- #7 of 26
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Re: Tire fell off on 2004 Lincoln Aviator-could have been horrible [akirby]
by elyseg
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Jun 30, 2008 (9:18 am)
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Replying to: akirby (Jun 29, 2008 10:09 am)
Akirby...well you are right. It is not a slam dunk case. I just got the call. I was asked if anyone tried to steal the tire???? My car is always parked in front of my office window and I live in a safe neighborhood so I'd be surprised by that. I told the mechanic that when I first had the car the steering wheel shimmied or vibrated slightly when I turned the wheel left. It stopped doing it so I never thought about it again and now wondering if there is something more than the wheel that is the issue. Carmax said that steering wheel vibrating wouldn't be relevant to the wheel falling off?? Anyway, I now need to get the insurance company adjuster involved and see if they agree to do a major over-hall on the car to determine it was just the wheel. The car has traveled 2700 miles since the Carmax changed the tires. Is there anyway that a wheel can hang on that long if the lug nuts are the issue of not being put in correctly?
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- #8 of 26
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Re: Tire fell off on 2004 Lincoln Aviator-could have been horrible [elyseg]
by akirby
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Jun 30, 2008 (9:30 am)
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Replying to: elyseg (Jun 30, 2008 9:18 am)
2700 miles is a long time for a lugnut to loosen, but I guess it's possible. It's also possible the wheel wasn't centered properly or the studs were defective. All you can do is have the damaged wheel and lug nuts checked (and check the other wheels as well). Sounds like insurance will have to cover it. Good luck.
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- #9 of 26
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Re: Tire fell off on 2004 Lincoln Aviator-could have been horrible [akirby]
by elyseg
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Jun 30, 2008 (10:44 am)
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Replying to: akirby (Jun 30, 2008 9:30 am)
Thanks again for the info..I'll let you know the outcome. Also, if someone tried to steal the tire I don't think they would have put the casing back on and that's what we're finding now too. Again, I'll keep you posted.
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- #10 of 26
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Re: Tire fell off on 2004 Lincoln Aviator-could have been horrible [elyseg]
by jeyhoe
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Jun 30, 2008 (2:04 pm)
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Replying to: elyseg (Jun 30, 2008 10:44 am)
Casing? What are u talking about?
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- #11 of 26
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by elyseg
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Jun 30, 2008 (2:42 pm)
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I was hoping you could tell me. That's what someone said who was there when I lost the wheel. I mentioned what Carmax said and he said that would be tough because the outerplate (first he said casing) was still intact in order to try to remove the lug nuts. Does this make any sense? Sorry for the ignorant questions.
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- #12 of 26
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by elyseg
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Jun 30, 2008 (4:09 pm)
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Akirby...I found out a little more about the "casing" on the wheel... the aviator has a cover (almost like a hubcap) that covers the lug nuts. This cover was still on the wheel when it fell off. You would have to remove the cover to remove the lug nuts. Does that make more sense? Would it make sense that that stayed on if someone was trying to steal it?
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- #13 of 26
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Re: [elyseg]
by akirby
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Jun 30, 2008 (4:13 pm)
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Replying to: elyseg (Jun 30, 2008 4:09 pm)
I agree - if someone was trying to steal it and stopped midway the cover would be off. I still think it's more likely they simply worked loose over time.
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- #14 of 26
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by elyseg
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Jun 30, 2008 (4:33 pm)
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But the tricky part...proving that to Carmax. They did say they removed the tires 2700 miles ago but they had the carefully inspected???
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- #15 of 26
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Re: [elyseg]
by jeyhoe
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Jun 30, 2008 (7:24 pm)
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Replying to: elyseg (Jun 30, 2008 4:33 pm)
The absolute most likely thing is that whoever last put the WHEEL on, forgot to tighten the lug nuts.
The next most likely is that they left them loose on purpose.
I dont see how you can prove either one. Nor can u prove who did it.
I think the lesson here is to pay attention to your car. If the wheel is wobbly, have it looked at. RIght away. If you hit the brakes and hear a scraping sound, have the brakes fixed.
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- #16 of 26
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Re: [jeyhoe]
by akirby
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Jul 01, 2008 (6:56 am)
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Replying to: jeyhoe (Jun 30, 2008 7:24 pm)
Gotta agree with jeyhoe on this one (wow - write that down!). First, it's the WHEEL that came off, not the tire. Big difference. Second - there is now way to prove or disprove the root cause or when it occurred or whose fault it is. If Carmax isn't willing to take responsibility your only recourse is to use insurance or sue them, and you don't have enough evidence to get a judgement in small claims court.
In the future stop and check the lug nuts anytime you feel a wheel problem.
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