Locking wheel nut covers - lost or stolen?

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Went out to wash the car last night and noticed that three of the four covers on my locking wheel nuts are missing. It's the first time I've washed the car in ages so realistically it could have happened any time in the last few months.

Naturally I'm assuming some **** has stolen them (though the car is always parked out of plain sight at the rear of the house on a driveway and only ever for short periods at shops etc.). However I've learnt to never assume anything with this car when it comes to quality/functionality, so there's obviously the possibility they have come loose and fallen off. So has anyone else experienced losing them? I can't see any signs of attempted removal of the one left, and the car has not been into a garage yet so it's not them forgetting to replace.
Probably not going to bother replacing to be honest, I'm sure if they've gone once they're likely to go again.

 

[SRGTD]

If the wheel bolt covers on the Formentor are the same type as those used on Seat cars, then it’s not unknown for these to fall off as they’re not a particularly tight fit - see discussion threads below. The saving grace is they’re cheap to replace.

Disappearing lug bolt covers

Doing the weekly check over on Mrs Seriously's ST, I notice that in the space of a few days, we've managed to lose 4 of the wheel bolt caps; they appear to be falling off quicker than the leaves off the trees. I know I can get them from SEAT for not much money, but I'm thinking that replacing...

www.seatcupra.net

Keep losing wheel nut covers

So far I've lost 6 in approx 300 miles. After the first one disappeared I check them regularly but they are still going missing. I read some threads on a manufacturing issue and them not being tight enough. They are not being stolen before you ask. Anyone else had this trouble?

www.seatcupra.net

Anyone else noticed that their Car is losing their wheel nut covers?

I seem to be losing wheel nut covers on formentor and Leon I have the have Audi badge inside

www.seatcupra.net

 

[Secretagent]

I bought these off eBay over three months ago to fit my VZ Formentor, no issues. WHEEL NUT COVERS FOR SEAT IBIZA LEON ALHAMBRA ALTEA 17mm BOLT CAPS MAT DARK GREY. £13.99p

 

[Tell]

I use my charms at the Seat dealer and they just give me a handful free. Once I bought the wrong ones off e-Bay (silver, mine are black) so just pop in to the dealer and they hand them out.

It's a known problem with Seat and I'm sure it will be identical for Cupra. They are used across the Vag brand why its important to get the right colour unless you fancy personalizing it away from what was fitted. Was Audi silver ones I bought by accident.

Jet washing loosens them off by the water getting behind them and loosening them. Some say the washing product you use leaves them loose grip. Others have said use Blu tac holds them on. Tape I see on that one above....

The main thing is to periodically walk round the car pushing them back on with your thumb. You will find the loose ones that way before they drop off. It's another maintenance task with these wheel nut covers. Probably monthly but will depend on mileage.

 

[SuperV8]

Went out to wash the car last night and noticed that three of the four covers on my locking wheel nuts are missing. It's the first time I've washed the car in ages so realistically it could have happened any time in the last few months.

Naturally I'm assuming some **** has stolen them (though the car is always parked out of plain sight at the rear of the house on a driveway and only ever for short periods at shops etc.). However I've learnt to never assume anything with this car when it comes to quality/functionality, so there's obviously the possibility they have come loose and fallen off. So has anyone else experienced losing them? I can't see any signs of attempted removal of the one left, and the car has not been into a garage yet so it's not them forgetting to replace.
Probably not going to bother replacing to be honest, I'm sure if they've gone once they're likely to go again.

I wouldn't put it past some little *******!
I parked up at a kit car show a few years back leaving my kitcar in an owners area to go for a wonder, and a few weeks later I noticed one of my wipers was missing, and also the small Momo badge from my gear knob! Impossible for either of these to just fall off!

You can get the little plastic tool for removing these covers for a couple quid of ebay.
I take my wheels off regularly. If these caps are pushed on fully, I struggle to believe they can fall off.

 

[/dev/null]

Yeah, I'm just surprised if someone swiped them, why they didn't just take all four. Unless they only needed three I guess!

The cap from the rear wiper has also gone at some point, I think that fell off though as it seemed loose once, so I pushed it back on, but presumably it's just come loose again without me noticing.

Worst thing I had was some absolute xxxx pull the covers and glass from my C Class wing mirrors in a carpark in Manchester. Heated, dimming glass, indicator lights etc. Cost me about £800 to replace. Looked at going through the insurance but because it was a theft there was an unknown additional excess of £500, so in the end I just paid for it rather than hammering my premium too much for the sake of £300. In hindsight I should have done because they stung me anyway for a reportable incident, which when I did quotes has added about £80 a year on since - luckily this is the last year I need to declare it.

 

[Tell]

I wouldn't put it past some little *******!
I parked up at a kit car show a few years back leaving my kitcar in an owners area to go for a wonder, and a few weeks later I noticed one of my wipers was missing, and also the small Momo badge from my gear knob! Impossible for either of these to just fall off!

You can get the little plastic tool for removing these covers for a couple quid of ebay.
I take my wheels off regularly. If these caps are pushed on fully, I struggle to believe they can fall off.

They do loosen but I'm of the view that any of the cars that appear on ITV drama trailers that say sponsored by Cupra or Seat it's an open invite for the feral kids to vandalize them. Mine lasted a year untouched. Year two the vandalism began. I got one scratch repaired, left the rest and dents since I was moving out of outer London then got them all done as a job lot at a body shop once moved to the rural life. Since I'm keeping the car didn't go for the VAG approved one, saved 50%. PCP car you'd have to or take the hit at the end. That's the fun life of the feral kids. It all stopped once I was out of Essex and London. In London and Essex they would come up the drives to vandalize the cars. It's a downside of owning a desirable car in an urban area.

I don't reckon anyone would nick them given they hand them out in dealers for free since they drop off with regularity. I do have a good dealer.... other may charge.

 

[Glosphil]

On my previous car (Octavia vRS) I replaced my 20 bolts & plastic caps with chrome domed bolts at £19.99 for the set. Transferred them to my current Leon FR. Won't be lost & look better.

 

[BigJase88]

I had 3 or 4 fall off in the 1st year of ownership. They are rubbish

 

[oldgitdave]

Same here, lost all 4 of the locking wheel nut ones and 1 of the others over 12 months!
I bought a replacement set from the sponsors on here. Originally they didn't do the locking nut covers separately but now they do. They seem a much tighter fit too so perhaps they'll stay on .

 

[Seriously?]

Yep, all ours fell off.
The Ebay replacements have so far lasted 2 years without a problem.

 

[/dev/null]

Hmmm... Seems either there is a national cap thief out there, or my original assumptions may have been wrong! The one remaining seemed pretty tight on, so I really didn't expect the others to have fallen off, but clearly it's a lot more prevalent than I'd assumed at first.

Thanks all

 

[Seastormer]

My old 280 never lost any, but I did check them after every journey and some always needed a bit of a push in. My new Leon has been ok so far, as still checking like before but none seemed loose.

 

[Steven Rowan]

Went out to wash the car last night and noticed that three of the four covers on my locking wheel nuts are missing. It's the first time I've washed the car in ages so realistically it could have happened any time in the last few months.

Naturally I'm assuming some **** has stolen them (though the car is always parked out of plain sight at the rear of the house on a driveway and only ever for short periods at shops etc.). However I've learnt to never assume anything with this car when it comes to quality/functionality, so there's obviously the possibility they have come loose and fallen off. So has anyone else experienced losing them? I can't see any signs of attempted removal of the one left, and the car has not been into a garage yet so it's not them forgetting to replace.
Probably not going to bother replacing to be honest, I'm sure if they've gone once they're likely to go again.

I think the likelihood is that some tea-leafs have made off with them, since the covers sit snugly over the wheel nuts. I had a similar problem, but every time mine went missing, I had parked at my local retail park, and they disappeared whilst doing my shopping. What makes me laugh is the fact that they can afford to buy a car, tax and insure it, pay for maintenance, fuel, etc - but they cannot afford wheelnut covers!! Weird people, indeed. Its like folk that pay for a packet of ciggies, but ask a stranger for a light!!