever!
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Old 20th May 2009, 23:23   #4
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This not possible, do you park your car outside your house if yes then somebody tried to make a fool out of you or was trying to steal the wheel but probably he did not succeed and just left it like that. If somebody was trying to play a prank it was not a good one.

Last edited by karankapoor : 20th May 2009 at 23:24.
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Old 20th May 2009, 23:23   #5
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Someone could have been trying to flick your car.I have heard this modus operandi of thugs who disable the car alarm/lock by following a procedure which involves removing the wheel and operating on some circuit-box accessed that way.
Probably you made your entry at the nick of that moment and they had to fled.

Ensure that your garage/parking space is adequately guarded.
You won't be lucky like this always.
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Old 20th May 2009, 23:24   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vdiatech View Post
This morning, when i took the car out I heard some strange rattling noise from front left wheel.
I checked the wheel nuts and I was shocked to find all the nuts were loose. Probably a km or two, might wheel would have been off.
Wheel nuts are designed not to loosen - unless done intentionally. I have had my service centre once return the car with one loose wheel nut on each of 2 wheels. I would think that is utter carelessness by the mechanic working on the car. But having ALL wheel nuts loose is definitely an act of sabotage by someone who really hates you.
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Old 20th May 2009, 23:25   #7
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could have been a possible case of a thief trying to steal the wheels of your car(yes this does happen, my neighbour's car's wheels were stolen along side my car being stolen way back in 2002) but ran away. Who knows.
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Old 20th May 2009, 23:36   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SS-Traveller View Post
Wheel nuts are designed not to loosen - unless done intentionally. I have had my service centre once return the car with one loose wheel nut on each of 2 wheels. I would think that is utter carelessness by the mechanic working on the car. But having ALL wheel nuts loose is definitely an act of sabotage by someone who really hates you.
I dont think any one hates me. I am a very friendly person. I have not been in India for over a decade and since my return, I have not contacted any of my old friends yet.

Yes, I do have a garage, but sometimes when I return late, I just park the car outside out of sheer laziness. Probably someone tried to steal it then.
Now I have learnt not to park outside
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Old 20th May 2009, 23:37   #9
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I believe its a job of some thief who ran way with out executing his full plan
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Old 20th May 2009, 23:38   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vdiatech View Post
Hello, Last night when I drove back from work, all was well.
This morning, when i took the car out I heard some strange rattling noise from front left wheel. I dove on for a few minutes, could not stop immediately because of the traffic.

I pulled over safely and parked with my hazzard lights on

I first thought may be, the wheen caps . but NO.
I checked the wheel nuts and I was shocked to find all the nuts were loose. Probably a km or two, might wheel would have been off.

Strange because, there was no necessity to remove that wheel in the past and it has always stayed on !

Is it common for them to loosen themselves over period of time ? Has it happened to anyone else.
This is not possible unless said by most of the members here that someone must have tried to put your life in danger.

We cannot check the nuts all the time however you were lucky that you realised the rattling noise and stopped over to check.

Never heard of such a thing in my entire life though
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Old 20th May 2009, 23:38   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SS-Traveller View Post
Wheel nuts are designed not to loosen - unless done intentionally. I have had my service centre once return the car with one loose wheel nut on each of 2 wheels. I would think that is utter carelessness by the mechanic working on the car. But having ALL wheel nuts loose is definitely an act of sabotage by someone who really hates you.
I once had my car serviced from the A S S and found that the engine was knocking terribly. I lifted the bonnet, seemed to be cylinder 1. I removed the spark plug cable and with two turns using my hand, the spark plug popped out ! It is beyond me how the mechanics at the A S S would forget to tighten it properly
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Old 20th May 2009, 23:44   #12
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Happened to me too! But that was entirely my forgetfullness. Had found the rear left punctured. Took out the tools and changed the tyre. Unjacked the wheel back on the ground (had just twisted the bolts as much I could with my fingers) without tightening the bolts which is to be done once the car is settled on the ground unsupported. In my hurry, I put the punctured tyre in the back along with all the tools and drove off. As soon as got out of the building and gained some speed (30-35kmph), I noticed the car wobbling and noise coming from the rear left. Then I realised my stupidity. Took out the tools and started tightening the bols much to the amusement of a paanwala and schoolkids waiting for their bus.
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Old 21st May 2009, 03:44   #13
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Wheel Bolts does not get losen themselves whatsoever, unless they were tighten properly. In this Incident I guess it was intentional, be carefull while parking the car. Its somebody who knows about cars carried proper tools to remove the Wheel and was unlucky.
Great that you stopped the car in time and relaized about losen bolts, escaped without any loss
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Old 21st May 2009, 03:50   #14
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Thats scary! Could have been dangerous had you not stopped & looked. I would advice you to park your car in the garage since you have one, unlike many of us who are forced to park it on the road.
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Old 21st May 2009, 09:19   #15
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No way the wheel nuts can come loose by themselves, they have got a design tested and proven by ages. Be asseured there were human hands involved, though we don't know the intention (mostly theft). Treat yourself lucky..
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