Those face palm moments
Discussion
God I feel such a prat - since I’ve had it the air conditioning on my E34 5 series hasn’t worked. An embarrassing amount of time.
I once prodded one of the valves with a screwdriver to see if there was any refrigerant in it - nothing. Fearing some hardware issues I left it and resigned myself that it would never work - always another thing to fix.
On a whim, I took it for a regas. Omg it actually worked!
I now have fully functioning, ice cold A/C. God I’m such a t
t sometimes. How long it continues to work who knows…
I once prodded one of the valves with a screwdriver to see if there was any refrigerant in it - nothing. Fearing some hardware issues I left it and resigned myself that it would never work - always another thing to fix.
On a whim, I took it for a regas. Omg it actually worked!
I now have fully functioning, ice cold A/C. God I’m such a tt sometimes. How long it continues to work who knows… A short while after I bought a Citroen C5 it started cutting out randomly. Always restarted ok. I took it to a local specialist and they had it all day and couldn’t recreate the issue.
I took it home thinking what on earth am I going to do about it now?
A few days later I happened to notice when driving that my key chain would brush my leg sometimes. It couldn’t be could it?
Yes it could. The ignition could simply be turned off when driving by a light touch. A modification of my key collection was all that was needed for the problem to disappear.
I took it home thinking what on earth am I going to do about it now?
A few days later I happened to notice when driving that my key chain would brush my leg sometimes. It couldn’t be could it?
Yes it could. The ignition could simply be turned off when driving by a light touch. A modification of my key collection was all that was needed for the problem to disappear.
Hadn’t driven my Caterham for many, many months. Went to start it up, turned the key. Nothing. Kept turning the key. Still nothing. Got my portable battery charger out and gave the battery a full charge. Turned the key. Still nothing. Started getting really annoyed at this point. Okay I thought, time to have a look online at issues around Caterham ignition problems. First post I read said something about turning on the ignition and pressing the starter button. The big red button. The big red button that starts the engine. The one right in front of me. First press and the engine fired into action, as it had done hundreds of times before.
Triumph Man said:
God I feel such a prat - since I’ve had it the air conditioning on my E34 5 series hasn’t worked. An embarrassing amount of time.
I once prodded one of the valves with a screwdriver to see if there was any refrigerant in it - nothing. Fearing some hardware issues I left it and resigned myself that it would never work - always another thing to fix.
On a whim, I took it for a regas. Omg it actually worked! I now have fully functioning, ice cold A/C. God I’m such a tt sometimes. How long it continues to work who knows…
Another AC facepalm when you realise just how simple/cheap it is to regas yourself and not pay a main dealer £300!I once prodded one of the valves with a screwdriver to see if there was any refrigerant in it - nothing. Fearing some hardware issues I left it and resigned myself that it would never work - always another thing to fix.
On a whim, I took it for a regas. Omg it actually worked!
I now have fully functioning, ice cold A/C. God I’m such a tt sometimes. How long it continues to work who knows… I'd never considered DIY regas until my daughter had an issue with hers and Toyota quoted £300. Ok so I wouldn't be able to fix a leak in the system but if it's just a regas, it's a cinch.
I’m fortunate to have 2 Porsches, a Macan and a Boxster. I had washed both cars on the drive and thought I’d have a quick blast in the Boxster before putting it back in the garage and on trickle charge for a while. As fuel was low I stopped at a garage and filled it up but it wouldn’t restart. I tried it several times.
I looked in the manual for possible solutions but nothing. I phoned the wife and said I had a problem and going through the problems perhaps the battery in the key had died, so she sent my son out with the spare key. I explained to the garage I couldn’t move the car because it wouldn’t restart.
Rather than sit in the car I paced around the garage forecourt and then went back to try again before my son arrived. I then realised I had 2 sets of Porsche keys on me. Both are the same shape with the same colour Porsche fob, but only one has my garage key on it, and the one I had put back in my pocket didn’t have this. The one I pulled out did, and this time it worked, the car started.
I looked in the manual for possible solutions but nothing. I phoned the wife and said I had a problem and going through the problems perhaps the battery in the key had died, so she sent my son out with the spare key. I explained to the garage I couldn’t move the car because it wouldn’t restart.
Rather than sit in the car I paced around the garage forecourt and then went back to try again before my son arrived. I then realised I had 2 sets of Porsche keys on me. Both are the same shape with the same colour Porsche fob, but only one has my garage key on it, and the one I had put back in my pocket didn’t have this. The one I pulled out did, and this time it worked, the car started.
Chubbyross said:
Hadn’t driven my Caterham for many, many months. Went to start it up, turned the key. Nothing. Kept turning the key. Still nothing. Got my portable battery charger out and gave the battery a full charge. Turned the key. Still nothing. Started getting really annoyed at this point. Okay I thought, time to have a look online at issues around Caterham ignition problems. First post I read said something about turning on the ignition and pressing the starter button. The big red button. The big red button that starts the engine. The one right in front of me. First press and the engine fired into action, as it had done hundreds of times before.
You wally 
To be fair, we have had automatic cars for a few years now - wife is disabled and autos are easier for her to drive - and the other day i was just pulling up at work and had a full on panic mode when i went to press the clutch in and nothing.
Oh yeah, in an automatic....duh...
Chubbyross said:
Hadn’t driven my Caterham for many, many months. Went to start it up, turned the key. Nothing. Kept turning the key. Still nothing. Got my portable battery charger out and gave the battery a full charge. Turned the key. Still nothing. Started getting really annoyed at this point. Okay I thought, time to have a look online at issues around Caterham ignition problems. First post I read said something about turning on the ignition and pressing the starter button. The big red button. The big red button that starts the engine. The one right in front of me. First press and the engine fired into action, as it had done hundreds of times before.
I think it's going to be difficult for anyone to top that - but I'll try.I've never been able to get full choke with my Riley and cold starting has been a real PITA for years. A few weeks ago, in exasperation whilst trying to start the car in its garage, I gave the choke knob a really hard tug. It came out further than 'normal' and I found I could twist it to lock it.
The car starts perfectly from cold now...
Zero Fuchs said:
Another AC facepalm when you realise just how simple/cheap it is to regas yourself and not pay a main dealer £300!
I'd never considered DIY regas until my daughter had an issue with hers and Toyota quoted £300. Ok so I wouldn't be able to fix a leak in the system but if it's just a regas, it's a cinch.
I paid £40 or so for a regas at a local garage last month. Far quicker and easier than faffing at homeI'd never considered DIY regas until my daughter had an issue with hers and Toyota quoted £300. Ok so I wouldn't be able to fix a leak in the system but if it's just a regas, it's a cinch.
Went to the supermarket the other day and having parked and locked the car the car decided to go back and reposition it a bit better between the lines.
When we got back with the shopping I noticed the headlights were on. I had forgotten to switch the engine off again, just locking the door after I "reparked", and had left it idling for about 30 minutes under the shade of a tree, hence the lights coming on.
The worst bit is that is the second time I have done the exact same thing with the same car.
I didn't mention it to my other half who seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact the engine was running and lights were on when we returned with the shopping.
When we got back with the shopping I noticed the headlights were on. I had forgotten to switch the engine off again, just locking the door after I "reparked", and had left it idling for about 30 minutes under the shade of a tree, hence the lights coming on.
The worst bit is that is the second time I have done the exact same thing with the same car.
I didn't mention it to my other half who seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact the engine was running and lights were on when we returned with the shopping.
JonnyWhitters said:
Zero Fuchs said:
Another AC facepalm when you realise just how simple/cheap it is to regas yourself and not pay a main dealer £300!
I'd never considered DIY regas until my daughter had an issue with hers and Toyota quoted £300. Ok so I wouldn't be able to fix a leak in the system but if it's just a regas, it's a cinch.
I paid £40 or so for a regas at a local garage last month. Far quicker and easier than faffing at homeI'd never considered DIY regas until my daughter had an issue with hers and Toyota quoted £300. Ok so I wouldn't be able to fix a leak in the system but if it's just a regas, it's a cinch.
Really isn't any more difficult than that.
Zero Fuchs said:
Do you take your car to the garage and get them to inflate your tyres too
Really isn't any more difficult than that.
It’s a bodge doing a home diy aircon refill, how can you be sure you are putting the correct amount of refrigerant in? Or that the pressures are correct, yes a home top up may work but it’s still a bodge (which I have done myself on occasion)Really isn't any more difficult than that.
Randomly, the heating, wipers and - I think - hazards and radio wouldn't work on my Elise. Seemed to happen at the most inconvenient times like when it was cold and wet. It almost always sprang into life next time I started it which made it hard to solve. I traced wires, checked connections, pulled fuses, the works. Nothing, but still had this random intermittent fault.
One day I was sitting in traffic and started fiddling with the key. Suddenly the heater stopped. Fiddled with the key some more and it started again. Turned out the aforementioned bits only worked when the ignition barrel was in the on position and a weak spring in the barrel meant it didn't always make it all the way back. A new ignition barrel (and door locks) soon solved that one.
One day I was sitting in traffic and started fiddling with the key. Suddenly the heater stopped. Fiddled with the key some more and it started again. Turned out the aforementioned bits only worked when the ignition barrel was in the on position and a weak spring in the barrel meant it didn't always make it all the way back. A new ignition barrel (and door locks) soon solved that one.
Zero Fuchs said:
JonnyWhitters said:
Zero Fuchs said:
Another AC facepalm when you realise just how simple/cheap it is to regas yourself and not pay a main dealer £300!
I'd never considered DIY regas until my daughter had an issue with hers and Toyota quoted £300. Ok so I wouldn't be able to fix a leak in the system but if it's just a regas, it's a cinch.
I paid £40 or so for a regas at a local garage last month. Far quicker and easier than faffing at homeI'd never considered DIY regas until my daughter had an issue with hers and Toyota quoted £300. Ok so I wouldn't be able to fix a leak in the system but if it's just a regas, it's a cinch.
Really isn't any more difficult than that.
LastPoster said:
Zero Fuchs said:
JonnyWhitters said:
Zero Fuchs said:
Another AC facepalm when you realise just how simple/cheap it is to regas yourself and not pay a main dealer £300!
I'd never considered DIY regas until my daughter had an issue with hers and Toyota quoted £300. Ok so I wouldn't be able to fix a leak in the system but if it's just a regas, it's a cinch.
I paid £40 or so for a regas at a local garage last month. Far quicker and easier than faffing at homeI'd never considered DIY regas until my daughter had an issue with hers and Toyota quoted £300. Ok so I wouldn't be able to fix a leak in the system but if it's just a regas, it's a cinch.
Really isn't any more difficult than that.
For the age of car I'm not particularly bothered as it blows icy cold air.
Obvs if they said it was leaking I'd take it to my local independent but knowing it just needed a regas was enough for me.
Second Best said:
I used to have a mk1 MX-5. The indicators were on the right stalk. I used to drive that car a lot, much more than my S60.
The amount of times I'd wash the windscreen instead of indicating resulted in a facepalm nearly every time.
https://youtu.be/OajP0TYewio?si=8kUFyAv-t7Hk25_AThe amount of times I'd wash the windscreen instead of indicating resulted in a facepalm nearly every time.
LastPoster said:
Zero Fuchs said:
JonnyWhitters said:
Zero Fuchs said:
Another AC facepalm when you realise just how simple/cheap it is to regas yourself and not pay a main dealer £300!
I'd never considered DIY regas until my daughter had an issue with hers and Toyota quoted £300. Ok so I wouldn't be able to fix a leak in the system but if it's just a regas, it's a cinch.
I paid £40 or so for a regas at a local garage last month. Far quicker and easier than faffing at homeI'd never considered DIY regas until my daughter had an issue with hers and Toyota quoted £300. Ok so I wouldn't be able to fix a leak in the system but if it's just a regas, it's a cinch.
Really isn't any more difficult than that.
21TonyK said:
LastPoster said:
Zero Fuchs said:
JonnyWhitters said:
Zero Fuchs said:
Another AC facepalm when you realise just how simple/cheap it is to regas yourself and not pay a main dealer £300!
I'd never considered DIY regas until my daughter had an issue with hers and Toyota quoted £300. Ok so I wouldn't be able to fix a leak in the system but if it's just a regas, it's a cinch.
I paid £40 or so for a regas at a local garage last month. Far quicker and easier than faffing at homeI'd never considered DIY regas until my daughter had an issue with hers and Toyota quoted £300. Ok so I wouldn't be able to fix a leak in the system but if it's just a regas, it's a cinch.
Really isn't any more difficult than that.
Someone I know has killed every A/C system he's ever had because he refuses to turn it on unless the weather is absolutely baking, which is probably only once or twice a year. The system is left idle the rest of the time, so the seals dry out and all the gas escapes, leaving him with no cool air when he does want to use it.
He won't listen to sense because the tiny drop in fuel economy when the A/C is on is such a hardship for him but he will happily drive at motorway speeds with the windows down, using even more fuel.
When we had the Conti GT I drove to the pub with my wife as passenger, once there she drove home as she was picking me up later.
After a while she phoned me to say that she couldn't get in the house, nor restart the car as I still had the key in my pocket.
Fortunately the landlady gave me a lift home and back to the pub.
Lesson learned. Fortunately, only a 10 minute drive.
After a while she phoned me to say that she couldn't get in the house, nor restart the car as I still had the key in my pocket.
Fortunately the landlady gave me a lift home and back to the pub.
Lesson learned. Fortunately, only a 10 minute drive.
Second Best said:
I used to have a mk1 MX-5. The indicators were on the right stalk. I used to drive that car a lot, much more than my S60.
The amount of times I'd wash the windscreen instead of indicating resulted in a facepalm nearly every time.
The best one is where you go to flash your headlights at another car but end up squirting on your own windscreen instead The amount of times I'd wash the windscreen instead of indicating resulted in a facepalm nearly every time.
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