Worst Technical Gremlin you ever had?

[GM Tech Mike]

A brand new Impala with a squeal noise at start up. It had been in the shop 3 times before with the same tech replacing the belt each time under warranty. Obviously getting everyone else's screw up work I got it and never could duplicate the problem. I conviced the owner to leave it overnight. The next morning I crank it up and each time at start up it would do it. To me it sounded like the belt and knowing that it had been replaced decided to look further. I decided to check the harmonic balancer. I marked the inner and outter ring and cranked it several cycles. I checked the marks and found they did not line up. Called TAC and he confirmed the same diagnosis. Guess who got the bad CSI as far as "Fixed righ the first visit?" ME! I had a few words for the tech who could not fix it himself along with others of his screw ups.

[Triple-X08]

i would be quite pissed from that deal.

been there before, i feel your anger

[GM Tech Mike]

A few days ago I had a 2002 Caddy Deville. Customer states cooling fans staying on all the time and check engine light. I Found a list full of DTCs and cleared them. Charged the batter and ran the vehicle. 2 current DTCs one for cooling fan and evap. I changed the relays with my personal set and still the fans continued at low speeds with key off. I checked the parameters on the scan tool key on engine off and the PCM was not commanding the cooling fans on. It took me and the master tech almost the entire day looking at the wiring diagram before we traced the engine harness going to the back of the block where you can barely see it was grounding on the block itself. Came to find out the vehicle had been wrecked and whoever repaired it did a piss poor job putting the conduit back on the wires and routing it right. I repaired 4 broken wires and replaced the relay. No more fan, crank the vehicle and it worked within it's parameters. But still had the EVAP code. Checked the wiring to the purge solenoid and sure enough someone had monkied with it before with a crappy repair. I replaced the connector with a pigtail and clocked 8.6 hours straight time for the aggravation.
I had to think a little bit after the vehicle was taken out but I figured out from the diagram the power side of fan #1 was shorted to ground on the block closing the relay contacts for both fans causing it to bypass the PCM which controlled the ground side of the fans. That was a really fun one. Of course this was passed onto me since nobody but myself and the Master Tech can do electricals.

[03 Z71 5.3]

Were do I start the worst car I ever owned was a 99 Grand Prix SE 3100 in the 6 months of owing the car ABS light be on my wheel bearings be fine but the wires going in them would like corowed off and the O2 sensor and then the intake gasket and if that wasnt enough then I took the headed gasket out of it. I love GM vehicles but this one was the bigest piece of *&^% I have ever owned. Sorry for being so hate full but it was junk!!! LOL what a car

[Rfalcojr]

Had a customer complain of an intermittant stumble/misfire that I could never duplicate. No codes, no problems ever found. Checked it for days, customer would pick it up and tell me it happened to him on the way home. Have customer come back, test drove it with the customer, no problems found! This went on for about 3 months, customer would come in every couple of days saying it did it on his way here. I get in it to drive and no misfire felt. Finally, I decide to drive it home one day and I turn on the radio, no problems until a good song comes on and I turn the radio up. Suddenly a misfire shows up that is in time with the music!!! Turns out someone wired the power for the radio to the first wire he could find with 12 volts, which just happened to be an ECM wire. It must of sucked enough voltage to kill the ECM only when the radio was turned up a lot!!

[F14CRAZY]

Maybe not a gremlin, but changing the O ring for the old distributor/oil pump drive on my 3100 was a total PITA this weekend

[OldsReliable]

Both sides taillights on my Chevy venture (the brake light only) go out every few months. The board somehow melts them down, and the cruise control stops working. Not much of a biggie, I check the lights every day and the lower bubls are "built in spares" , plus I keep the tool and a set of spare bulbs in the car at all times. Minor, but annoying.

[car5car]

1.Some Olds. Falling apart crank sensor was knocking touching tin sensor wheel. Nobody could found the noise! I replaced chain for nothing. I just needed drop of glue to fix sensor. It had loose metal insert.
2. It took me about 2 hours to find Maserati Biturbo starter. It was hidden under intake!