Firestone problems

I took my car to Firestone for the state inspection and emissions test. They said I needed new front brakes, which I could see after looking at them. I told them I'd change the brakes my self and bring it back for a re-inspection.
Next day I get everything ready and start to loosen the lug nuts. First I had to use a breaker bar on the 4 regular lugs because they were torqued on so tight. The 5th lug nut was a wheel lock. The key started to bend when I was trying to break it loose. I took it back and asked them to break the key lugs loose for me, which they did. I mentioned that I was going to buy regular lugs to replace the locks becuase I didn't like them anyway. They bought the lugs for me and put them on. I get back home and remove the drivers side with no problem. No such luck with the other side...

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• firestone
• lug
• nuts
• torque

[bdawk20]

hey einstein..did you ever think that MAYBE that since the brakes were bad enuf to fail one the drivers side..that there was no reason to pull the other side since the pads come in a set for both sides..maybe the lugs were frozen to begin with and instead of taking a chance of breaking the studs they took the other wheel off?...there's a hundred reasons why..you just happened to pick the one that trashes them..even without showing proof you were there

[dc300m01]

lol, I was the last one to have the wheels off (all 4, about 2 months earlier to rotate them) and i used a torque wrench when I put the lugs on.

It doesn't take a genius to know when lugs are overtightened with an air torque wrench.

Uploading proof now :)

[bdawk20]

uh....what does this prove?...nothing

[dc300m01]

It proves that the tech at firestone either:

a. doesn't know how to work a torque wrench

b. was too lazy to use a torque wrench

It took the guys about an hour to remove all of the lug nuts... This is the reason why I'll take my car to a local guy from now on.

[aviatorms]

there are other complaints on consumeraffairs com against firestone

[aviatorms]

If you use an air gun and end up overtightning the lug nuts, can the lug nuts break?

[wgkaiser]

The guy at the tire store was probably flipping burgers just a couple of days before he installed those lug nuts. Torque wrench, what is that he probably said.

[Taxminia0311]

And that exactly why i dont like these so call tire place messing with my.car, including with my tires cause they tighten the wheels down so tight with their guns preventing me not having the ability to remove them.

Next tell them to not.use the air gun regardless what they tell.you dont let them use it all.

[dougdangger]

did you ever think to get a really long pipe? A 5ft long pipe would twist that off without a problem. works better than jumping on the tire iron and you could damage the bolt.

[bdawk20]

@ktumbleweed I RUN a Firestone Complet Autocare...and have for 7 years..you do not have to preach the rules and regs and policie to me...and not all the torque specs are always printed on the bottom of the initial work order...same with tire pressure settings...and the policy is..if you're going to check the brakes and one of the wheels doesn't want to come off..tell someone b-4 moving on or braking something....a possibility here and mr. can't do it himself just wants to place blame

[ktumbleweed]

@bdawk20 I work at Firestone Complete Auto Care. There policy is if you are going to take a wheel off to inspect brakes you have to take all 4 wheels off. It is also policy to run the lug nuts on with a prerunner torque stick then lower the vehicle and hand torque all lugs to factory specs. they even print on the work order what the spec is for that particular vehicle. whether or not an individiual tech does it properly is a whole different matter.

[scabbyfingernails]

@bdawk20 fair enough. ill remove my comment. you are right

[bdawk20]

@scabbyfingernails becaue people are known for not telling the entire truth..thats why...they just want to place blame...he admits to having the wheels off...but it couldn't have POSSIBLY been his fault when he put them back on...he could have NEVER cross threaded them or overtightend them ...there's NO WAY that only one wheel came off at firestone.....that's why

[bdawk20]

@morreale1234