Being a mechanic isn’t always an easy job. It’s also not always as boring as it may seem. Mechanics face quite a few unexpected challenges. From strange customer requests to animals trapped under the hood, there’s a lot more to a mechanic’s work than just oil changes and alignments.
Are you ready for a peek into the stranger side of being a mechanic? We’ve collected fifty bizarre situations that mechanics have discovered.
Let’s get started!
#1 They drove up like this
The mechanic who took the picture was just trying to figure out how the tire didn’t explode. We’re wondering too.
If a car sits for a while, sometimes nature decides to turn it into a home. In this case, an entire family of bats moved in.
The customer said that their temperature gauge was reading full tank. The mechanic assumed they were confused, and then he saw this.
It turns out it was actually a fairly accurate analysis.
Well, the customer was creative enough to come up with a temporary solution. They get credit for that.
Cats have been known to hang out near the engine of a parked car because that spot is still warm for quite a while. This one was found in the engine bay. It took the mechanic a little while to coax him out.
The complaint was noisy suspension. This is what happened just as it was being rolled into the workshop. We bet that it was really noisy.
Service techs have to deal with a lot, including a real fright from time to time. This is what one tech spotted when he lifted the hood.
The customer thought there was something big wrong with the vehicle. It turned out that it was just three very small and round problems.
The mechanic opened the hood to look for the reason the car was running a little differently. The moment he saw this, he put the hood back down.
#10 Casually dropped off by the police
This rental car was returned to its rightful rental company by the police. This is what it looked like when they dropped it off.
Tires come in all sizes and ages. Most are replaced every so often. These haven’t been replaced since before the Cold War.
Customers drop off their keys when they leave their vehicle. That’s pretty standard. But check out the key on the right that one customer dropped off.
If you don’t want your mechanic posting pictures of your latest steering wheel cover, get one that doesn’t hide the gauges, including the one that says what speed you’re going at.
#14 They said they didn’t have a spare
They drove on it like this for three days. The mechanic checked the trunk and found a spare tire and a jack.
#15 A pair of sub-woofers
Usually, when getting into a vehicle to move it, the most mechanics will discover is that someone forgot to clear away the trash from a quick lunch. These two are way too precious to be anything like that.
This little guy came crawling out from under a shop lift. We wonder what they ended up naming him.
A longtime customer said he would get his Toyota Camry up to a million miles before it died. This was the mileage reading when he came in for a tire plug one day.
This manufacturer knows their instructions aren’t being read. At least they’re not in denial about it.
#19 What mechanics put up with
Customers complain about strange things all the time. The car vibrating at 130 miles per hour might be a new one, though.
#20 All the luck in the world
This solitary four-leaf clover was found rooted in a fender line. What are the odds of that?
They put this truck on the lift. Then this happened. Sure, there was probably rust involved, but how many people winced when they saw it happen?
#22 “It sounds different”
The customer brought his car in because it sounded different when he started it that morning. The mechanic took this picture while he tried to figure out how to break the news to the customer. That stolen catalytic converter might be around $3,000 to replace.
Being a mechanic isn’t always easy. Neither is being the customer in this case.
Have you ever wondered what a tire looks like after it has been struck by lightning? Good news! You no longer have to wonder.
#24 Badly placed warning?
We don’t know about the quality of tires made in Chile. Although, we might have to note the safety warning.
#25 An unexpected visitor
When you leave the shop doors open all day, something is bound to get in through those doors eventually. In this case, it hopped right in.
Being a mechanic isn’t always easy. Actually, according to this one mechanic, life is pretty much miserable. Sure, the customer was probably asking about the life of the brakes, but still…
The poor little thing. It’s a good thing that the customer brought the car in for this “small mechanical problem.”
#28 “Please repair this for $1,500 or less”
The customer wanted their car returned to “like-new condition” after an accident. They also asked to have it done for less than $1,500. We all have dreams.
Sometimes, customers put off having maintenance done until something is obviously going wrong. In this case, the problem was brake failure.
#30 The opposite of tread
A customer rolled into the shop on a rainy day. This is one of the tires that they weren’t quite willing to replace yet. No one in the shop was amused.
Mechanics are more than capable of pulling pranks on each other. They told this mechanic that the customer said their vehicles pulls to the left and needs an alignment. This was what he spotted when he walked into the shop to do the repair.
#32 When the car reaches out
You know things are bad when even the car radio is asking for help. It must be 2020.
#33 Emerging from the cocoon
Inside the light was probably a safe place for a cocoon. However, the butterfly that emerged had a struggle ahead of them.
People leave a lot of valuables in their cars. Here’s one overwhelming example.
Some think it’s a genius and cheap way to have temporary adjustable air springs. Others are just tilting their head sideways and seriously wondering. Most are somewhere in-between those two.
This vehicle was brought into the shop with only thirty miles on it. It already had the check engine light on.
#37 No longer a safety belt
The customer brought their car in for a safety inspection. Did they really think the cut safety belt that had been reattached with fabric glue was going to pass?
Tow trucks are there for a reason. This is one of those reasons. By the time the customer arrived and parked it at the shop, the entire vehicle was in flames.
Car interiors can get a little worn and stained over time. That’s understandable. However, this car is a year old.
This recently purchased used vehicle was brought in. Look at what had been holding the parking brake and had somehow withstood the test of time.
#41 “It looked smaller on the screen”
Buying things on the internet can be sketchy when it comes to size. However, this mechanic clearly ordered a 17mm socket. When it arrived, it had grown to be 170mm.
Mechanics deal with a lot of strange requests. This person came in to have their air mattress filled up. That’s all, just the air mattress.
#43 When impending doom is kind of cute
This is a magnet covered in metal shavings. It’s not a good sign. It does, however, look like one very cute metallic hedgehog.
This vehicle was brought in because the check engine light was on. This is the problem that the mechanic discovered. Don’t ask. No one knows the answer.
#45 When you’re just too busy
Most of us are guilty of leaving a few things hanging from the rear-view mirror. This, however, has just gone too far.
Those are enough blinking lights to throw a party. Too bad they’re all error lights.
#47 Time for a new sticker
Who scrapes off the old sticker before putting a new one on the vehicle? Not this car owner. The mechanic went to put the 2018 sticker on to be helpful and discovered this.
#48 They drove in like this
We didn’t know it was possible. We’re still entirely certain it’s not recommended by anyone, ever.
The customer needed a new set of car keys. For some undetermined reason, he couldn’t find his.
#50 Gloves in a glove box
This mechanic has been working for sixteen years and swears this is the first time he has ever seen gloves in the glove box. What’s in yours?
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Being a mechanic isn’t always an easy job. It’s also not always as boring as it may seem. Mechanics face quite a few unexpected challenges. From strange customer requests to animals trapped under the hood, there’s a lot more to a mechanic’s work than just oil changes and alignments.
Are you ready for a peek into the stranger side of being a mechanic? We’ve collected fifty bizarre situations that mechanics have discovered.
Let’s get started!
