Kerb-side tyres
Locking wheel nuts when the key has vanished
The key lived in the glovebox until a previous owner emptied it. We see this on leased cars around Sevenoaks and the Riverhead estates. If a tyre has to come off and the lock is the only thing in the way, we deal with the nut here rather than sending you to a dealer in the morning.
On the ground
- Keyed nuts, rounded keys, and the car that never had the socket in it
- Done as part of a tyre visit when that is why we rolled
- We do not chew the alloy to save five minutes
- Name the make — some locking sets are fussier than others
What people ask
Will the wheel get marked?
The aim is a clean nut and an unhurt rim. If a nut is so far gone that the only option risks the alloy, we stop and talk it through.
Can you do the nuts without fitting a tyre?
Yes, if that is the whole job — you need the wheel off for someone else. Say so when you message.