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My mum’s 2010 Focus has some missing wheelnut covers following a service- the service sheet says they “came adrift”. The only car I’ve had with similar covers had a tool to use to take them off to get at the nuts.
There’s no such tool in the kit nor reference in the hand book.
Had a look online and it seems you just use the brace on the decorative cap, though it seems quite soft to me. They are a bit
loose, which implies they are removable and will deform if a socket is applied.
Can any owners shed any light on this please?
Yeah the caps stay on. I know the issue as one of mine seems to be so deformed I can't get the brace to engage it. Hope I don't need to change a wheel roadside!
The nuts are effectively clad in stainless. It's not meant to come off, but it deforms and prevents you getting the socket on. They've been like that since the Mk1 (or it least, my old 2004 model), I cannot understand why Ford haven't improved them. I bought a spare set of non-OEM wheels with winter tyres on, and they came with solid zinc plated nuts, so I've swapped the Ford ones for those.
Thanks for the confirmation- I didn’t want to attack the cover with a socket of it was supposed to come off. Managed to get one off to check- some of the others are looking mangled, so likely to come off at next service/ tyre change!
Had exactly the same with the ST of the same era. Ended up removing all the caps and just running the bare nuts underneath.
Iirc they are a 1-2mm smaller socket (18mm rings a bell) but in 5 years I never had an issue with them like that.
Those plastic covers usually come off with a tool that looks like an oversized pair of tweezers, that’s just slid into the gap, press and pull out. The covers are purely cosmetic, the damn things are always lying around at work, usually squashed after being driven over. Otherwise the basic nuts are stainless steel, with one locking nut and the removing key in the car.
@Count- that’s what I had for my Pug- seems the Ford is different the covers are crimped on (loosely).
@Greybeard- thanks for the link will check prices. Ford want £35 (poss plus VAT) for 5. If I can get replacements cheaper or a full car set for the inevitable loss of the others for a similar price I’ll do it myself.