Audi Wheel Nut Stuck - Audi charging for removal
Discussion
Hello. Thanks in advance for your advice.
I have a 2 year old Audi, new from the dealer.
Recently I got a flat on the motorway about 1hour from home. I phoned Audi Driverline Recovery directly. They sent someone out who could not get the locking wheel nut off as it was on too tight. So a truck came out to tow it.
It went to Audi who couldnt get the nut off either. As its new and under warrently, I expected it to be covered, as it was Audi who had attached the wheels.
However they said they wouldnt pay for it and are charging £350 to drill it out.
I argued this and said it was Audi's fault. They came back with "it's AA's fault for trying to change the tyre on the side of the road, and if it had been towed straight to Audi, then they could have covered it." They blamed the VW AA guy, saying he must have damages the bolt. So basically because I let an outside company (AA) mess with the car, then it voided any claim. Even though it was Audi Driverline who sent the technician out.
I tried to reason with them that there is no way AA (it was a VW AA technician) would have towed it without trying to fix it. If I had requested that, then I think it would have been highly unreasonable of me.
They also said I cant "prove" its Audi's fault.
Any advice about what to do please? Should this be covered under warranty? Thank you.
I have a 2 year old Audi, new from the dealer.
Recently I got a flat on the motorway about 1hour from home. I phoned Audi Driverline Recovery directly. They sent someone out who could not get the locking wheel nut off as it was on too tight. So a truck came out to tow it.
It went to Audi who couldnt get the nut off either. As its new and under warrently, I expected it to be covered, as it was Audi who had attached the wheels.
However they said they wouldnt pay for it and are charging £350 to drill it out.
I argued this and said it was Audi's fault. They came back with "it's AA's fault for trying to change the tyre on the side of the road, and if it had been towed straight to Audi, then they could have covered it." They blamed the VW AA guy, saying he must have damages the bolt. So basically because I let an outside company (AA) mess with the car, then it voided any claim. Even though it was Audi Driverline who sent the technician out.
I tried to reason with them that there is no way AA (it was a VW AA technician) would have towed it without trying to fix it. If I had requested that, then I think it would have been highly unreasonable of me.
They also said I cant "prove" its Audi's fault.
Any advice about what to do please? Should this be covered under warranty? Thank you.
Audi-4567 said:
Hello. Thanks in advance for your advice.
I have a 2 year old Audi, new from the dealer.
Recently I got a flat on the motorway about 1hour from home. I phoned Audi Driverline Recovery directly. They sent someone out who could not get the locking wheel nut off as it was on too tight. So a truck came out to tow it.
It went to Audi who couldnt get the nut off either. As its new and under warrently, I expected it to be covered, as it was Audi who had attached the wheels.
However they said they wouldnt pay for it and are charging £350 to drill it out.
I argued this and said it was Audi's fault. They came back with "it's AA's fault for trying to change the tyre on the side of the road, and if it had been towed straight to Audi, then they could have covered it." They blamed the VW AA guy, saying he must have damages the bolt. So basically because I let an outside company (AA) mess with the car, then it voided any claim. Even though it was Audi Driverline who sent the technician out.
I tried to reason with them that there is no way AA (it was a VW AA technician) would have towed it without trying to fix it. If I had requested that, then I think it would have been highly unreasonable of me.
They also said I cant "prove" its Audi's fault.
Any advice about what to do please? Should this be covered under warranty? Thank you.
Tricky one, on the surface I would agree that Audi should be covering the cost as the car is under warranty and you followed the correct procedure by calling the Audi driverline assistance rather than tackling it yourself. If it were me I would be weighing up how much your time costs trying to get Audi / AA to sort it out between themselves rather than just pauoing the £350, move on and vow never to buy a VW group product again!I have a 2 year old Audi, new from the dealer.
Recently I got a flat on the motorway about 1hour from home. I phoned Audi Driverline Recovery directly. They sent someone out who could not get the locking wheel nut off as it was on too tight. So a truck came out to tow it.
It went to Audi who couldnt get the nut off either. As its new and under warrently, I expected it to be covered, as it was Audi who had attached the wheels.
However they said they wouldnt pay for it and are charging £350 to drill it out.
I argued this and said it was Audi's fault. They came back with "it's AA's fault for trying to change the tyre on the side of the road, and if it had been towed straight to Audi, then they could have covered it." They blamed the VW AA guy, saying he must have damages the bolt. So basically because I let an outside company (AA) mess with the car, then it voided any claim. Even though it was Audi Driverline who sent the technician out.
I tried to reason with them that there is no way AA (it was a VW AA technician) would have towed it without trying to fix it. If I had requested that, then I think it would have been highly unreasonable of me.
They also said I cant "prove" its Audi's fault.
Any advice about what to do please? Should this be covered under warranty? Thank you.
Thanks for your reply. I think what you said: "followed the correct procedure" is a very good way of putting it.
I think I am just going to pay it and then send an email later to the dealership I actually bought it from (who are under the same company).
Do you know if the wheel nuts are usually covered when they were the original ones?
I think I am just going to pay it and then send an email later to the dealership I actually bought it from (who are under the same company).
Do you know if the wheel nuts are usually covered when they were the original ones?
Jeez, this is one of the stunts I hate about the motor trade and why I'm happier running around in used cars.
Honestly, are they having a laugh? All wheel nuts should be applied to a specific torque setting at the factory, using calibrated tools.
Either they've been done up too tight at the factory or on PDI, assuming that involves such things (but I doubt it, these days).
I am assuming you are on original rubber and a duff tyre fitter hasn't got heavy handed?
Interested to see how this plays out. Seems incredibly bad customer service and would make me walk from the brand.
Honestly, are they having a laugh? All wheel nuts should be applied to a specific torque setting at the factory, using calibrated tools.
Either they've been done up too tight at the factory or on PDI, assuming that involves such things (but I doubt it, these days).
I am assuming you are on original rubber and a duff tyre fitter hasn't got heavy handed?
Interested to see how this plays out. Seems incredibly bad customer service and would make me walk from the brand.
Audi-4567 said:
I phoned Audi Driverline Recovery directly. They sent someone out who could not get the locking wheel nut off as it was on too tight.
They blamed the VW AA guy, saying he must have damages the bolt.
To recap, you called the Audi breakdown service, THEY sent the recovery guy to you, who damaged the bolt.They blamed the VW AA guy, saying he must have damages the bolt.
Are they saying the wheel must have been removed by someone else at one point who may have over tightened it? Or damaged it?
I'd like to hear the outcome of this one.
Yes, I think when she said that I cant prove it was Audi's fault, she meant I cant prove that the problem wasnt caused by AA and that I couldnt prove that it was an original tyre that had been fitted by Audi. It's original. But I cant "prove" it.
And yes, its Audi's recovery service, yet apparently after calling themcout it somehow voids the warrently on the wheel because I let them do their job and didnt insist on a tow immediately!
They claimed that the nut was damaged and they couldnt get the tool on it. It looked fine to me before I took it in. If anything there may have been some metal in their from the tool, which they could have hust flicked out. It certainly did not look shredded tho!
And yes, its Audi's recovery service, yet apparently after calling themcout it somehow voids the warrently on the wheel because I let them do their job and didnt insist on a tow immediately!
They claimed that the nut was damaged and they couldnt get the tool on it. It looked fine to me before I took it in. If anything there may have been some metal in their from the tool, which they could have hust flicked out. It certainly did not look shredded tho!
Audi-4567 said:
Yes, I think when she said that I cant prove it was Audi's fault, she meant I cant prove that the problem wasnt caused by AA and that I couldnt prove that it was an original tyre that had been fitted by Audi. It's original. But I cant "prove" it.
You say the tyre is original.She says "prove it?"
1. She's calling you a liar.
2. Tyres have date stamps on them. Four digit number on the tyre. First two digits are the week, second two the year.
Ie... 3617 would be week 36 of 2017
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