07 chrome lug nuts falling off (not a joke)

[raben]

Has anyone had the chrome (or otherwise) lug nut covers fall off the wheels of their Focus? I have a kiwi green 07 Focus SES. In most ways, it's been a great car. However, over the last year, it has lost 4 lug nuts - 3 from the left front, 1 from the right front. Two chrome lug nuts are loose on the back wheels. It happened first soon after a wheel rotation but they've continued to disappear since the last oil servicing. It did not happen through its first 12 months (March 07 to spring 08) and it had a wheel rotation during that period as well.

 

Is this just a typical problem with more recent Ford products with lug nut covers like the chrome ones on the 09 Taurus, something specific to Foci (I saw a grey 05 Focus also missing lug nut covers on the front wheels but not all of them), or a dealership screw up? I've owned a 74 Pinto, 78 Fairmont (forgive me, it was cheap and I needed a car immediately after a flood destroyed the Pinto), an 87 Contour, and now the Focus. I've been a happy Ford owner through them all and really don't want another GM (yes, I had an 86 Ciera and 01 Regal and will not go back to GM after the last one) but will look elsewhere if this is what I can expect from these sorts of wheels. I've been looking at the 09 Sable, the MKZ/Zephyrs, and the upcoming Fiesta for the next car but only the Sable and MKZ have a center hub cover over their lug nuts. If this is going to be a problem with the Fiesta, I will stay away from it despite a great liking for the 3 & 5 door european models. I would hate to move away from Fords because my dealer provides loaners which are no more than 2 years old (compared to to the GM dealer who loans '88 Lesabres and Delta 88s).I would look at newer Accords, Sentras, and Altimas but there's no import dealers within 120 miles of my residence for servicing and loaners.

 

 

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

R. Allen

2007 Focus SES 4-door, kiwi green, 21,000 miles

[aneekr]

The shop performing the tire rotation is probably the most likely culprit. Refer to this Car Talk Q&A.

[OldZX5er]

When the lug nut covers started falling off on my 2002 Focus ZX5, I just bought an aftermarket set of one-piece chromed lugnuts (Gorilla brand, I think). They were relatively cheap and solved the problem for good.

[johnjyi]

I would agree with both previous replies. The problem is probably the tech/mechanic with the pneumatic wrench, unlike the article linked to, may have overtightened the lug nuts since you mention the lug nut covers are the ones disappearing. Unfortunately, these lug nut covers disappearing are getting very common due to the way they're made and not by the Ford or GM factories. My Chevys had the plastic covers that are screwed onto the lug nuts, and I've lost quite a few of them. My Ford vehicles have yet to lose any, but I've seen plenty of others that have lost them. Others may be glued onto the lug nuts which, if pounded too much, would lose adhesiveness and eventually fly off. If you look for aftermarket lug nuts, make sure (like OldZX5er stated) they are one piece lug nuts, or you will have the same problems with them. Good luck!

[GapBoyPCS]

I think a differentiation has to be made: Are the covers on the lug nuts coming off (so a plastic cap comes off but the actual nut and tire still stay in place), or are we actually talking the lug nut spinning or coming right off allowing a tire to come off)? The cap coming off isn't much of a problem because the tapered base of the nut still should be there holding the wheel...but the problem is finding the right socket to get that nut tight or loose (it can create a problem trying to get the nut off in an emergency situation because now the nut is "smaller" without the cap than with it).

 

After about three years of ownership, I had two of the caps coming off. My tire retailer had some solid, one-piece nuts (non-capped), which fit (12 x 1.5, I believe), and I replaced all my nuts to one-piece. For longevity, I recommend McGard or Gorilla branded nuts (McGard makes the Ford Accessories locking nuts).