List when you found evidence that previous mechanic messed up

Years ago I took my 1999 Taurus to Tires Plus for a rotation and balance. Get a call about 30 minutes later stating my cabin air filter needs replacing. Which was BS as I replaced it a few months earlier when doing an oil change. So, about this cabin air filter- you have to remove a bunch of the plastic cowling to access it (no simple cover, panel or door). I pick up the car, drove it home and out of curiosity I popped the hood. And wouldn't you know it? Whoever was working on the car left ALL of the cowling on top of the intake. Went full Karen that day...
 
A Ridgeline diff uses VTM-4 fluid, a CRV uses Dual Pump 2 fluid.
Many people never change either until there's a noise, or other problems.

Gen 2 Ridge uses Dual Pump II.

Different rear ends. VTM vs IVTM.

Gen 2 also overdrives rears a small amount which also wears the clutch pack ,making changing even more important.

Agreed on poeples maintenance habits.
Many people never maintain hondas to spec - valves and or belts are the big misses, On the J35 the rear bank is pain to do plugs on, so some only do the front three and pretend the others don't exist.
 
Most of my hack repairs are my own: from being in a hurry, or missing something crucial and coming up with some stupid Rube Goldberg work-around. The remaining hack repairs are fixing things that my father fixed before. I believe I inherited his talent for hillbilly customization.
Yeah, if my car needs someone to Macgyver something I at least get to look at the mechanic in the mirror!
 
Socket head not safety wired and backed out or just buggered install of the actuator(?)?
Not properly keyed to the bellcrank, not fully seated, and fasteners not safetied.

Nothing important, just the RVDT that reports cyclic position for SAS, AP, and backup fly-by-wire. In a combat zone.

I've got a folder on my computer full of misses like this.
 
1) I brought my '93 Tercel into Toyota of Hollywood for some small thing that I could not do in my driveway. When I signed the work order, I wrote, "Nothing else is wrong with the car. Do not touch anything else." When I came back to pick it up, I was met with, "We completed the job that you requested, sir, and we also completed our entirely free 4,000 Point Inspection, and we found a torn CV boot." Really? Show me. The car was on a lift, and the Service Writer pointed to a cut in the CV boot about three inches long, the kind of cut you might make with a boxcutter. The tech was standing on the side, wiping his hands on a dirty rag, and looking at me to see what kind of sap I was going to turn out to be.

2) I took the same car to a mechanic in North Hollywood for a tune-up. Among other things, I specifically said, "Flush the brake-clutch system and replace the fluid." When I returned and saw that this had not been done, he said, "Oh, it didn't need it." It was my only car. Servicing it cost me a day without a car, and this clown could not be bothered to do what I paid him to do.

On the positive side, I once took my Porsche to Callas Rennsport for some routine brake maintenance. This was when Tony Callas was just starting the business. I got down to Torrance early to pick up the car and drink coffee and hang around, and I found Tony cleaning my disassembled brake calipers with a brass toothbrush. I couldn't believe how meticulous and thorough he was. It was on that day that I decided that I wanted to marry a Porsche mechanic, but that never worked, and, if you don't count three specific women, I never married anybody.
 
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