# Still learning about myself - a funny story



## cfellows (Dec 21, 2011)

I have a 2002 Toyota Tacoma that I bought almost new in early 2003. It's been pretty much my sole means of transportation for the past 8 years. Last June, when I took the truck in for the annual safety / emissions inspection, the state of Texas informed me that my window tinting was too dark and would have to be removed or replaced. Funny how it wasn't too dark the other times I had it inspected, although in fairness, I moved to Texas in 2009 and they had only inspected (and passed) it on two previous occasions!

But, I digress. I took the truck to a local window tinting place, had the tinting replaced with a lighter shade, and passed the inspection. A couple of days later, I discovered that the passenger power window wouldn't go down... neither the driver or passenger side button would make it work. Crap, I thought, the window tinting place must have knocked a wire loose in the door. Rather than take it back, I drove the truck like that for close to six months. Finally, the wife prevailled upon me to get it fixed (she's a bit of a control freak and couldn't stand not having the window work on the 2 or 3 times a year she rides in it!).

So I pulled out the repair manual and methodically took the passenger door apart. I finally got to the innards and found a connector where the motor plugged into the harness. Took the plug apart and checked the voltages while pushing the buttons, nothing. I had checked the fuses earlier and found no problems. So, I went back to the manual to see if I had missed a fuse somewhere. Hmmm, wonder what this window safety lock button is... Shoot, the picture shows a button on the driver side door that locks the passenger side window. I went to check, and sure enough, right beside the driver side window button is ths little square button that I had never noticed and never questioned. Oh, and the button was depressed! I punched it once, it popped up, and magically, the passenger side window now works again. How in heck could I drive that truck for 8 years and never notice that button. 

Makes me wonder how many other things in life I have blithely ignored because I didn't think I had a need to know...

Chuck


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## steamer (Dec 21, 2011)

Chuck,

Tomorrow, I'm going out to my 2009 "Taco" and check for that button!

Glad you got it cleared up.

Dave


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## dsquire (Dec 21, 2011)

Chuck

I read half way through that and I was sure that you had it locked out. You are not the first person to do that so don't feel too bad. I've had it mess me up on occasion as well. Thanks for being honest and telling us about it. :bow: :bow:

Cheers 

Don


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## Lamachina58 (Dec 21, 2011)

And bizzare as it seems my wife and I just today went round and round about our tacomas too dark window tint....on the one day a year she drove it. Sake had something to do with that to tell the truth.


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## ttrikalin (Dec 21, 2011)

tsk, tsk, you guys never read the car manual? 
:hDe: 

take care,
tom in MA


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## rustyknife (Dec 21, 2011)

Haha, I had to explain that to a customer once.... ;D


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## Maryak (Dec 22, 2011)

When all else fails......................READ THE INSTRUCTIONS.

Now why does that saying seem so familiar :

Best Regards
Bob


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## mcr (Dec 22, 2011)

Had seat for my son when he was new to this old world (now 21 ).
After about 9 months he had out grown it so we purchased the next size up, when removing the seat from the back of the car I pressed a trigger that allowed the seat to slide into a horizontal incline poor mite had spent 9 months sleeping in the broken neck position.


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## Ken I (Dec 22, 2011)

I once owned a Ford Zephyr MkIV which had a curious interlock that disabled the starter motor if the park light switch was on (what the ...)

You can guess the rest.

Ken


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 22, 2011)

I think we have all felt that pain . a time or two . we fixit times sometimes troubleshoot from the wrong end . We need to remind ourselves check the simple stuff first. 
Tin


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## Stan (Dec 22, 2011)

As age makes you stupider and electronics become more complicated confusion reigns. The instruction to push three times and hold the button down for five seconds is quickly overlooked in the instruction book.

Everything electronic used to come with multiple buttons and switches, now it comes with one button that can access multiple menus. I just get my grandsons to explain things or make them work.


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## Troutsqueezer (Dec 22, 2011)

Chuck, I have a 2000 Tacoma PreRunner. I noticed the button right off since my other Toyotas also have one but you mention getting it smogged. I took mine in the other day for the bi-annual smog test. It has almost 150k miles on it now but still looks like new. The smog technician said it had the lowest emission reading he had ever taken for that type of engine. I plan on hitting 300k before I replace it.


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## cfellows (Dec 22, 2011)

Texas is a funny (like weird) state. The annual inspection not only checks for emissions, but it won't pass if tinting is too dark, tires are too worn, horn doesn't work, any of the exterior lights don't work, if the Check-Engine_Light is on, to name a few. And, of course, you have to provide proof of liability insurance. Colorado dropped their safety inspections years ago after a number of studies showed that safety inspections did not improve public safety any measurable amount.

My truck only has 67,000 miles on it, so I expect it will be the last vehicle I own. Will probably have to replace my wife's 2000 Altima one of these days.

The mind is a funny thing. What Tin said is mostly true. I tend to start trouble shooting from the wrong end, assuming the problem had something to do with getting the windows tinted. Could be that they pressed that button inadvertently but it never occurred to me to check.

Chuck


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## AussieJimG (Dec 22, 2011)

Ah - you guys are a hoot! :big:

I once purchased a can of paint on the lid of which it said "now that you have ruined the job, read this". And guess when I read it.

Nothing changes

Merry Xmas and thanks for the ride

Jim


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## rake60 (Dec 22, 2011)

I had a perplexing problem with a Jeep Liberty.

It would over-rev every time I started it up.
In fact, every time I stepped on the brake the engine would rev up.

Turned out the floor mat was snagged on the back of both pedals.
I filed the sharp edges off of the pedals to keep that from happening again
and the engines didn't rev up anymore.

The fuel economy improved as well... :

Rick


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 22, 2011)

> Everything electronic used to come with multiple buttons and switches, now it comes with one button that can access multiple menus. I just get my grandsons to explain things or make them work.



I can relate My son and I work on scales mostly electronic. a few have more or less conversational programming . Most have a menu that you need the manual to interpret the sometimes 150 settings . In some cases we only need to set the basic stuff and the rest is left at factory default other times like when hooking to a digital interface life gets interesting. The older German stuff is really great 1.1.1 is for grams 1.1.2 for kilos ....... yeah
Tin


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## Ken I (Dec 23, 2011)

I once phoned an equipment supplier with a problem (this is business here not hobby), explained it very carefuly, he listened attentively and then said - "read page 97 of your handbook" and hung up.

I was incenced and started to dial back to tell him what I thought of his service but before the call went through, I calmed down and decided to check - lo and behold the exact problem and solution was there.

So I phoned him back and appologised. Turns out he wrote the manual.

Nowadays I end up writing manuals for my machinery and no one reads them - but I have my revenge occasionally.

Ken


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 23, 2011)

I have seen scale not weigh because the customer thought the feet were not needed or severely underweight because a foot was screwed in too far. 
Tin


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## fcheslop (Dec 24, 2011)

OH come on guys don't tell them to read the manuals I make a good living because they don't :big: Having said that i still need to read my cars manual to find out how to switch the auto wipers off fine in the summer but a bit of a bugger in the winter when they're frozen to the screen :-[ :big: :big:
Best wishes Frazer


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## cfellows (Dec 24, 2011)

Unfortunately, most of us are a bit jaded when it comes to manuals. We are so accustomed to the (mostly) chinese manuals which have 10 pages of safety instructions followed by a half a page of troubleshooting, most of which never applies. Having said that...

Chuck


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## Foozer (Dec 24, 2011)

So on the cover of the latest Hot Rod mag is a little square with lots of squiggle in it. I ask the kid "What the heck is that for?" He pulls out his phone, points it at the squiggle and Poof! On the phones screen pops up video from Hot Rod that tells what is in the mag.

OK, time to drill me for oil, I'm done


Robert


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## fcheslop (Dec 24, 2011)

Hi Chuck,at least they are in Chinglish,once had a fault on a Korean solder bath the front page and index were in English the rest in Korean .As they say we live and learn :big:
Best wishes Frazer


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## ksouers (Dec 24, 2011)

Chuck,
Just noticed this thread. You are definitely not alone!

Regarding the window lock button...
My Isuzu Rodeo has a similar button and I've done the exact same thing!
I also found out the window lock affects the rear doors. I managed to accidentally lock people into the back seat and didn't realize how to get them out except to open the door from the outside. That went on for weeks until I "saw" the button.

I've also done other similarly silly things. I wear glasses, I've worn them forever and need them for everything except very close work. One day I couldn't find them, looked all over for about 15 minutes before I realized they were on my face! I never noticed that I didn't have any problems seeing, I just didn't realize I was already wearing them.


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## purpleknif (Jan 1, 2012)

Sounds sorta like trying to figure out why the dome light won't go out when you're working with the door open. Then finding out its because you turned the dimmer switch all the way.

 Who could possibly do a thing like that?  *club*


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