I have a 2001 Accord LX-V6 with standard wheel covers.

Situation 1:

About 2 months ago I noticed that the surface of the right front wheel
cover was peeling and losing its silver and clear coat coating in
spots outside the lug nut area. At first I thought I might have
scraped up against something, but I didn't remember having done so and
the flaking is happening as circles, not scrapes. The flaking
continues to get worse.

Now I have noticed that the flaking is starting to happen with the
remaining three wheel covers as well, although in this case the
flaking is happening right around the lug nuts and inside the H logo
at the center of the wheel covers.

This got me to thinking that this summer I started to use one of those
soft-cloth car washes that pulls the car through on a track and maybe
that is what is causing this flaking problem with the wheel covers.
(But why wouldn't I see a ton of other cars around with this same
flaking problem?)

What do you think?

Situation 2:

Yesterday I stopped by a hubcap shop to buy a replacement for the
right front. In the process of checking things out on my car I noticed
that the front lug nuts on both sides were so hot that I could hardly
keep my finger on them. The rear lug nuts were warm. I had been doing
about 15 minutes of highway driving.

Is it normal for the front lug nuts to get so hot?

Is it possible that something is up with my brakes which is generating
extra heat which is contributing to the wheel covers flaking?

My brake service has always been done at the dealer, and in informal
testing yesterday, when I put my car in neutral on a gentle incline it
rolled freely . . .

What do you think?


George