smaxfitness
Junior Member
In Pennsylvania...
I recently bought a car from MD and was told during inspection that it needed ball joints to pass. After replacing the ball joints, I drove it about 150 miles. I then had it reinspected with the same mechanic. After driving it 10-15 miles, the wheel just came off while on the highway. The lugs, rotor, and fender got damaged, not to mention that my parents and I were almost killed. Luckily no one got hurt except the SUV.
My knee jerk reaction was that the mechanic probably just didn't tighten the lugnuts after inspecting it that second time. I had the vehicle towed back to that inspection station and called the mechanic first thing this morning. He claims that they never pulled the wheels while reinspecting it. He further claims that he even went over all the tires again with a torque wrench, despite not pulling the wheels. He's obviously going to say he didn't pull the wheel off, whether he did or not, but the fact that he says he tightened them again and the wheel came off 15 miles later is astounding.
He can say it was something I did when replacing the ball joints, but I drove the vehicle many miles after replacing them and the fact that he just inspected it and the wheel came off 15 miles later tells me it was something he did. I still think he pulled the wheel off but just isn't going to admit it. The thing that's tough is that he has worked on our family vehicles for many years, so we know him pretty well and it stings a little that he won't take any responsibility. I'm sure he's not going to be offering to pay for the damages, but is there something I can or should do legally to get it taken care of since I don't have comprehensive coverage?
I recently bought a car from MD and was told during inspection that it needed ball joints to pass. After replacing the ball joints, I drove it about 150 miles. I then had it reinspected with the same mechanic. After driving it 10-15 miles, the wheel just came off while on the highway. The lugs, rotor, and fender got damaged, not to mention that my parents and I were almost killed. Luckily no one got hurt except the SUV.
My knee jerk reaction was that the mechanic probably just didn't tighten the lugnuts after inspecting it that second time. I had the vehicle towed back to that inspection station and called the mechanic first thing this morning. He claims that they never pulled the wheels while reinspecting it. He further claims that he even went over all the tires again with a torque wrench, despite not pulling the wheels. He's obviously going to say he didn't pull the wheel off, whether he did or not, but the fact that he says he tightened them again and the wheel came off 15 miles later is astounding.
He can say it was something I did when replacing the ball joints, but I drove the vehicle many miles after replacing them and the fact that he just inspected it and the wheel came off 15 miles later tells me it was something he did. I still think he pulled the wheel off but just isn't going to admit it. The thing that's tough is that he has worked on our family vehicles for many years, so we know him pretty well and it stings a little that he won't take any responsibility. I'm sure he's not going to be offering to pay for the damages, but is there something I can or should do legally to get it taken care of since I don't have comprehensive coverage?