OEM Lug Nuts & Lug Wrenches That Don't Fit

Yesterday me and my twelve year old got a flat 4.7 mles out in the desert, about 5 miles west as the crow flys from Indian Springs NV. We were travelling gravel "forest roads".
I have a 2007 Tacoma 6 cyl, stick, two wheel drive ext cab.
Got the spare down, jacked her up a little and found to my dismay the lug wrench did not fit the lugs!

It was an even 100 degrees out, we had about a quart and a half of water and one hat. Two hours later we walked into Indian Springs and I got my boy into a motel room to cool down & I ended up spendng $110.00 for a tow sevice to go back up into the boonies to change the freaking tire.

We usually go further out in the sticks and I can't help thinking someone could really get hurt relying on that oem lug wrench to find you can't change out your tires. I will be talking to my Toyota representative tomorrow.

 

Mine fits. Sorry you had the trouble.

 

Wowzers that's bad! The good thing is you and the boy are OK. I bought a tire iron back when I had my Jeep, and have only used it a handful of times. I prefer it over the lug wrench that comes with any vehicle. That detracts from the point of your post though... it's a good thing you were not as far as you normally go. I'd like to hear how your talk with the Toyota rep goes.

 

Yeah, grab one of those 4 arm tire irons. They're good to have even just to help out other folks with different size lugs. Plus, they work well as a boomerang when you need it.

 

Exactly what I have... never tried it as a boomerang though.

 

I had to throw it at someone once. It's what happens when I catch you breaking into my vehicle.

 

Yeah, on that stroll out of there it occured to me that I sure would like a four way lug wrench and an ice cold glass of water.
I'll let you guys know what Toyota says/does about this.

Appreciate your comments.

 

Man I need to check.
Usually I swap out for a 1/2 drive ratchet and the needed socket and extensions it requires and I have not done that on this one yet.

Glad you were able to get to help without any big problems. 1 1/2 quarts of water is not much in the heat as we know out in the DEZ.
Thanks for the post it reminded me to do something i had forgot about.

 

I don't understand. The wrench that came with my truck fits both the lugs for the steel wheels (11/32) and the lug nuts for the aluminum wheels (21 mm).

Was your wrench too small? Is it the original Toyota wrench?

 

I just went out to test mine. It "fits" but it's looser than I'd like. It'd work but I'm pretty sure it'd round the edges up a bit... I normally have my fold up + jack with me but I took it out to use on my stealth and never put it back... smooth. Got it at walmart for like $15 and takes up a lot less space than the normal cross... worth it imo.

 

Wow I am sorry that happened but glad you and your son are ok.
I use a gorilla wrench that comes several different sized sockets (mm & sae). It extends so I can get some leverage seeing how I'm wimpy

Doesn't excuse toyota one bit. Did you buy the truck new? If not, maybe the owner before you swapped out your kit ??

Again, glad you & your son are not a heat casualty.

 

I'm thinking user error?? Or someone swapped out the wrong one.. 2posts and this is it?

 

Sorry to hear about the problem, BUT one should ALWAYS test all tools and emergency items BEFORE you leave your driveway. Be Prepared!
Know how to use them and make sure they do what you want them to do.
Also carry more water and supplies than you'll ever need.

Yuma Taco,

PS :my lug wrench works...

 

I have a 5-lug base 4x2 Tacoma with 21mm nutz. Upon looking at the OEM(does fit) wrench with the 45 degree handle angle, I decided it might be problematic if nutz are on too tight. So I carry a 1/2 breaker bar with a 6-point 13/16" socket, works just fine...

 

And he's gone now? Or came back as another member after telling this horror story.

 

On Sunday I emailed the service manager at my dealer. On Monday he emailed me with the Toyota Customer Satifaction number in California. Also on Monday I got an email from my service rep at the dealer to come down and get the right lug wrench.
Yesterday I called Customer Satisfaction and talked to Tina. She was great, took all the particulars down and will be calling me back today after 9 a.m. While she couldn't promise me anything she did say there was a good chance that Toyota would compensate me for the "road side service" and motel.
In the afternoon (yesterday) I went to the dealer. They took my lug wrench and immediately applied it to the lugs, no, it didn't fit.
The service rep goes away and comes back a half hour later...he says you got the right lug wrench and the wrong lug nuts and they would be ordering me all new lugs for all the wheels(?). Stunning.

I'm looking forward to sharing this reverse engineering concept with Toyota Customer Satisfaction when she calls me back this morning.

As an aside I'm the Manager of Transportation for the 11 western states for TJ Maxx and Marshall stores. I have some experience with things mechanical. When I purchase a $26,000 vehicle my expectation it comes with the proper functioning equipment.
As far as outdoor experience; in 1965 I attended a month long Ranger course in the Army and was a instructor in mountain craft at the Plas y Brenin Natl Mtneering Centre in Northern Wales from 1971 to 1974. I didn't didn't get a real job until my early thirties as I wasted my youth climbing in the Alps and the western Canadian Rockies. I even spent two years cowboying in Colorado's North Park country.

 

As a footnote to this. I went to my local tire shop, which is a good one, to get my flat repaired, he looked at the full size spare, and said those lug nuts are not for use on steel wheels, they are for alloys only. He said you need washer-less acorns, which he gave me 6 of so I'll have them next time I need to use the spare. He said Toyota knows better, and should be including these with the jack kit.

 

Yesterday my dealer, Centennial Toyota in the northwest section of Las Vegas changed out all the lug nuts on my 2007 Tacoma at no charge. They also cut a check to cover the "road side service" and motel cost I incurred. Quite separately I visited the Parts Dept and asked to buy 6 acorn lug nuts for use with the steel spare wheel and they gave me them at no charge.

 

This just made me think...I have aftermarket alloy wheels and a steel spare, so I guess my lugnuts wouldn't work on my spare ...and I just bought a thin walled socket set and lug wrench for my alloy wheels...going to have to check into this now.

Glad the dealer took care of you .