BACKSTORY

The Roadsters came from Tesla with 4 locking keys, one on each wheel.  With age, repeated use, and overzealous tire shop techs using impact wrenches (which these were never designed for), the keys eventually break.

When they break, finding a replacement is a real challenge, and removing them without a key, is usually a carbide drilling process, using a tapout, and sometimes damaging the wheel (no longer in production).

The original intent of these anti-theft keyed lug nuts (1 per wheel), was to prevent wheel theft.  We have never heard any Roadster owner complaining about wheel theft, ever.

TYPICAL FAILURE

The worst time for these to fail is when you have a flat tire, need a repair or replacement, and the tire shop suddenly cannot get the wheel off.  A typical failure is the raised keyed portion has cracked or disintegrated from impact wrench use.

SOLUTION

We maintain a library of lugnut keys, donated by the Roadster community, and available to all for free.

Tesla Service Centers used to have lugnut key sets and may be a resource as well.

If you lost your Roadster anti-theft security key, or some tire guy busted up the key by using an impact wrench, and are in a bind trying to get your tires replaced or fixed, we can help.

We will let you borrow the correct key from our growing library of keys.  All we ask is that if you borrow one, you return the one we will send you.

Lotus did not make just one anti-theft key, but a couple of dozen, each one slightly different from the rest.  Look for the letter on the back of the key to identify the one you need and send us good pictured of the key pattern on the stuck lugnut.

Through the generosity of our Roadster customers, who have asked us to replace the anti-theft keyed lug nuts eliminating the need for a key, and donated their old key to our library, we are able to offer this free keyed lug nut service.

Here is how it works:

• If yours is broken, look on the back for a letter and let us know what it is
• If it is lost, send us a picture of the anti-theft key pattern (close up recommended)
• Buy a set of 4 lug nuts to replace the anti-theft keyed version, or a set of 20 new zinc plated to replace all your lug nuts.
• In either event, we will send you the correct anti-theft removal key from our collection allowing you to remove and replace them.
• We ask you return the anti-theft key to our collection for the next Roadster owner that needs one

We offer this as a free service to our Roadster community.

 

The standard issue torx driver that came with the Roadster is soft steel.  With use, we have seen many of them twisted with age.
We offer a lifetime warranty hardened steel Torx Driver Bit for the Roadster lugnuts which will outlast the car.