Jett and I left the campground Sunday night at 8.\u00a0 We hadn’t eaten so we decided to stop for a bite.\u00a0 Any fast food place would have done, but we spotted a diner and decided to sit down.\u00a0 We left the dogs in the truck.\u00a0 It was a pleasant night and we left the windows open about 3 inches all around.\u00a0 It would be a quick meal and the dogs would be fine.<\/p>\n
We didn’t know that some yahoo would be firing off fireworks nearby.\u00a0 We didn’t hear them inside.\u00a0 But Grace heard them and went berserk.\u00a0 Jett went out to check on the dogs while I was paying the check.\u00a0 When I got to the truck, Jett was splashing water on the rubber carpet protector from the passenger side.\u00a0 She was annoyed because Grace had gotten on the floor where she had put the little picnic cooler with a container of milk.\u00a0 The milk – just a cup or so – had spilled.<\/p>\n
I wasn’t too pleased either, but no great harm done, right?\u00a0 Jett asked me to turn on the interior lights so she could mop up inside.\u00a0 But the light wouldn’t go on.\u00a0 Hmmm.\u00a0 I started the engine, no problem.\u00a0 The interior lights still wouldn’t go on.\u00a0 That is when I noticed a plastic cover on the floor on the driver’s side.\u00a0 Double hmmm.\u00a0 And what were those wires doing, dangling down?\u00a0 I took my foot off the brake to bend down to look and the engine sounded like it was launching into space.\u00a0 I think it got up to over 4,000 RPMs before I got my foot back on the brake.<\/p>\n
Long story short: Grace, in her fireworks-induced frenzy, had ripped several electrical cables out from under the driver side dashboard, leaving the truck disabled.\u00a0 I called AAA and they hauled it to the local GMC dealer (the tow truck driver’s comment: “never seen nuthin’ like THAT before”).\u00a0 Jett called her sister and she hauled us home.<\/p>\n
I have to call the dealer this morning to arrange repairs.\u00a0 Then I need to call my insurance agent to see if mad dog damage is covered.<\/p>\n
Lesson learned: don’t leave the dogs in the truck.\u00a0 Cost of the lesson? TBD.<\/p>\n
I have to say, though, that I am surprised that any kind of electrical problem could result in uncontrolled engine acceleration.\u00a0 It kind of lends credence to those “the car just accelerated on its own” stories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Jett and I left the campground Sunday night at 8.\u00a0 We hadn’t eaten so we decided to stop for a bite.\u00a0 Any fast food place would have done, but we spotted a diner and decided to sit down.\u00a0 We left the dogs in the truck.\u00a0 It was a pleasant night and we left the windows … Continue reading