Overlooked Pre-trip Item

Live and learn, right? My truck was in the shop for a PM and they did a regen. I left the shop, got my trailer and did a pre-trip. But since it was just in the shop I didn’t pop the hood to check the engine compartment. Got on the road, encountered some traffic and had to apply the brakes fairly hard. Not a panic stop or enough to register a critical event, but harder than normal. There goes the hood! The shop mechanic didn’t latch the hood and I failed to catch that not-so-minor detail. The hood went up enough to block my view before it came back down. I took the next exit and stopped to secure the hood. Now I realize that I never made checking the hood latches part of my pre-trip routine. From now on, it will be added to my pre-trip walk around. Lesson learned that a driver should always check the hood latches, especially after the truck comes out of the shop, just in case.

I always checked under the hood after being in the shop. I have found missing caps, open headlight flaps and fluids not filled.

Lesson learned.

That happened to me once, only I was the dunce that didn't latch it, after I did my pre trip. Luckily I hit a speed bump still in the parking lot, and the hood wiggle just didn't look right.

Some things I've had after being in The shop and why I always double check their work.

Unlatched hood, 3 to 5 times.

Loose power steering fluid filter 2 x.

Missing gladhand, 1 time

Check engine light as I pulled out of the bay, 3 times.

Low coolant, low washer fluid, low power steering fluid, too many times to count.

Also, I always check at blue beacon, had the hood unlatched several times there

I have made it a habit to do a thorough pre-trip after leaving one of our shops. It is important to check under the hood. I can't even remember how many times I have found a tool laying somewhere on my engine or in the engine compartment somewhere. Mechanic tools are not cheap, and I happen to know they lose a lot of them by just getting in a hurry and forgetting to pick them up from where they last set them down.

Another precautionary item relates to sliding tandems at the dock. I’ve learned to slide my tandems to the back BEFORE I actually bump the dock. Sometimes the dock workers will lock up the trailer or switch on the red light as soon as the trailer bumps the dock. Then it’s too late to slide the tandems. It’s NEVER OK to move the trailer ahead on a red light, even a little. Very dangerous. A few times, I’ve bumped a dock and started to walk back to release the locking tandem pins, only to see the red light come on. Then, oops, it’s too late.

Walmart DC’s have started doing something new. Now the driver has to take pictures of his truck at the dock showing the tandems slid back, chocked, tractor disconnected and pulled forward from trailer. And the actual dock number has to be in one of the pictures. The receiving clerk has to see the photos before they will even give a red light and start unloading. Personally, I think every receiver should be as cautious as Walmart.

Live and learn, right? My truck was in the shop for a PM and they did a regen. I left the shop, got my trailer and did a pre-trip. But since it was just in the shop I didn’t pop the hood to check the engine compartment. Got on the road, encountered some traffic and had to apply the brakes fairly hard. Not a panic stop or enough to register a critical event, but harder than normal. There goes the hood! The shop mechanic didn’t latch the hood and I failed to catch that not-so-minor detail. The hood went up enough to block my view before it came back down. I took the next exit and stopped to secure the hood. Now I realize that I never made checking the hood latches part of my pre-trip routine. From now on, it will be added to my pre-trip walk around. Lesson learned that a driver should always check the hood latches, especially after the truck comes out of the shop, just in case.

I'm convinced this is a common practice by most mechs (to not latch at least 1 (if not both) latches for whatever reason)).

Because I caught our local mech shop only doing the driver side, I quickly got into the habit of ALWAYS checking, regardless. Just can't trust anyone but yourself.

I too, always checked my truck after a PM was done !. Luckily the oil filler cap still had the tether attached, as I found my cap hanging off the tube. Then the oil level was 1 gallon low, which I topped off. Worst PM at our CRST terminal in Riverside, was over 24 hours. I had no dorm room to sleep in, because they kept saying it would be done soon-ish.

I went to check the status, now they tell me the DEF sensors needed replaced. But 1 hole stripped out, they had to repair, BUT the next shift had to finish it up, their shift was ending! I joking told em "What? Do I need to drive 50 miles home and get my Snap-On re-threader kit and fix it myself?

I didn't get much sleep that day "waiting" IF they had been honest and told dispatch it was longer, I could've gotten a dorm room to sleep in until it was done.

Left a Blue Beacon and 1/4 mile down the road realized the hood wasn't secured. Kinda freaky knowing that it could just fly forward.