Duh Stories

So this thread has been dead for a while but I have another duh story:

Last weekend I noticed my trailer running lights were not working. I had blinkers and brake lights but no running lights. Tested it out on another vehicle and no problem so it has to be an issue with my truck and not the trailer. I relocated my trailer wire receptacle to the rear bumper instead of under it last fall and everything worked after I first moved it but figured I must have knocked something loose that just worked its way looser over the winter. I get out my multimeter and start tracing back. While I'm testing, I notice my license plate lights are also out. So logically, since they only come on with the running lights, I figure it must be related. I drop the spare tire for more access and start snipping wire ties and peeling electrical tape off of wire loom to find the point where the wire splits to the trailer receptacle and the license plate lights. 45 minutes into this it occurs to me to check the fuses. The towing fuse is under the hood (#3 which is 30 amp). I have spare fuses but none as tiny as this one. I find another 30 amp fuse in the brake controller spot and swap them since I don't have a brake controller. Ta-da, trailer running lights now work again but license plate lights are still out. Turns out the bulbs were just burnt out.

What are the chances that both license plate bulbs would be burned out at the same time my trailer running lights blow a fuse. Seemed like they were related but they weren't. So I taped up the wire loom and zip tied everything back in place and returned the spare tire to it's spot up under the bed. Next time I will be sure to check fuses and bulbs first. Would have been so simple and quick but instead took me an hour and half contorting myself up under the rear bumper scrapping knuckles. Even if it wasn't a fuse or a bulb, it would have been worth it to check that first anyway.

 

I had an odd rattle in the ex's sienna, only on hard bumps and it was more like a ringing noise than a rattle.
only noticed with passenger window open
after 2 years I replaced the brakes again and found a socket in the caliper that I left in it from the last time compressing the caliper

friend had a clunky noise only on very hard bumps with his new car, after many dealer visits he finally gave up. Then the auto antennae motor died years later and we had to pull the fender off to access it and that's when we found a wrench buried in the fender well that must have been left behind at the factory

 

had shifter in neutral and wondered why it wouldn't start