Well now I feel dumb

How about revealing something dumb you've done regarding your Tacoma. I'll start. When in my first couple months of ownership in my 2000 TRD I purchased a spotlight. It plugged into the cigarette lighter and I grew tired of finding the plug to use it so I smartly kept it plugged in. The spotlight had a on/off switch on the back and I kept it under the driver's seat for quick access. After a while and kept smelling this strange burnt smell and couldn't locate the source of said smell. It got so strong and acrid I finally decided when I arrived at work one morning I was going to figure this weirdness out! After I pulled everything out behind the seats I slid the driver's seat all the way forward and low and behold,there it was. The spotlight switch had been turned to "on" and had burned a really neat circle in the carpet directly under my ass! Decided I should probably unplug that sucker and lived with that smell foe many months. Bonus of being reminded of my stupidity every time I vacuumed it out and saw my scar of intelligence. Oh and when people got in and said what is that burned smell? Fun to explain my steep learning curve to others

 

Forgot to unplug the battery when wiring lights. Blew a fuse tapping into the trailer harness. Redid my work twice before checking my ego and looking in the fuse box for the culprit.

 

Some secrets we should take to the grave but . . . . hopefully this will make you feel better, yours is not so "dumb." In fact, I may win the dumbest of dumb awards. :-\

Shortly after I bought my Taco I got off work, O.T., totally stressed, tired, jumped in the truck, threw my backpack on the passenger floor, started up, let out clutch . . . nothing. WTF it was fine this morning. After puzzling, got a tow truck, took it home. I was alone, no one to help. no tranny jack, dropped the tranny. Started fiddling with the shifters, had drive in all five gears, I could find nothing wrong. I could see the clutch was toast but it should still drive the tranny. Having no one to assist, I walked 4 city blocks to Autozone and carried back a clutch kit, changed out the clutch, slave cylinder too. Replaced rear main seal, flywheel was fine, used ratchet straps to stabilize the tranny while jacking it up, put it back in. All said and done, drove away and still made it back to work Monday.

The closest I can figure when I jumped in the truck Friday I bumped the 4x4 shifter to neutral, it's the only thing it could be and I was just too brain-blasted zoned out from work to see it. As mentioned I'd only had it a few days and for whatever reason, it just didn't register. Been kicking myself in the ass ever since.

The only redeeming factor what the clutch was barely 1/8" thick, almost down to the rivets, and needed replacing anyway.

 

Well at least I'm not alone in the feeling of D'oh! Thanks for sharing

 

I'll play. TWICE now, I've backed my boat into the water, ripped the parking brake up, got the boat docked a little further away, come back to the truck to pull it off the ramp and park, only to realize I never took it out of reverse/put it in park when I got out.. Thank God my e-brake works good

 

TeeHee


madhat.

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

thanks Lg!
I will try to get more involved
Seems like a great community here.

madhat.

 

Live in Oregon long?

 

28 years!


madhat.

 

If the dog starts whining to pull over, they don't mean "10 miles from now when it's convenient." They mean now.

Also, if dogs are going to ride in the cab, seat covers and a hammock. Both.