I seem to always do it the hard-way, FIRST

[littletoes]

Why?

Why do I always seem to make simple jobs harder???

Ever done that?

Wife's car had the parking break-light stuck on...so first thing I do is pull the switch that controls the parking break, and ohm it, it seems fine. I re-install it and check it for operation. Fine...

Then I get a BRAINSTORM....check the brake-fluid idiot.
It was low, added a little, and everything is FINE...

Sure I have to work on the ABS system, but it doesn't effect the light....

Anyone?

 

[bobbycos]

join the club

 

[WILD-BILL]

That light came on for a reason. The brake fluid went somewhere.

Most likely down in the caliper meaning your likely due for pad replacement.

Either that or the system developed a leak somewhere.

 

[Lx460]

^^^^THIS

It didn't evaporate...time to start looking where it went.

 

[littletoes]

I know this guys....did the breaks, bled them-best I could. I don't have the proper tools to do the ABS, but talked to friend (Large Ford dealership, head mech-a-nic). We'll be tackling it after the holidays.

He's on vacation, I'm on vacation.

 

[mark11]

I do my best to overthink and complicate everything I do.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I know this guys....did the breaks, bled them-best I could. I don't have the proper tools to do the ABS, ...

Not all ABS system require special tools/scanner in order for them to be 2-man bled. My E150 did require engine vacuum. (Pedal always felt "weird" without the engine running.)

 

[58Yeoman]

At least you didn't do a lot of extra work, only to find that the parking brake wasn't released ALL the way.

 

[MadMike842]

If you're sure that there's still some air in the abs I've had some luck with going out to a dirt pit or some place where you can actually get the abs to actuate a few times then bleed again.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Wood'nMetal]

I spent days trying to diagnose a CEL on my car. Complete with ripping apart the entire dash, swapping ECM, cleaning all grounds, etc.

The problem? ALDL cover was off. ALDL cover has a shunt in it that causes a CEL when the cover is removed!

Arrrrrgh.

 

[PT Doc]

I think we all have made jobs more difficult. We rolled with our first plan not necessarily the most straightforward. Once you tackle enough projects, it's easier to see the correct way. Sometimes it's good to come up with a plan then make a list of why that is not the right way to proceed. Or come up with a plan that is totally opposite of what you came up with initially. Somewhere between the 2 is the better way.

 

[coljar]

Well, I'll tell ya, we all have brain farts now and then. I'm very good at my job, I have to be, because peoples lives might depend on my decisions. Working on cars became a hobby after I left the automotive trade 27 years ago and I haven't kept up with the tech. end of it. I'm not going to find the problems as easy as I once did when I work with them everyday, so be a little easier on yourself when it comes to tasks that aren't your real job.

 

[joe_padavano]

Why do I always seem to make simple jobs harder???

I see this a lot on various automotive forums. People always want to throw new parts at a problem before doing any (no-cost) diagnosis. Sorry, but I don't get it. I'm cheap, so I'll figure out what's broken BEFORE spending money.

 

[SweetD]

More than once I have failed to immediately check the gas cap on my wife's car when the check engine light is on.

More than once it's been the problem.



Dave

 

[Super Mech]

When all else fails read the directions.

 

[jkwilson]

Pulled the dash on a car to fix what I though was a jammed blend door. After seeing that the blend door moved freely with the cable disconnected, I tried the control again. Still stuck. Someone had wedged a piece of plastic in the slot the control moved in.

I tried to fix the hardest thing to get to instead of checking the easy things first.

Now I try to spend more time looking and thinking and less time fixing things that aren't broken. Doesn't always work.

 

[Mike Miller]

I had a career in the military, we became good at complicating simple things.

 

[Hybridss]

LOL...I hear you. I once did a BEAUTIFUL job of troubleshooting an APU (aux power plant) ona Marine Corp Helicopter. It just would not start. I went methodically, step by step through all the APU systems and found them working perfectly but still not starting. Then found no fuel coming from the start solenoid. Chasing further back...No fuel from the APU engine driven pump. No fuel from the airframe boost pump. And finally...no FUEL IN THE TANKS!!!!! Ordered fuel and topped off the bird...the APU fired right up.

I will never forget that lesson...lol.

 

[cactiki]

This is one of the (few) advantages of getting older. After you make the same mistake 3 or 4 (or 19) times, you just might remember to stop and think next time before you act.
Or you might not.

 

[Throbbin Rods]

I spent some time working on Semi trucks and trailers. One thing I tried several times to drum into the younger guys, when you see a light out, don't spend 7 hours tracing wires and checking for voltage etc. Check the bulb first!! I learned this the hard way at 14 when I was working nights at a local garage. I checked out a customer's car with a brake light out. After an hour of playing around I decided to check the bulb since there was juice to it and the brake light switch was OK. Never again.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

Did an engine swap and had to drive the vehicle to school the next Monday. Was up until late at night getting the install done, fuel run, transmission and clutch linkage all done, radiator filled, battery connected, etc. Hit the key and- nothing. Well damn!

Check the battery cables, good. Hook a charger up, no change. Jumped with another vehicle, no dice. Checked the ignition switch, hot wired the switch, still nothing! Time to check the connections and make sure power was actually getting to the starter...

... which was still on the bench waiting to be installed.

D'OH!

 

[Thumper68]

I think it is human nature to think so far ahead when troubleshooting that we skip over the simple things instead of starting with them.

Part of my last job in corporate America was teaching new techs the in's and out's of trouble shooting. Some would grasp the concept easily and others always seemed to want to tear everything apart before checking the simple stuff.

KISS is something that I live by, Keep it simple stupid. I works so well in most cases.
Even with that I find myself overthinking a problem from time to time and instead of going for the easy test I start from the middle and work my way to the ends, when in all respects if you start at the end and work your way to the beginning you will find the issue much faster.

 

[Indyducati]

I agree. For me it's been a benefit of maturing. I spend more time thinking, than doing.
Sometimes I get lucky and the doing part is correct !

Kinda reminds me of the joke about the young and old bulls standing on top of a hill...

Steve

 

[jwith68]

It's an easy trap to fall into sometimes. I spent an hour yesterday troubleshooting non-functional trailer tail lamps when hooked to my F250. Truck tail lamps were fine. I (incorrectly) assumed that there was something going on with the harness that comes down to the 7-pin and 4-pin connectors, after 15+ years. Nope, trailer tail and backup lamps are fused separately, in the power distribution box under the hood. Replace one 20A mini-fuse, all is good.

Oh well, at least the spare tire got dropped down and aired up for the first time in the 11.5 years I've owned the truck.

 

[DJAMiller]

I remember my old car was misfiring on cylinder 3 so I changed the plugs, didn't fix it, changed the coil pack, didn't fix it, finally I looked at the wires and one of them had the coating melted away from the header and was shorting out. Felt like a bit of an idiot...

 

[Dberglind]

I spent some time working on Semi trucks and trailers. One thing I tried several times to drum into the younger guys, when you see a light out, don't spend 7 hours tracing wires and checking for voltage etc. Check the bulb first!! I learned this the hard way at 14 when I was working nights at a local garage. I checked out a customer's car with a brake light out. After an hour of playing around I decided to check the bulb since there was juice to it and the brake light switch was OK. Never again.

A couple of months ago, a guy pulled up beside me at a stop sign, and told me my brake lights weren't working. I knew they had been working the day before, because my wife drove my truck, and I saw her leaving.

So I get to work, and check them out. My third brake light on the cab was working, but not the two on the bed of my truck. Turn signals worked, everything else worked.

I check all the connections at the wiring block under the tail end, nothing.

I do some research, and read that the third brake light is often wired direct, but the others go through a switch for the hazards in the steering column.

Luckily, before I tore the steering column apart, I checked the bulbs.

They both burnt out the same day!