Dag, I'm such an idiot and I must be the only one cuz I don't find much search results.
But, how do I remove my wheels? I've jacke up the car so the flat tire's off the ground. I can't remove the wheel nuts - are there wheel locks??! If so, what's the key? I only have one thing in my car (I think the previous owner gave me 2, maybe the darn mechanics lost one!??). That one little nut thing fits the Lexus wrench but it doesn't match the nuts.
What do I need to know about wheel locks/nuts and changing my flat tire? Please help!

- dumb & confused

 

I think you have wheel locks on there, you might have to go to the dealer for the key. Some mechanics can also get them off by breaking it i think...

Replace all your lugs with some new ones & so you'll have the key. Only about $25-30

 

thanks. that's pretty much what i figured. those mechanics lost my key when they rotated my tire.
there's just one problem right now. how can i get my car to the mechanic or the dealer? it has a flat ? don't tell me i have to tow the car out of my garage?!

 

If you really need pro service, consider calling a tire service truck out to your house. These are more common in rural areas because they come out to farm fields to fix tractor tires in place, but they also do roadside repairs on semi truck tires for instance. So they should be in the cities too. They are equipped to handle all tire jobs from their truck. It would be cheaper than a tow, I would think. I don't know how you find one except to look under tires in the yellow pages.

And of course you can use fix a flat, or my favorite for my off road toys, green Slime. You can buy Slime in the Wal-Mart automotive section. I am not advocating it for a permanent fix for a high speed car, but it works great and will get you on the road. Be sure to tell the tire mechanic that you have it in the tire though. It makes a mess upon removal and they like to be warned.
Slime is great stuff, and if I was in your shoes, I think it is what I would do. But, you still have to have access to air to pump up the tire. Fix A Flat will seal the tire and pump it up at the same time. It's a gooey product, it might be a bit more mess inside the tire than Slime.

If you have stock 15 inch wheels, are they really a theft target in this day and age anyway? Maybe you can just have regular nuts put on after this...

 

All I can say is you are in deeeep sh*&t. It used to be that you can put a socket wrench that fit tightly on to the wheel lock (pound it in with a hammer). With the new wheel of today, there are no space to fit anything over the lock to loosen it.
The dealer will just ask what's the lock number so they can sell you at an over inflated price. To sum it up, you F*&k!!!!!!

A few solutions:
1. Do you know/remeber the original owner of the car? He/she should has the wheel lock number to re-order when the lock is lost.

2. Go back to all the shop you had the car service and get all their left over keys to test on your car, plus give them hell about fogeting to put the key back in your car even though that shop didn't do it. How else can you release this fustration!

3. I think most wheel lock sell by McGard. They are lifetime warranty, so when either the lock or the nut need replacement you just send them the defected part and they replace it free.

Call them and ask for help if they can help that is 800-444-5847

Address:
McGard
3875 California Rd.
Orchard Park, NY 14127

Good luck, Hope you figure out something soon. Don't know what else to say except if I live near by I would come over and give you a good beating for leaving the key at don't even know where it is now.

Once you straighten this out, please do like I do. I never leave any shop without checking the wheel lock was put back to the correct place. Most of the time, they just give me the key when they finish and I am the one who give them the key. Also, I copy the key code and put it in a safe place just in case (like you're in now). One of the key I put in a too safe of a place that after moving three times and looking in all paper work to throw away junk, didn't even see it until the third move.

 

Good idea! Do you have AAA card? They can help too

 

damn, u just scared the crap outa me VQT. I'm so pissed off at my mechanic right now. They the only person to have touched my wheels.

In the meantime I did find something in my glove compartment (i used to have 2, but there's only 1 now - i'm posting pix so please tell me this is the key!).

It probably isn't cuz i tried to unlock my wheel lugs with it and it didnt' fit. Maybe I did it wrong?

 

reverse side of this:

after your post VQT, i saw that this pix has McGard Patent No: on the side so I'm hopeful this is the key.

 

Forgot about your flat tire. You can fix flat tire by using plug and its not hard at all. Since you have the tire off the ground already, check for the nail take that nail out mark the spot. Go to pepboy, autozone...etc and buy a tire plug kit ~$15. The tools look like two T handles, get the meanest looking one don't go for the cheap stuff, trust me. To use the tool, one with a hole like the back of a sewing needle to thread and the other is Knull (sp) very rough/sharp shaft. use the rough shaft to make the tire hole bigger by push it in and out of the hole. Do it at least 8-10 time in and out. Then use the one with the hole put a plug in the hole double it up use some of the glue came with the tool on the plug (have you ever fix a flat bicycle tire or seem how it done?), push the handle into the tire. Don't push too hard and fast that the plug go all the way in, leave the plug out an inch. This in effect plug the hole in the tire. Use a cutter plier to cut the excess plug off. All this work is easier if there are some air in the tire but no necessary. After all that, all you need is air Hope you understand what I wrote.

 

VQT, thanks for the tip. but wait, in the meantime, is the pix that i attached the wheel lock key?
I went on http://www.mcgard.com and have no clue if what I have is all i need or is it just 1 of 2 pieces?

 

That's the wheel lock. The hole on top of the lock is use to attach to the plastic thingy on the tire wrench. They didn't foget to put the key back, you just never paid attention to which is which. I still have to come over and give you a good beating.

Glad you found the key though.

 

no no, VQT, they DID lose my wheel lock because I had TWO!!!
I remember distinctively that the original owner gave me two. Because after our happy transaction I was about to leave when the owner came after me and said that he had forgotten to give THEM to me.

Damn the mechanic, the last time I went there for an oil change in my Legend, the car wouldnt start cuz they left the lights on and the battery died. Previous time someone had KICKED my dad's taurus on the door and left a footprint and they refused to admit it.

Now I'm down to ONE lock. I needa find me a new mechanic.

 

That is your key. Go out there and try it on the nut you have to turn it until the nut and the key fit. When using the wrench, use some force to push in at the same time twising it. You don't want the key ot the nut to get stripped.

 

Does it fit though? you got two keys and now down to one. Most people only have one.
Don't go back there for more service

 

WELL Does it fit