Look at the Perfect Tow Vehicle! She’s smiling again!
I love you, PTV! I'm glad your smile is back!
The PTV is not the only one smiling!
Thank God, the mystery is solved!
Yesterday afternoon I decided that today I would concentrate on finding out why the PTV was having intermittent starting problems. I called up Ivan at the firing range and postponed my first class. I explained the situation and he was very understanding, saying I could come by any Tuesday for my one-on-one gun safety lesson.
I’m up and out the door by 6:45 a.m. crossing my fingers that I’ll be able to drive (rather than be towed) to the garage. The PTV starts right up. I go straight to the garage. A different guy is there. I explain the entire scenario and we look at the engine together. He suggests I take it to a dealer. “We aren’t equipped to do the kind of diagnostics you need.”
Off to the dealer I go, trepidation in my heart.
I’m reluctant to go to dealers. I remind myself that this particular dealer has a long and outstanding reputation in Athens. The repair shop guy is very courteous and professional as we discuss what the PTV has been doing and what has been tried already. He types up a repair order for a “multi-point vehicle inspection.”
I go to the waiting room and try not to listen to the latest politician sex scandal being discussed on the television.
Remember the days when musak played everywhere?
It curdled your brain with its inocuous musical selections. Now we listen to somebody denying or apologizing for behaving badly. I don’t know which is worse! Anyway. About two hours later, the doctor –er, the repair shop guy — comes into the waiting room and tells me the problem was located and fixed. I nearly jump for joy!
“Get to the point, woman! What was wrong with the PTV?!!”
The diagnosis? “Vehicle will not crank due to shift cable out of adjustment.” Simultaneously flabbergasted and jubilant, I write a check for $142 and leave smiling. I’m confused as to why I didn’t feel it wasn’t shifting properly, but I chalk it up to me not being familar with the PTV. This is one time I’m not going to over-analyze and just be happy my confidence in the PTV has been restored!
PTV, I love you!
A short distance from the dealership I see gas at $3.57 a gallon. I pull in and pump $60 worth of gasoline into her belly and away we go on down the road. I stop and pick up a carton of rainbow sherbet and two Redbox movies. We head home to celebrate. I feel like the tires are barely touching the asphalt!
Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions.
Your concern is appreciated.
Geez, maybe things will get back to normal around here.
A shift cable needing adjustment . . .
Whoda thunkit!
rvsue
YAY! I know you are seriously relieved! If you are like me, I usually fear the worst. Calf pain? Uh-oh, blood clot. Headache? Yep, that’ll be that brain tumor I’ve been expecting. Husband 1/2 hour late? Wait for the sirens.
Can’t help it. It’s DNA or something equally insidious.
Well, I’m glad it wasn’t terminal!
Spike certainly looks concerned. Not.
You are so funny!
I had not thought of that possibilty but it does makes sense. If your car is not in ‘PARK’ the starting system is not complete. You cannot start an automatic in any gear other than PARK (some you can in NUETRAL). Thus the cable being out of adjustment could do that. So, if the PTV acts up again (God forbid) just jiggle the gear selector or better yet, run it through the gears and replace back into PARK.
You know, John, I couldn’t help but think . . . why didn’t I jiggle the gear shift before calling the tow truck . . . both times! I could have saved myself almost $200. Then I pushed that thought out of my mind because what’s the point of looking back? So I can fret about money? I’m living in the present and right now I am so thankful to the guy who found the problem.
What a relief! I had visions of this problem dragging on for months . . . with a trailer hooked to it!
Sue,
I do not know how your neutral switch ( that’s what I know it as ) is connected to your shift cable.
That being said the switch could have been out of adjustment and made no difference in how the PTV shifted.
I hope that helped your understanding a little more and not confused you more. :))
Bill Kelleher
I guess if the gear is not seated properly in park it interferes with the starting process. I don’t need to know more than that. Don’t confuse me with the facts! 🙂
SORRY LOL
A shift cable adjustment… but no complaints about it not shifting properly. Well I learned something and I’m glad it’s fixed.
Gary
I know, it’s weird. It doesn’t feel differently now that it has been adjusted. If they say it’s fixed, I’m only too happy to agree!
glad to hear it’s fixed! I enjoy your posts so much and look forward to hearing how it’s going. Thanks!
pat
You’re welcome, Pat. I didn’t intend my blog to be about a series of problems, but it’s turned out that way. Hopefully, not for long!
Sounds so familiar, I had a car once that wouldn’t start sometimes and sometimes it would took it to several places and they couldn’t figure it out then one day it wouldn’t start for the mechanic ! Then he got real interested in the problem and figured it out. It was the linkage in the steering column from the key switch down to some other thig-a-ma-jig and ti was bent. How in the world it got bent nobody knows but once bent back into shape it worked fine !
Glad you got her fixed one less thing to worry about.
Kay Julia
Hi, Kay Julia!
Very similar! It was depressing not knowing what was wrong. When you haven’t had a used vehicle for long, there’s a period of time you go through before you can tell yourself, “Well, I made a good deal. I didn’t get a lemon.” The PTV has been starting up and running beautifully once that adjustment was made. I need to let the guys at the garage know what the problem was so they won’t automatically think “electrical problem” the next time they see a vehicle with the same symptoms.