We’re in a lug-nut dispute with our Ford dealer
John Paul, AAA Northeast's Car Doctor, answers a question from a reader who is unhappy with a recent lug-nut repair.
Q. A year ago my son purchased a 2014 Ford Fusion. We recently went in for the 30,000-mile service only to find out the car had 11 swollen lug-nuts on the wheels. I had never heard of any such thing, so I googled “swollen lug-nuts” only to find that there is a huge class action suit in progress. I called the Ford garage, got the service manager, and explained that I had discovered this. He said I would still need to pay. He also said that he could only install Ford lug-nuts when I requested regular lug-nuts instead. I wound up paying for lug-nuts that could potentially strand us with a flat tire, because the nuts are really tough to take off. I am the co-signer on the loan. My son is only 24. I want to be certain that he is not being taken advantage of and isn’t driving an unsafe vehicle. What can we do about this? A. This is a common problem with various vehicle manufacturers when the lug-nut uses a chrome or aluminum trim cap. Water builds up under the cap and the rust swells the lug-nut, making it difficult to remove. I have no idea why the dealer told you he could only install the same Ford part. A quick check online found 20 solid chrome plated lug-nuts that would fit your car for $20 — an inexpensive and simple solution. Q. Is there a recall on my 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee?A. There are two easy methods to check to see if your vehicle has been recalled. Call your local Jeep dealer and they can check if there are open (non-repaired) recalls. The second is to go to www.nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter in your vehicle’s 17 digit vehicle identification number. Once entered, any applicable recalls will be listed. Q. My daughter has a 2008 Subaru Outback and just informed me that the airbag was recalled. She’s never fixed it because she doesn’t have the money. My questions are: Does she have to pay for a recall like that? How does she go about having it fixed?A. The recall on the airbag will be performed at no charge. The majority of recalls are performed at no charge for the life of the vehicle. All she needs to do is call her local Subaru dealer and let them know she was notified about an airbag recall. The dealer will order the necessary parts and set up an appointment to have the recall performed. Q. I bought my gorgeous 2017 Honda Accord pre-owned. It is a great car and it is closing in on 30,000 miles. I called four different Honda dealers and got four different answers on what needs to be performed at 30,000 miles. My question is, what needs to be repaired at 30,000 miles?A. Honda cars are quite interesting since the car actually tells you what work needs to be performed. A display will come up on the instrument panel with a wrench icon. If there is a code A it is time for an oil change. If there is a B the oil needs changing and the brakes, steering, and suspension components need inspection. In addition, there are maintenance-sub-items, a code 1 means rotate the tires, code 2 means replace the engine, air, and cabin filters. Some dealers and repair shops have developed their own maintenance schedules based on mileage, which can add to the confusion. Q. My 2013 Honda CR-V runs rough between 20-25 miles per hour. I’m not sure if it is an engine or drivetrain issue. I’ve had a couple of mechanics look at it, but they can’t seem to figure it out. I would like to get one more year out of the vehicle without putting too much money into it. A. If the typical drivability issues have been addressed, the problem is most likely related to the transmission torque converter. The repair requires replacing the torque converter, flushing the fluid, and updating the computer. The repair is not covered by any warranty. If it were my vehicle, and I was only going to keep it another 12 months, I would just put up with the vibration.
John Paul is AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor. He has over 40 years of experience in the automotive business and is an ASE-certified master technician. E-mail your car question to [email protected].
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