Sometimes mechanics have to get up close and personal with your vehicle to do their job. Although they don’t go out of their way to find the weird and unusual, occasionally they come across something that really surprises them. If you think old hamburger wrappers and sweaty gym clothes are bad, wait until you hear what these mechanics have found in their customer’s cars!
1. Hot, Baked Watermelon
John Burkhauser is the director of education auto repair software producer Bolt on Technology. He recalls a Friday afternoon during a sweltering summer when a client dropped off a vehicle to be repaired over the weekend and picked up on Monday.
When she came to get her car, she was happy to find that it was fixed, but there was a horrendous smell coming from the inside of the car. She had left half of a plastic-wrapped watermelon in the back seat. The watermelon had baked in the car for days and become nothing more than a blob of wobbling brown liquid, ready to leak out all over the car at any moment.
2. Mattress Under the Car
Sometimes mechanics find unusual objects underneath a vehicle that have nothing to do with its mechanical condition. A mattress caught beneath a car can be an especially surprising sight. Whether it became trapped while driving over road de
3. Secret Squirrel Stash
Eddie Kane, mechanic at Los Angeles auto shop Tadi Brothers, was installing a backup and parking sensor at a client’s home for an older gentleman who’s car had been sitting for a while. To install the sensor, he had to remove the bumper, and when he did, he heard a strange rattling sound. Upon further inspection, he discovered that the source of the rattle was a large stash of acorns. As he continued to work on the car, he found a second stash of acorns in the glove compartment. Suddenly, he noticed a big, fat squirrel looking on in dismay as his secret acorn stash was discovered.
Here’s another in a police officer’s car:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVfU9AjOtas
4. Keys in Tire
Finding keys where they do not belong is one thing, but discovering them lodged in a tire is another. A sharp object embedded in the tread can cause a puncture, leading to a slow air leak or a flat tire. Mechanics must inspect the tire carefully to determine whether the damage can be repaired safely or if a replacement is necessary. Even a small object can create a much bigger problem when it affects tire safety.
5. A Gift from the Factory
Paul Allen from Newark, New Jersey recalls a story his dad told him growing up. His dad owned an auto repair shop, and a client came to him complaining of a strange banging noise in his new 1963 Ford Galaxy. The noise only occurred at certain times, most often as he was pulling out of his driveway.
Paul’s dad drove the care to the customer’s house, and as he went up the steep driveway, he heard a strange sliding sound that ended with a loud thump coming from the driver’s side door. Driving the car back to his shop, Paul’s dad took off the door panel and discovered that one of the assembly line workers had left the client a gift inside the door. It was an empty, glass soda pop bottle. Paul returned the bottle for the deposit and called it even.
6. Lock on the Shifter
A lock attached to a vehicle’s gear shifter is not something mechanics expect to encounter during every repair. Some vehicles use aftermarket security devices to prevent unauthorized driving, while other locking mechanisms may be installed for specific purposes. When a mechanic comes across an unfamiliar lock, identifying how it works is important before attempting to remove or adjust anything. A simple-looking device can turn an ordinary service appointment into an unexpected puzzle.
7. Popcorn bucket
A popcorn bucket might seem harmless inside a car, but things can get strange when it ends up somewhere unexpected. Loose food containers can slide beneath seats, become trapped around interior components, or collect crumbs that attract unwanted visitors. If a bucket is found under the hood, it may point to an animal carrying objects into the engine compartment. Either way, mechanics sometimes have to investigate unusual discoveries before they can get back to the actual repair.
8. A Traveling Buffet
Most folks know that small animals like to crawl up into warm car engines when it’s cold out. But did you know that rats like to bring a snack with them, too? Brian Farkas of Hub Starters and Alternators in Malden, Massachusetts saw the evidence first hand.
One of the customers lived in a community with a large population of rats. Whenever the client brought his car in for repairs, he’d find a traveling buffet under the hood. The rats had left everything from candy bars to partially eaten pizza slices right on top of the engine.
9. Cow Bell Under the Car
A cowbell is not exactly a standard part of a vehicle, so finding one underneath a car would certainly raise questions. An unfamiliar metallic ringing or rattling sound can already be difficult to trace, especially when it occurs only while the vehicle is moving. If a bell or another loose object is hanging beneath the car, a mechanic must determine how it became attached and whether it has damaged any nearby components. Sometimes, the strangest noises have surprisingly simple explanations.
10. A Runaway Snake
One auto repair shop had a client come in and ask how much it would cost to have them find his son’s missing snake. Apparently, the snake had gotten away from his son’s grasp on the way home from the pet store, and now the wife refused to get in the car, much less drive it anyway. The father had searched the car but couldn’t find the missing snake.
Employees systematically (and timidly) took the interior of the car apart, expecting to find the fugitive snake at every turn. After removing all the seats, carpet, interior trim, and even the center console, they still couldn’t find it. Finally, another technician offered to give it a try. After a bit of searching, he yelled and pointed out the runaway snake all coiled up on the inside of the floor ventilation duct.
11. Cardboard Box Around the Exhaust
Cardboard and hot exhaust components are a combination that deserves immediate attention. If a box becomes trapped around the exhaust system, it can restrict airflow around components or create a potential fire hazard when exposed to excessive heat. Mechanics need to check the exhaust area carefully, remove any obstruction safely, and inspect for signs of heat damage. An ordinary cardboard box can quickly become a serious concern when it ends up in the wrong place.
12. Cereal in the Cabin Filter
A cabin air filter is designed to keep dust, pollen, and other airborne particles out of a vehicle’s interior. Finding cereal inside the filter housing would be an unusual surprise. Food debris may have been carried in by an animal or entered the ventilation system through another route. In addition to making a mess, accumulated debris can restrict airflow and create unpleasant odors. Mechanics may need to inspect the filter housing and surrounding areas to find out how it got there.
13. Bubbly Tire
A bulge or bubble on a tire’s sidewall is more than an unusual sight; it can indicate damage to the tire’s internal structure. This type of damage may occur after hitting a pothole, striking a curb, or driving over a road hazard. Unlike a minor tread puncture, a sidewall bubble generally cannot be repaired safely. Mechanics will usually recommend replacing the damaged tire because its weakened structure can increase the risk of a sudden failure while driving.
Ask any mechanic you know about the weird things they’ve found in their client’s cars, and you’re sure to get a long list. What have you left behind in your car for your mechanic to find?