Wheel stud stripped

Tiny
JBDBTBJB
  • MEMBER
  • 2016 CHEVROLET EQUINOX
  • 3.2L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
Mileage 52,000 wouldn’t accept. Unsure about 3.2. Anyway oil change at Midas on 8/19 I was told it looked like an oil leak when they changed the oil. They also rotated the tires included with the oil change. My son was told that it possibly had a bad pan seal or engine seal problem. My son had my vehicle 2 hours away and had the oil change done. There were no drips of oil indicating it was leaking before he was told this. I took it to the Chevrolet dealer now that I have the car and when they took the front left tire off to get to the area they needed to look regarding the oil problem the service tech had me come back while it was up on the lift to tell me that the stud was stripped when he removed the lug nut. He advised me it would be $170.00 to fix and couldn’t put it back on for safety. He stated whoever rotated the tires last probably stripped it. I said I would wait on that so I could contact Midas. He got upset and walked away. I asked for the manager. The manager said that the stud was spinning. I contacted Midas and they advised they hand tighten the lug nuts and are careful to use the proper torch when then tighten down. Midas advised that if the dealer used a high power tool when removing the tire that he could of spun the stud damaging it. Midas said they didn’t want to point any fingers and would be willing to look at it which would require me driving 2 hours there on 4 lug nuts. They still have the car at the dealer checking the oil leak using dye to try and detect the leak. They will only turn the car on for 15 minutes and won’t drive due to missing the damaged stud. Yet told me to pick it up and drive it 2 hours back there and maybe it will show the oil problem after driving that distance. Do you think it is possible that the tech that removed the tire could of spun the stud when removing the lug it like Midas advised me? Thank you.
Thursday, December 12th, 2019 AT 4:29 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Anything is possible but normally this happens when the last one to put the lug nut on cross threads it and then when they are taken off the next time they either break the lug or the stud spins and doesn't allow it to come off easily. Also, another main reason for this to happen is if the lugs are not taken off for quite some time, they actually rust on and can spin the stud or break it off.

Based on this, I don't see how they could have done this by taking them off the wrong way because there is only one way to take them off.

Let me know if you have other questions. Thanks
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Thursday, December 12th, 2019 AT 4:47 PM
Tiny
JBDBTBJB
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  • 1 POST
Thank you so much.
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Friday, December 13th, 2019 AT 11:18 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,186 POSTS
KASEKENNY1 is one of our best! Here is a video that shows a wheel stud being replaced on a similar car so you know what you are in for when doing the job:

https://youtu.be/LSZ8P0wrQX8

Please run down this guide and report back.
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Friday, December 13th, 2019 AT 11:20 AM

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