You "ain't" gonna

I got this info from a good friend of mine, I asked her permission to print this. I am not a driver but my husband is and I rode with him OTR, have been in shops for repairs but have never quite experienced days like this.
Sharon


Usually when a truck driver says you're not gonna believe this, expect a tall tale, but.. when I tell you, "you ain't gonna believe this, I swear its the truth!"

On Saturday ( over 2 weeks ago on the 4th) when we left NJ, I had asked the shop to fix a small exhaust leak in our truck, by the time we rolled into Cali it was obviously not fixed and had gotten progressively worse, to the point we had to drive with the windows rolled down.
Mon 11/6: I had informed the shop and they told me to take the truck to a Kenworth dealer as soon as we unloaded and get it fixed, they did ask if we could get empty 1st or did we need to go right then, I said we're only a mile or so from the 1st stop lets just get the freight off. so we did this.

Tues 11/7: we unload and go to KW in Fontana, I inform them of the exhaust leak and ask them to also check a fuel leak in the back and the power steering while its there. Off we go to a hotel in a courtesy van.

Wed 11/8: I call and ask if my truck is done and they say yes, check out and come on in. we pack up and go to KW and no sooner do we get there that they inform us parts are on order and won't be in until tomorrow. back to the hotel (via taxi) courtesy van doesn't run again for another 4 hours.

Thurs. 11/9: I call before checking out of hotel and ask if truck is done.. did parts come? I am told yes power steering is fixed and so is fuel leak come on and get it. I ask "Did you fix the exhaust leak?".. I am told there was no exhaust leak... I said EXCUSE ME but the truck was there specifically for the exhaust leak and I described our symptoms, nausea, sleepiness and massive headache that cleared as soon as you got out of the truck and away from it. they told me they would call back and.... they did 30 mins later saying... don't check out we found it, your exhaust manifold gasket is fried, we need to order the part.

Fri. 11/10: I call KW.. ask if parts came in, is truck fixed.... yes parts are there, no truck isn't fixed but check out and come to shop and wait, will be done today.
Off we go and wait ALL day long truck is fixed almost at their closing and off we go as they are pretty much locking their gates and we no sooner get 3 blocks away we cannot breathe... exhaust fumes are terrible and now we have an added luxury...some kind of coolant fumes.. eyes are burning now and so are lungs.. we go 2 miles heads out window to truck stop and wait til morning to go BACK TO FAVORITE PLACE,,., KW!!!!

Sat 11/11: we go back to KW, into shop it goes, mechanic says he cant find anything wrong, so "I" point out soot marks on the exhaust flex pipe that runs under the truck...saying this is obvious he agrees its a leak and changes 3 clamps says its fine and fixed. I asked about the coolant smell and mention the coolant that was leaked all over engine previous day when they took the engine apart.. could that have corrupted the A/C unit? no way I am told. he tell me he smells nothing and he idled my truck 30 mins to prove it.. said that's funny how did you idle my truck? he says why? I said our company has our trucks set to shut off after 2 minutes for fuel efficiency, he says oh I rev'd it with my foot.... Uh HUh sure for 30 mins... I knew he was lying. ..... SO in the meanitme my dispatcher had gotten us a walmart load and we need to haul butt to go and get it. we start it.. smells fine..... and get our trailer.. and run to Walmart for produce..... by the time we get there... you guessed it.. we ARE ILL!!!!! I call KW and my shop they say maybe its in the filter try to run it out....UH HUH SURE!!! so we get loaded... KW is closed and off we try to go.. we get 50 miles, Dave and I are so sick.... I CANNOT drive further..... By the Grace of God another driver has pulled into the same truck stop I have and can take my load back..his goes to... get this..... Mercedes Benz right by my favorite KW dealer... so..... dave drives it back BLECK...

Sun: 11/12: KW closed, we try to get the TA shop to fix it.... they find another exhaust leak but cant fix noxious smell.... we use Idle aire for our truck and wait....

Mon. 11/13: back to KW.. Service manager comes and tries to say its the A/C filter and even though he smells the coolant smell.... it will run off... I said LOOK, you cannot put any effort on the engine the harder it works the worse the stink. you can sit here all day and its not gonna stink like when u haul a trailer.... even empty it smells and full its so bad you're about to die! LITERALLY! they change the filter and charge me for it... almost chasing my down when I tried to get a PO for it.. I paid cash. we left to try and deliver Mercedes early. NO GO. set appointment for tues at 6 am ... OH and did I mention.. TRUCK NOT FIXED!!!!!!! we go to TA truck stop and call shop I refuse to go back to KW in Fontana, by time we got to TA I am so sick, I swear I was gonna have a heart attack or something, I go to a medical place and by the time I am waited on I am feeling better... Air is an amazing thing I tell ya. They give me Tylenol and Motrin for my headache. we get Idle Aire and wait til morning to deliver load to Mercedes.

Tues 11/14:We deliver load and Shop asks Dave to drive to KW in Los Angeles.. so he does....... we r sick but stupidly do this.... we get there mechanic smells truck and gags.. he proceeds to fix it... we leave and go to do a trailer switch 5 miles away.... you guessed it.. NOT FIXED!!!!! we swap empties, a dry box for a reefer and I turn around and go right back to the KW in LA and this time I am calling the service people and telling them.. I NEED A MECHANIC TO GO FOR A RIDE WITH ME!!!!.... we get there drop the trailer.. dave takes mechanic 100 yards outside of dealership and mechanic begs to return he is so ill...... we go to a Days Inn via their courtesy van.......

Wed 11/15: call KW.. is my truck fixed? yes ma'am we found 2 coolant leaks come pick it up. we leave hotel and go to KW,... get there and before anything make Mechanic go for a ride with us... guess what? NOT FIXED!! I call our company and beg for a rental truck lease please please.. yes they say and start paperwork...KW says wait we fixed it... off we go for another ride.. NO NOT FIXED!!! so... now its PAST time for NJ people in the office part to go home...cannot do truck rental..I am now standing in the shop with the mechanics thinking of anything I have ever heard that could possibly fix our problem. They decide to take off every single part that's touching our firewall and replace ALL the seals... of course you know they must order these.. off to Hotel....Ramada this time because the days Inn was NASTY. I's so late I have to take another taxi.

Thurs. 11/16: call KW did our parts come in? Yes the box just arrived , check out and come while we fix it, it wont take more than 4 to 6 hours. we go to KW and guess what? the box DID come in BUT just so happens that the Important seals, the 4 large main ones were NOT IN THE BOX!!!!!!! I call to try and get the truck rental..... ALMOST GOT IT! when lo and behold they found somewhere in someones tool box the seals and start working on my truck... its like 5 pm in NJ already but only 2 or so in Cali. by the time they fix the truck.,.... NJ office people... yep have left and off we go for a ride... well guess what? they finally fixed the coolant leaks but the exhaust leak? STILL THERE!! and as bad as ever..... so I ask for them to call the team manager at home and patch me in.. I said we cannot keep this Up!!! he agrees and says he will have a truck for us in the morning sorrry nothing he can do right now,,, but promises... we call Ramada for a ride... full, no rooms.... we call Nasty days Inn...of course they come right over..... we get picked up.... and are on our way out of the KW parking lot in the Courtesy Van... a Chinese man driving... Dave in front seat , me in back.. when what to my horror.... the guys starts driving right out into oncoming traffic and is NOT LOOKING AT THE 2 city buses coming at us!!!! I scream STOP! and he does... just in the nick of time not to drive through the bus.... but he hit it and jolted us back, ripping his front end off..... I open the door get out , get our bags, Dave is saying this cannot be happening.... we walk back to the dealer and tell them to call 911 and could one of them please drive us to a nice hotel? LOL
off to Super 8.

Fri 11/17: Company comes through we are back at KW at 7 am Cali time paperwork is being processed for rental we start taking everything we have out of our truck and putting on ground. They bring out the new truck... WAY SMALLER inside but a tank on the outside a hood a mile long I swear. I get into the new truck and lift the upper bunk up to make the lower bunk to sleep in... I no sooner lift the top bunk thinking it clicked into place when it drops on my head splitting it wide open.............................................. ....... So now..... I need more medical assistance and Dave cannot leave all our crap on the ground, I insist he stay and finish loading the rental while the guy from KW takes me to dr.. he is not real thrilled about me going alone.. but hey..... its LA I want my stuff when I return! Sooo they take me to dr.s that's a whole other story I will save but I have big nasty stitches in my head that come out this Friday.. I am going home for Thanksgiving!!!!! I have had enough fun and am seriously thinking about a career as a professional greeter at Walmart! I am not EVEN KIDDING!

I know I said "I" a lot but trust me Dave was a very big part of this... we both need some valium right about now LOL
Hope this made sense sorry about any typos.....

Pinky ;-)

[BugCatcher]

Just remember, "It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's
the impurities in our air and water that are doing it." --Al Gore, Vice President