NickZee

Hi Guys,

was driving along in race suspension mode this week and at some point the bumping around seems to have knocked out the centrecap of the left front wheel, including the surrounding plastic nut cover. No problem I thought, maybe a $50 inconvenient sting in the pocket. Well, the actual cost was $170 each. I read some people have been quoted $250 in the US for the same thing. The dealership in this case was good enough to replace the cap after making sure the wheel was not damaged. But they said it was out of their own goodwill because they didn’t think it qualified as a warranty claim.

Anyone else have this issue? They snap out of the wheel as easy as LEGO. My car has only done 3,000km, I would hate to be replacing these centrecaps every 3,000 kms.

Given the value of the caps, and how easy and quick they are to remove, they must be very attractive to thieves. They only need half a minute to collect all four, worth $680

ItalianJoe1

The screw-in center cover? They don't just snap out. It wasn't properly tightened if it just fell off.

GordonGEICO

It probably helps to mention what wheels you have as the lug covers are different per wheel type (stock vs forged).

On the stock 19" wheels (front and rear), there is really nothing to secure the lug covers. I lost both on the passenger side in the first week I owned the car. The good news is you can just take the lug covers off and replace them with the small center caps which actually snap (not screw) securely into place. To remove them you would either have to take the wheel off or use a very thin trim removal tool. The small center caps are ~$20-$30/ea from the dealer but you can find a set of four genuine OEM on eBay for like $15.

msd3075

The center cap/black plastic thing on the stock 5-spoke wheels doesn't snap into place. The silver center cap turns clockwise to lock the entire piece into place. It locks well enough that it shouldn't come off on its own unless it is somehow bumped or messed with (ie. when you are washing you car).

ItalianJoe1

There's a locking tool for it, if they are tightened at all, they won't just come off if bumped. Should be in the spare tire kit area.

GordonGEICO

The OP needs to link what wheels he has. The stock 19" wheels do not have any sort of locking tool for the lug covers and the covers also aren't securely fastened to the wheel and don't screw in either.

Stock 19" wheels:

https://assets.mbusa.com/vcm/MB/Digi...026-MCFO-R.jpg

The lug cover is held in place by little tabs that hook around the inside of the wheel but the pressure required to remove them miniscule. There's no tool. In my case I just installed center caps WITHOUT lug covers because those actually snap firmly in place.

Optional wheels (black/silver):

https://assets.mbusa.com/vcm/MB/Digi...027-MCFO-R.jpg

I think this is the one that has the locking tool.

GordonGEICO

I really don't know if we're talking about the same thing - if you mean just the center cap itself, then yes, I agree, it shouldn't come off the lug cover. The problem is the lug cover itself (which holds the center cap) can come off the wheel very easily. The OP stated he lost the center cap and lug cover, but it's unclear what wheel he has.

msd3075

The part I'm talking about is a black plastic piece that looks like a ninja star that has a silver center hub.

You can turn the silver center hub maybe 1/16 of a turn clockwise to lock it into place. You'll feel a click when it does. It locks the entire piece (black and silver) in place seeing as it really is one part.

NickZee

GordonGEICO

If you get them from the dealer they are going to be expensive, unfortunately. I was able to track these down:

https://www.spotspecial.top/genuine-...0-p-16577.html

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-M...AAAOSwq~tZSjSB

However, I must say, I cannot vouch for the legitimacy of either... if you buy from one of those or any other third-party source, do so with extreme caution to avoid scams or non-genuine parts.

My advice is to buy just the center caps, not the lug covers. If you replace with the same, you'll probably just lose them again. They are $20/ea from a dealer but I got a set from eBay for like $15 for all four and they work fine. The center caps only fit in place much more securely.



Here's a picture of my (very dirty) wheel with just the center cap instead of the lug cover, for reference. I don't think it looks as good as it did with the lug covers but I don't hate it either.