Here is the scenario. I got some new wheels put on the car under warranty. All was well until I got it back home.

I went, as I normally would after getting the bolts tightened by air gun, to loosen and re-tighten by hand the wheel nuts. I came to the 1st wheel and one of the bolts is in so tight I had to get a long bar to loosen it. On trying to loosen it, it is just rounding the nut. I stepped back a bit and noticed that the nut is not in straight. It is cross threaded, and impossible to move, and any attempt is just rounding it off more.

Because it is not in straight, on trying to loosen it, the new wheel has been damaged around the hole in the wheel where the bolt fits.

I am going to be taking it back for at least a new bolt and get them all loosened off, but do you think I can now claim for another new wheel or at least the repair costs of it back?

It'll need the hub sorting out which for me is a bigger worry than the wheel.

Why, what will it have done to the hub...forgive me for been a bit thick, I can understand taking the wheel off, putting it back on and thats about it!

If the bolt as been forced in cross-threaded it will in all likelyhood have fubarred the thread in the hole on the hub - might get away with re-tapping, might not :(

As Andy says, if the thread in the hub has been damaged then, as it is one of mildly important parts that secures your wheel, it will want fixing.

OK Thanks for that...will start pushing on monday for them to take it back and fix that. I ain't driving it until it goes back in knowing my luck I will get a puncture in that wheel. Luckily the missus car is handy.

whatever happens, the garage can't deny responsibility, don't tell them you messed with the nuts or they may say "we put it on right, must be your fault" , just tell them it looks cross threaded to you, can they do anything about it? i was looking at a new sump on my fabia, after the garages doing oil changes had cross threaded enough to ruin the sump plug mechanism.....

They will have put it in the wrong thread and buzzed it up and knowing the damage was done they have just tried to get away with it. You will need a new hub (what the bolts go into) , bolt and alloy from what you say and if they give u any excuses just mention that u will get Skoda customer services in to sort it out.

if they ask how you came to notice the problem. say you were just giving you new wheels a clean

Already thought about phoning Skoda if I get no joy. From what people are saying this sounds expensive...for sure I ain't paying a penny for this, going to dig my heals in for any problems they throw up.

Glad you have pointed out the other damage this might have done. Only one other thing, if they say that the hub is fine, is there any sure fire way to check - any give away signs or marks.

Update on this one...they have had a look at the car and didn't argue, accepted full responsibility and I am getting a new bolt and wheel and maybe a new hub - they are having a look at that and replacing if it needs it, but they already said it is likely to need replacing.

Got my dad to get his torque bar on the rest of the bolts last night, the suggested torque in the book is 120Nm, the bar goes upto 150Nm and they still were not budging on any wheel. Aside from that, there were also a number of bolts loose, on the front passenger wheel, I had just assumed they were all tight as hell, but nope.

So, I have a hire car for a few days while they put mine right, I am gonna fight now for free insurance, freebies, tank of fuel, you know, the usual stuff.

Also, I just noticed I spelt warranty wrong.

I think you should report them, they cant go arround risking peoples lives with this kind of crap.