Don't Laugh!

[Balthane]

Hello all

Firstly I will admit that my mechanical knowledge is so poor as to be seriously embarassing.

Right! Now that's out of the way, I was washing the car yesterday (IS 200 Auto) when I noticed that the one of the chrome heaaded wheel bolts was missing from the front wheel on the driver's side. What seem to be there now is some sort of ferrous metal head"bolt" with a series of holes in it that I can rotate with my fingers. what is this please?

[is200 Newbie]

Its the security nut - by the sounds of it a non standard one - do you have a security nut key in the boot that fits over these in order to remove the wheels?

You should have one on each wheel?

[Verbout]

Hello all

Firstly I will admit that my mechanical knowledge is so poor as to be seriously embarassing.

Right! Now that's out of the way, I was washing the car yesterday (IS 200 Auto) when I noticed that the one of the chrome heaaded wheel bolts was missing from the front wheel on the driver's side. What seem to be there now is some sort of ferrous metal head"bolt" with a series of holes in it that I can rotate with my fingers. what is this please?

Sorry.

I refer to the above poster.

[Balthane]

Hedllo again. Glad I have given someone a chuckle.

I will have to check the boot and see. I have never removed a wheel on this car so have no experience of these bolts. This is because I have heart disease now so am physically incapable of doing anything so strenuous. I am just concerned as I don't know what has happened and want to restore my car's appearance as soon as possible (and as cheaply..) Not being able to do things for myself can be a right pain.

Any more advice or information will be welcomed.

[ColinBarber]

That type of locking wheel nut has a 'fake' hex shaped cover that goes over the nut to make it look like a standard wheel nut.

I'd check you locking wheel nut case, which should contain the keyed socket and also the cover removal tool - the cover may still be in the tool.

You should have this:

The object on the bottom right is the cover remover. You place it over the cover and pull away, then you press the centre rod to push out the cover from the tool.

[ColinBarber]

here is a link to a full set of locking nuts with the covers. No idea where you get a cover on its own - eBay maybe, scrap yard, a local Lexus or Toyota dealer may have some knocking about they will give you FoC.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-21mm-HEX-GENUINE-ALLOY-WHEEL-LOCKING-NUTS-M12-X-1-5-FLAT-SEAT-WASHER-CAPS-/140910898866

[Balthane]

I have located and checked the box which is empty exxcept for the object on the bottom left of the kind photo.

I have checked the eBay link and it is for a set of covers etc for a Toyaota Auris. I put the details of nmy Lexus into the search section of the listing and it came back as not right for my car.