This is the most frustrating car problem I have ever had!

I went to get snow tires and the garage couldnt get the locking bolts off, they had no problem removing all other bolts but the locking bolts on all four tires wouldnt budge. They didnt want to break them so they told me to go to Volvo and have them removed there, the garage thought Volvo might have a master key which may be better than the one I have. Volvo said they dont want to touch it and referred me to some guy who can do it for $600 !!!

I will appreciate any options you folks can come up with. There has to be another way.

Its an 01 S60 with standard 15in wheels.

 

I'm confused can you not get aenough grip on the bolt head to spin them off, IE the key lug pops off, or are you saying the bolts are seizezd in? If its the later run the gammit of PB Blaster let it sit for a while spray it again let it sit for awhile and spray it again, then try to get them off. if that doesn't work you can use a blow torckh on the inside of it but would highly advise against it. Then you could always drill them out. But i bet the PB blaster and a breaker bar would get it. When you put the bolts back in throw a little antiseize on it, couldn't hurt...

 

The bolts are seized in and the tire garage just couldnt get them undone. Is PB blaster a brand? Im just a little surprised that the volvo dealership is unwilling to even try and remove them.

 

you know what you could do is call up volvo schedule a rotation of the tires(act like you never called about the bolts not comming off), and see what happens when they go to do that.

 

Just took it to another volvo dearship in town and they want $108 per wheel to open the lug nuts by heating them. Interestingly enough, I never mentioned to them that they were seized, just that I wanted the locking bolts replaced with normal ones. They immediately told me what the worst case scenario might be, and a half hour later, they called me to say that was in fact what I was looking at....approx $500 to open four locking bolts!!!

Needless to say, if butchering them is the only option, I'd rather take it to my own mechanic and pay much less!

To me this is a design flaw and Volvo should be responsible....any thoughts on whether this worth going after? They are stock wheels and bolts and have been regularly serviced by Volvo.

 

Thats one of the worse things with any car and locking Lugs. People always install them with an Impact wrench.(Which is so wrong to do)

Did they break the Key?

 

yup, broke the key and their master too. Want $492 to heat them and get them out but thats not going to work either. Two of the lug nuts are now completely screwed...no pun intended!

I will take it to a garage tomorrow that claims to be able to do it by hammering in a smaller key to get a grip. One of the bolts will only now come out by melting the rim off!!! It is painful to watch.

I will write to volvo...not that I expect it to go anywhere.

My first car in highschool was a 86 Chevy Caprice with 491,000KM and it never caused me so much grief.

 

yeah that heating it off deal is not good because it may turn into having to replace a lot of parts. High heat tends to mess up bearings. What you could do is jack the car up, and like you are going to do a wheel bearing repalcement remove everything from the inside. then take the whole wheel to a machine shop and have them drill it out and retap it, probably save you like 300 bucks, but it will be a hugggeeeeee hassle.

 

Hello

Just to update everyone and to save others from possibly going through this....do not heat the bolts to get them out....local volvo dealer's suggestion (and price) were garbage! so was their attitude in fact.

I was referred to a tire shop that had the right tools to take the locking bolts off. They used reverse locking sockets which were hammered over the locking bolts and then used good ol muscle might to get them opened. The whole process took 3 hours and they only charged $120 to take off all the locking bolts and didnt put a scratch on the rims. Volvo had quoted me $500-600 plus told me there would be some darkening of the rims from the heat.

Needless to say the locking bolts are now in the trash. Not all tire shops have the ability to open seized bolts and not everyone is willing to do it because of the time commitment but it is worth the effort on your behalf to find someone who is capable and willing, should you ever need to.

B.T.W also bought a set of 4 Givsaled winter tires and volvo winter rims for $500 from the same shop....not a bad deal after all!