If your vehicle is showing missing or broken lug nuts or wheel studs, here are the most likely causes and the parts you'll need to fix each one.
Using an impact wrench without a torque stick or proper torque wrench can stretch the wheel studs beyond their yield point. This severely weakens the metal, causing the stud to snap while driving or during the next removal.
Failing to properly torque the lug nuts or skipping the recommended 50-mile re-torque allows the wheel to wobble slightly. This constant vibration fatigues the studs until they shear off completely or the nuts back out and fall off.
Starting a lug nut with a power tool instead of by hand can cross-thread and destroy the threads. The nut becomes permanently jammed, often requiring the stud to be snapped off intentionally to remove the wheel.
In environments with heavy road salt or moisture, rust can effectively weld the lug nut to the stud. When mechanical force is applied to remove the seized nut, the stud breaks instead of the nut turning.
Using the wrong style of lug nut (e.g., using an acorn/conical seat on a wheel designed for a flat/mag seat) prevents proper clamping force. This leads to the wheel shifting under load, which shears the studs.