::Leader Board:: Ahnko Honu Takes The Lead Chapter 23!

A friend of mine lives at about 7000 feet in your general area. He said this morning they have a foot of wet, heavy snow and the power keeps coming and going. Blecch.

Yep. We have lots of battery backups spread around the house.
 
What is not awesome is how computerized vehicles have become.

We got a recall letter for a brakelight switch for one of our vehicles. The letter had a short list of "side effects" of the recalled part. Really. One of the potential issues that could result was, "Starting a vehicle equipped with push-button ignition." As in, you couldn't start such a vehicle.

I had been telling Mrs. Spots for a while that I am not a fan of push-button ignitions. I like keys attached to real switches where connections really get connected and disconnected.

So we get this letter in the mail and a week after it comes Mrs. Spots is out doing things on Friday night, you know your typical Friday night stuff like attending a seminar on mountain lion behavior and how to work with them in the back country. Seminar ends and Mrs. Spots is stopping to get dinner to bring home.


And then I get the call... "Um, dearest most wonderful husband in the entire world (that would be me in case you are wondering), I have the food, but now the car won't start."

Now Mrs. Spots is a smart woman. She's already determined that the battery is charged. Has run through some key fob diagnostics steps. Has looked up the various (useless) error codes in the Owner's Manual. And nothing works.

So I head into town to try a few more things. On the way in Mrs. Spots calls and tells me she's pulled out the jumper cables from the spare tire area so we can double check the battery (see, I told you she was smart).

We try the jumper cables. We try disconnecting the battery to reset the ECU. We replace the key-fob battery. Check and replace fuses (no blown fuses). Nothing. Lights light up. Door locks work. Radio works. Engine tries to turn over but computer refuses to let it ignite and run.

We call the Road Side assitance. Dealer is five miles away. Closest tow company is 1.5 hours away. Ah yes, "Life in a Northern Town", but the song doesn't tell you it includes things like this. It'll be midnight. Dinner is now in the trash because it got cold and ruined.

Tow truck arrives and just to make sure we try the "jumper box" the tow truck driver has. Nothing.

Tow truck drops car off at dealership (Friday night remember).

On Monday dealership lets us know they jump started the car and drove it into the bay.

Face palm.


They load test the battery. Battery is fine. No error codes in the computer system.

They replace the brake light switch and everything works from then on.


Yes, all of this thanks to a brake light switch.


But the dealer comes through for us and gets the vehicle brand's US corporate office to cover our towing costs since the tow is the direct result of the recall. We only pay for a routine oil change that was going to be scheduled for the next week.


Moral of the story... Somethings in life are best left mechanical in nature, and always know about mountain lions.

We have to step on the brake to use the start button. So I can understand this.
We have another vehicle that is the same year and make but is a twist key and you don't need to step on the brake pedal to start it.
 
We have to step on the brake to use the start button. So I can understand this.
We have another vehicle that is the same year and make but is a twist key and you don't need to step on the brake pedal to start it.

It's weird that it's tied to the brake light though. I would think it would be a sensor tracking movement of the bake pedal.
 
It's weird that it's tied to the brake light though. I would think it would be a sensor tracking movement of the bake pedal.

Well...a sensor on the brake pedal triggers the brake light, so I imagine they're using the same sensor to do double duty instead of having two sensors looking for the same event.
 
Well...a sensor on the brake pedal triggers the brake light, so I imagine they're using the same sensor to do double duty instead of having two sensors looking for the same event.

The sensor is probably similar to an oil pressure switch. When it "sees" pressure in the brake lines, it lights the brake lights, and concurrently allows the activation of the starter motor, if needed....
 
The sensor is probably similar to an oil pressure switch. When it "sees" pressure in the brake lines, it lights the brake lights, and concurrently allows the activation of the starter motor, if needed....

I am sure you are over thinking it.
It is typically a regular push button switch which is "off" when pressed. As soon as you step on the pedal, the arm of the pedal moves away from the switch and turns it "on" and the brake light circuit is complete.
The starter interlock probably uses the same circuit.
 
Left work a little early. Nanilei had an errand in town and picked me up.
Now we are at the beach!
She even went in the water!
Poor thing was terrified the whole time.
She is getting better though.
 
I am sure you are over thinking it.
It is typically a regular push button switch which is "off" when pressed. As soon as you step on the pedal, the arm of the pedal moves away from the switch and turns it "on" and the brake light circuit is complete.
The starter interlock probably uses the same circuit.

You know Don sells auto parts, right?
I know what you both are talking about and to my thinking it could be either or both in some combination.

Here's a interesting thought.
I believe the throttle in my Soul is electronic. And not a physical connection.
I believe on both of my vehicles, the starter doesn't engage when the engine is running. Did you ever clash the starter gears because you didn't realize or perhaps know the engine was started?
 
Code:
[COLOR="#000080"][CENTER]Blue Skies
Irving Berlin[/CENTER]

Caug (1003)    Fm6  (1213)   and perhaps (D7) as (2020)

(Am) Blue (Caug) skies,            
(Am) smiling (D7) at me
Nothing but (C) blue skies,
(G7) do I (C) see

(Am) Blue (Caug) birds,
(Am) singing a (D7) song
Nothing but (C) bluebirds,
(G7) all day (C) long

(C) Never saw the sun (Fm6) shining so (C)bright             
(Fm6) Never saw (C) things (Fm6) going so (C) right
(C) Noticing the days (Fm6) hurrying (C) by
(Fm6) When you're in (C) love, my (E7) my how they fly, Oh

(Am) Blue (Caug) days
(Am) All of them (D7) gone
Nothing but (C) blue skies
(G7) From now (C) on  (E7)

(Am) (Caug) (Am) (D7) (C) (G7) (C)

(C) (Fm6) (C) (Fm6) (C) (G7) (C)
(C) (Fm6) (C)
(Fm6) (C) (G7) (C) (E7)

(Am) (Caug) (Am) (D7) (C) (G7) (C)  (E7)

(Am) Blue (Caug) days
(Am) All of them (D7) gone
Nothing but (C) blue skies
(G7) From now (C) on[/COLOR]
 
Day two minus some wisdom:
Things seem to be under control. Taking antibiotic but did not fill the prescription for Tylenol 3. I thought, I have Tylenol at home. This morning I looked it up and that one has codeine in it. I seem to be doing Ok without it, so no prob. I took some regular Tylenol instead. Some discomfort... They did yank something out of my mouth that had been there between 50 and 60 years.
 
Matt started a new job last night. Night shift at Cummins medium engine plant on the assembly line. Haven't talked to him yet to see how it went.
 
Matt started a new job last night. Night shift at Cummins medium engine plant on the assembly line. Haven't talked to him yet to see how it went.

My grandson started Monday at a job. His stuff didn't work out as well as his sisters.
It's a long journey, that's life, we never quite know where the road will lead us. He just past mile marker 10.
 
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