Wheel falls off car - advice please

[SydneyBridge]

can you get hold of the previous owner and ask about any previous problems?
if you can prove there were problems, you have a much better case against the garage

[HayesDC2]

Surely that wouldn't make any difference, the garage can't really be expected to diagnose / be aware of a fault that happens after several days of daily driving?

[scorcher]

Do the wheel nut seats match the wheels? When I bought my Transporter van it had aftermarket wheels fitted that should of had tapered wheel bolt seats, but the garage that had fitted the wheels had just re-used the original radius bolts from the OE wheels. By the time I had travelled the few miles home the bolts were loose. Might be worth checking especially if you have aftermarket wheels fitted.

[mike80]

They should match - it's a 2007 Nissan Note, and all standard. Done about 50,000 miles.

Not sure about the previous owner, but it looks like it was all serviced at a Nissan garage.

The garage is looking at it today, and going to speak to the place we bought it from. To be honest I'm not sure what that will achieve but they, and the police who attended the scene seemed quite sure that this is what we should do.

[Byff]

Boosted LS1 said:

Wimmen, they haven't got a clue. I hope this is sorted favourably for the OP. When I had an issue with my nuts coming loose ;-) I'd pulled over a long time before they were unwinding. The vibration's so obvious. Or, maybe new cars are so well damped you can't feel a thing? What car is this OP?

I had a Suzuki SJ410 that had a wheel come off. I can remember feeling one very slight wobble, then bang and the rear wheel overtook me, bounced over a parked car and came to rest in the gutter. Luckily, the hub didn't come into contact with the ground so I just quickly stuck it back on using a nut from each wheel.

So to the OP, it is possible your wife didn't feel anything wrong until the wheel came off.

[barker22]

But can you imagine if the garage has to pay up for this

Forget the sale of goods act 3 chances etc, just loosen your wheel nuts, drive around until the wheel falls off and the garage pays up. I can't see them electing to repair bodywork and mechanicals.