After sending my new 11reg Yeti back to the dealer for a second time to replace the windscreen after a leak, the dealer valeted the car as it was smelling damp. On inspection I noticed that the wheel nut covers on my alloys are not looking shiny. Have they used some chemical to clean the wheels and its discoloured the plastic wheel nut covers? (see pic) Should I complain to the dealer when I take it in a-g-a-i-n to look at the rattling speaker after they replaced the Columbus head unit after warranty?

Or have I misremembered and they were dull to start with?

Something definitely not right there, so of course you should be complaining.

Mine are all a milky sort of white colour.

It was suggested that it's caused by what the friendly Polish/Latvian car cleaners spray onto them when they clean the car every month.

I think i'll be trying some black wheelnut covers I've seen on ebay.

Acidic wheel cleaner does that

Thought they were plastic. An acidic cleaner would probably mark them. Try to remove them, give them a clean and then apply some trim detailer.

Mark

Try a brush and clean water only to see if the crud is water soluble.

If not, get the dealer to supply a new set.

Note that if you have locking wheelnuts, the caps on those are different from the rest.

have the same on our fabi.

it IS caused by caustic chemicals in the wheel cleaner that has been used to clean the muck off them.

they are made of plastic and no ammount of scubbing will no get this off as it's etched into the surface.

the only way to correct it is to fit new ones or remove them and repaint/spray them.

can you be certain it was the dealer's valet that caused it?

if so, you may be lucky and get a new set out of them but i suspect holding your breath might lead to suffocation?

good luck though

Are they really needed?

I think I'd just take them off.

Try a brush and clean water only to see if the crud is water soluble.

If not, get the dealer to supply a new set.

Note that if you have locking wheelnuts, the caps on those are different from the rest.

Thanks for that Agerbundsen - some gentle scrubbing cleaned the worst of it off. Now I can't remember if the caps should be shiny or dull!

Had a similar problem with wheel nuts rusting when I worked for Volvo. As others have said, it was traced to the acidic wheel cleaning spray used by valeters. Buy Auto glym custom wheel cleaner without the acid.

Common problem across the Skoda range.

It is indeed the acidic wheel cleaning fluid they use.

Your dealer should know better

As mentioned, the locking wheel nut has a slightly different profile. Although this shouldn't bother you as I very much hope your dealer will be replacing them free of charge.

have the same on our fabi.

it IS caused by caustic chemicals in the wheel cleaner that has been used to clean the muck off them.

they are made of plastic and no ammount of scubbing will no get this off as it's etched into the surface.

the only way to correct it is to fit new ones or remove them and repaint/spray them.

can you be certain it was the dealer's valet that caused it?

if so, you may be lucky and get a new set out of them but i suspect holding your breath might lead to suffocation?

good luck though

+1.

This has happened with both my Octy and the old Fabia my wife owned. In my experience they are ruined as the acid has etched them - this crud will not scrub off with soap and water. When you clean them they look OK for a short time but next day they look just as bad.

Edited 17 June, 201114 yr by Minimoke

I'll have to admit that I am not too fastidious with wheel cleaning, but I do use a cleaner intended for washing off painted walls etc. before re-painting. It works well enough to get the brakedust crud off the wheels and does not seem to have any negative effect on the plastic nut covers.

Mix up the cleaning solution in hot water and brush with a long handled brush, small enough to get in between the spokes. Clean all four wheels, then hose off with plain water in the same sequence.

The stuff is mildly caustic, but not too much when mixed according to instructions on the bottle.

A high prssure washer with plain water also does the trick.

No problems with the nutcaps on the Yeti after 18 months and none with the Octy after 4 years. Identical caps.

Edited 18 June, 201114 yr by Agerbundsen

Why do people insist on cleaning their wheels with acidic cleaners?

Would you wash the car's paintwork in the same stuff? why not, the wheels have the same finish as the bodywork (primer, paint then lacquer)

Yes I have used Wonder Wheels in the past on really bad wheels (on the insides) but only when there was very limited cleaners on the market, I would never use them any more.

Personally if you have never used acidic cleaner on them when you have washed the car (or paid for it to be 'cleaned') then I would be back to the dealers, if however you have used acidic cleaner then buy a bit of wet and dry and a 'rattle' can of paint, remove them from the car and give them a coat of paint.

It must be me, but I don't think I have ever used a wheel cleaner on any of my cars.

Like the rest of it, they get blasted by the pressure washer when I get around to washing it, which is normally after a rally or because Sheila has complained she gets dirty getting in and out, or it might get a sponge and some Turtle Wax wash put over it on a Sunday day shift if there aren't many trains running.

I find a little bit of elbow grease seems to work perfectly well (for me)

Why do people insist on cleaning their wheels with acidic cleaners?

Because it makes the cleaning of the wheel easier, especially if the wheel is stained with brake dust.

Hand car washes, valet companies and dealers aren't concerned about the long term effects of using acidic based cleaners and are more bothered about the time/effort required to scrub the wheel with just soap/shampoo.

Why do people insist on cleaning their wheels with acidic cleaners?

In my own defence I do not insist on washing wheels with acidic cleaner.

I needed to valet my wifes old Fabia in a hurry in order to present it for a p/ex valuation for her new Fabia. The valet company did a brilliant job on the car in general but the wheel nut cover issue only became apparent about +24 hours later. Luckily the Skoda dealer didn't seem to notice (or care) and she got a good valuation for her new car. So it was not worthwhile dying on the barricades with the valet company over the issue.

In the case of my Octavia I think it was caused by the company that did a very very minor paint repair on the rear bumper. The whole car appeared to have been washed by them perhaps to ensure a colour match. The respray was excellent but again the wheel nut covers started to show the white crud disease about 24 hours after I got the car back. I'm certain I would not have got any joy taking it back to the body shop as it appeared Ok when I picked it up. Again I thought life was too short for a stand up fight over a relatively minor issue like this.

The question I have is why does this cleaning stuff appear to aggressively and solely attack the wheel nut covers whilst no other external parts of the car appear to be affected?

Good question - no answer.

It does not make sense that the plastic nutcovers should be more sensitive than the (plastic) clearcoat on the wheels.

I also wonder if the expression "acidic" is really correct? Should it not just be agressive? Most cleaning products use surfactants that are basic - not acidic.

It must be me, but I don't think I have ever used a wheel cleaner on any of my cars.

Like the rest of it, they get blasted by the pressure washer when I get around to washing it, which is normally after a rally or because Sheila has complained she gets dirty getting in and out, or it might get a sponge and some Turtle Wax wash put over it on a Sunday day shift if there aren't many trains running.

I find a little bit of elbow grease seems to work perfectly well (for me)

I've always found this to be sufficient as well. I think the trick is not to let the brake dust etc build up and have time to damage the surface by washing them regularly. I have always used a car 'shampoo' mixed in warm water and applied with sponge and long necked brush to get into the awkward corners, and after, giving them a good rinse off with the hose. In all the years I've had cars with alloy wheels they have always stayed as good as new :yes:

I've always found this to be sufficient as well. I think the trick is not to let the brake dust etc build up and have time to damage the surface by washing them regularly. I have always used a car 'shampoo' mixed in warm water and applied with sponge and long necked brush to get into the awkward corners, and after, giving them a good rinse off with the hose. In all the years I've had cars with alloy wheels they have always stayed as good as new :yes:

Its all very well with us clever know-alls using the correct cleaning stuff, but what about mere mortals who take their beloved Yeti to then local hand car wash? You don't go asking them to check the water to cleaner ration of their buckets? Components should be designed to last for normal conditions!

I've always found this to be sufficient as well. I think the trick is not to let the brake dust etc build up and have time to damage the surface by washing them regularly. I have always used a car 'shampoo' mixed in warm water and applied with sponge and long necked brush to get into the awkward corners, and after, giving them a good rinse off with the hose. In all the years I've had cars with alloy wheels they have always stayed as good as new :yes:

Its all very well with us clever know-alls using the correct cleaning stuff, but what about mere mortals who take their beloved Yeti to then local hand car wash? You don't go asking them to check the water to cleaner ration of their buckets? Components should be designed to last for normal conditions!

Its all very well with us clever know-alls using the correct cleaning stuff, but what about mere mortals who take their beloved Yeti to then local hand car wash? You don't go asking them to check the water to cleaner ration of their buckets? Components should be designed to last for normal conditions!

I suppose Skoda would say it isn't normal to use aggressive cleaners on their components, not condoning this, just surmising what they would say if you claimed new ones. I have never had anyone wash my cars but suppose a time will come when I'll have to but when it does I'll tell them to leave the wheels I'll manage them!

The phrase "unfit for purpose" springs to mind.

Surely nearly every car on the road has been through some kind of car wash procedure?

Every car dealer does it.

Its all very well with us clever know-alls using the correct cleaning stuff, but what about mere mortals who take their beloved Yeti to then local hand car wash? You don't go asking them to check the water to cleaner ration of their buckets? Components should be designed to last for normal conditions!

Why not?

They should know enough not to use unsuitable cleaning products.

There is nothing unusual about the Yeti - or other Skoda - plastic nutcovers as far as I see. Many other plastic components on the car ould succumb to too harsh cleaning agents.

I have used several proprietary wheel cleaners in the past and not had any problems. I would not use drain cleaners or toilet cleaners on the car, and regular Heacy Duty cleaners work well on the wheels.

Edited 20 June, 201114 yr by Agerbundsen