Long story cut short. It appears our car never shipped (from non-Ford dealer last year) with the original key or black bag/box or replacement code. And I’m about to sell it today and Ford are telling me that without that info they need to chisel them off. Yet a friend in Technical disputes that and says every dealer has a master key to help identify a replacement.

What say you? Could be nearly £200 of hassle otherwise.

TVM

Are you on about locking wheel nuts?

get friend in technical to talk to dealer?

Yep, locking wheel nut removal key.

Ford are telling me that without that info they need to chisel them off

Yessir they’re all like that

every dealer has a master key to help identify a replacement

^^ this.

The mechs have master keys but they don’t tell sales/service.

My Focus locking nut mangled itself – got a replacement locking nut set from an autoshop for about £20 and paid a local garage £40 to remove the stuck nuts. Cheap as chips – £200?!!

You can get a locking wheel nut remover from halfords, you will need a vice to get it out of the tool.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_196491_langId_-1_categoryId_165469

Had the same problem on my 04 mondeo. Ford dealership wanted the car in “specially” to get them off which was going to cost me an arm and a leg. In the end I went to a mechanic next door who for £10, a couple of minutes work and the use of a socket set, had them bashed off. Re-ordered a new set of nuts for under £50.

Ford (used to – I worked there 3 years ago) have a “master set” that has about 40 options to all the locking wheel nuts. Go to a different local dealer, say you’ve lost it (***ASK PARTS THIS NOT SERVICE***) and ask them to order a new one. When they ask for codes, apply a blank look to your face and the chances are the parts guy will grab the set to ID which key it is and order a spare – about £25 if memory serves.

Hope this helps

What a bunch of arse. Buyer just emailed to pull out – didn’t even call!

Original main dealer doesn’t record such codes even on cars as new as 07. But they say every dealer has a master so I’m going to push on that front.

£200 was generally what local dealers wanted for chiseling plus replacement set etc.

Cheers guys

Yep they should.

Try another dealer. While in collecting mine from a service the other week a chap came in with the exact same thing. They told him to hang on a minute and one of the mechanics would be right out with their box of socket keys, match it up and order one from the code.

We’re back to phone unlocking again. £200 with a bloke with a lump hammer, or five minutes at the dealer and £20 for the correct adapter. Lump hammer please!

Given that the identifying number on the wheel nut key on my Mondeo is actually a colour, I’d be surprised if the number of possible variants got particularly far into double figures.

Given that the identifying number on the wheel nut key on my Mondeo is actually a colour, I’d be surprised if the number of possible variants got particularly far into double figures.

Our’s is apparently an 8 digit code though …

try your local knackers yard. you might strike lucky for a 5er

Cheap steel sockets, smack on and turn.