I can't find it. I just can't find it anywhere! Where is the locking wheel nut key?!

[jsr]

I realised today I'd not seen the locking wheel nut key for the wife's DS3, so set about trying to find it. Firstly I've checked and it does have locking nuts fitted, but no key in the car.

I've tried in the glovebox, cubby holes in the dash and armrest, under the seats, seat pockets, rear quarter pockets, boot side pockets (well, behind the plastic grilles), under the boot floor in the foam thingy, and even under the bonnet - but can't find them anywhere. Leaves me to think they didn't put them in the car.... unless they have a special hiding place?! Ideas welcome!

How easy for the dealer to source a replacement? I don't fancy having the bolts drilled out!!! Also worried about any damage they may cause to the wheels when trying! I am uber careful with these painted rims as they mark so easily. I usually fit masking tape to my wheel brace to prevent marking!!!

Also, in the boot kit under the carpet it only has an orange compressor thing and a towing eye - there are holes for loads of other bits, but nothing else there. Am I missing anything?

Cheers,
jon

[Rickzayne]

mine came in the folder with all the DS3 booklets...

[mattds3sport]

no ur not missing anything thts all you get and as for the locking wheel nut tel the dealership it shud be in glovebox. my dealer went through it with me givin me handbook , locking nut (key) and both sets of keys for car. they shud have it

[billy smith]

dealer gave me ours in hand at time of pick up i put it in the boot with the inflate kit as thats where i put our last 1 when we ad the colt habbit of mine lol

[WTF]

I think mine is with my spare wheel in the boot. Think there's a holder *thing* for it.

[jsr]

Right had another quick check. It's nowhere and the wife says she was not given it at handover. The boot foam thing seems to have a place where you could put it, but nothing there. Will get onto the dealer tomorrow (although it' been maybe 6 weeks since we collected it?!) and see.

Surely that is something they should make sure they included - what if there was a puncture... not only is there no spare, but there is no way of changing a tyre until the missing key it located!

Thanks for your help.

On another note, I just stuck the sat nav in the car for the mrs as she starts at a new place tomorrow - the location of the 12v socket is not very well placed! Cable running over the gear knob onto the dash... hmm not ideal. Anyway, a big 'I told you so' for her in order - I told her to get built in sat nav as it's great (well on my car it is, not really tried out the DS3 nav) but she said she didn't want it. Silly Noob :P

[Bigfeet]

You should have had the locking bolt either placed in the car at handover or (as I do) given to you with documents. If you can't find it then you should spoke to your dealer in regards to having it replaced - quickly!

Your dealer will be able to find the code for the locking bolt on Citroen Service and they normally take around a fortnight to arrive.

[jsr]

Thanks Bigfeet. I was handed the locking nut set by Vauxhall when I picked my Insignia up in May... they made sure I had them in my hands before we did the check over the car.

I had a lovely conversation with the salesman today, and then the manager (at salesmans request, not mine). Note sarcasm is rife in my tone here, it was actually really frustrating!

Basically they are saying 'they are 100% the key was in our car at handover', specifically in the glovebox. When we got the car home, I '100% remember' clearing out the glovebox and only removing a foil packet and plastic tube for the air freshner. My wife is also '100%' she was not handed a locking wheel nut. We were given the paperwork inside the dealership, and a rush through 'because I want to leave at 7pm by the salesman' hand over and controls settings etc.

We are extremely fastidious when it comes to things like this, so we wouldn't simply misplace or discard something as important as the locking wheel key.

The approach taken by the salesman and manager of the dealership really threw me - instantly overly-defensive, when I was not unpleasant about this at all, well at least to start with. After a while I was beginning to become frustrated at repeatedly being told we'd lost it and we should have noticed sooner.

They also indicated it is also impossible for this to happen, because the key and locking nuts are installed when the car reaches the UK, and it is signed for by the delivery company who deliver the cars to them. Is this true - is it impossible for a key to go missing before handover?

When we took delivery of the car it went straight into the garage and did not move for nearly 2 weeks as we went away on holiday just after collecting it. I'm sure if we hadn't gone on holiday I'd have noticed sooner, however as it stands I didn't but I have now.

I am amazed at how this dealer (Evans Halshaw, Kettering) is willing to alienate me so soon after buying a car from them. This is probably the thing I object to the most - their inability to even have a rational conversation without telling me I am the one who's lost it, and because we've had the car for about 6 weeks now it's not their problem, it is mine.

Anyway, due to this unfortunately it will be my mission to get a replacement locking wheel nut key from them, and an apology. Anyone have the Citroen customer care details to hand...?

Cheers,
Jon

[Kaibabes]

I always kept mine in my glove box.. I had the car cleaned 2 weeks ago... guess what.. was looking for the bloody thing and its gone.. searched for 3 days.. never ever have I removed it from the car.. gutted.. cost me £48 to replace it today... will take 10 days to arrive.. just hope I dont get a flat in the mean time!

[nicksharp400]

good luck with citroen customer service... useless

[mattds3sport]

customer care and citreon dont belong in same sentence in my opinion and im pretty sure stef wud agree

[Bigfeet]

You can reach Citroen Customer Care through the Switchboard which is 0844 463 0010.

Your dealer is right about the bolt being put into the car as part of the delivery process, the thing is with DS3 the bolt is taped to the outside of the plastic bag which carries other interior parts and aerial, it wouldn't be the first time I have had to raid the bin in order to find a bolt which was thrown away with the discard bag!

Granted the bolt should be used in order to torque the wheels and this tends not to happen, us included before a big meeting about it, thus the tech working on the PDI hasn't checked to see if the bolt was present.

Best place to store the bolt is in the boot well, if you look at the foam piece in the spare well there is a little slot for it to sit in. As I tell everyone of my customers it is important to check that the bolt is present BEFORE you leave either at handover or after a service.

Fingers crossed Citroen agree, as goodwill, to order a replacement for you, but in my opinion your dealer should really be doing this to show good faith.

[jsr]

You can reach Citroen Customer Care through the Switchboard which is 0844 463 0010.

Your dealer is right about the bolt being put into the car as part of the delivery process, the thing is with DS3 the bolt is taped to the outside of the plastic bag which carries other interior parts and aerial, it wouldn't be the first time I have had to raid the bin in order to find a bolt which was thrown away with the discard bag!

Granted the bolt should be used in order to torque the wheels and this tends not to happen, us included before a big meeting about it, thus the tech working on the PDI hasn't checked to see if the bolt was present.

Best place to store the bolt is in the boot well, if you look at the foam piece in the spare well there is a little slot for it to sit in. As I tell everyone of my customers it is important to check that the bolt is present BEFORE you leave either at handover or after a service.

Fingers crossed Citroen agree, as goodwill, to order a replacement for you, but in my opinion your dealer should really be doing this to show good faith.

Thanks for the response BigFeet.

I'm going to get onto Citroen Customer Care as a matter of principle now, just because they got so defensive when I was being more than reasonable.

I emailed the dealer today, not saying anything in particular rather I expressed my deep disappointment at how they had handled my query. What is more of a slap in the face is that we purchased through the dealer (ok, yes they price-matched a web deal we had) rather than the web because of the 'superior after-sales service' they would offer, which included him personally dealing with any problems/service bookings/repairs etc. The first problem we encounter and he gets his manager to tell me we lost it as Simon could 100% remember seeing it in the glovebox so they won't replace it. But if I had phoned sooner after delivery, they would have replaced it (is this not an admission that Simon may not be 100% in his recollection?)

Well, I will see how we get on. Last resort will be to have to drive to the dealership and make a scene, which I am sure none of us want.

Funny thing is, I may have considered contributing towards a new nut if they had been amicable in the first place, but their reaction has simply infuriated me.

I usually get what I want; not because I am spoilt/pushy/nasty, but because when I know I am right, I am unable to back down. I know the key wasn’t there, because as you say bigfeet, it would be in the little slot in the foam in the wheel well if it was. Yes we took a while to notice, but considering the car was collected and stuck in the garage for two weeks immediately after collection as we were away, and that my wife has changed jobs twice in as many months, and that we have a family member who is very ill, has meant we have been slightly preoccupied... it still doesn't change the fact that the wheel nut is not present, and we've not lost it!

Will phone the dealer again tomorrow...

[jsr]

Spoken to the dealer again today, they're best offer is to split the cost - i.e. £27.49 each.

Still not happy, so will speak to Citroen Customer Care and Evans Halshaw customer service to see what they say.

Unfortunately has made a pleasant buying experience a negative one... Starting to wonder why certain dealerships still exist with this attitude. I would have been better off buying the car online and having it delivered to my door - less gripe dealing with dealers who don't give a stuff now you've bought a car...