40 Crazy Car Troubles Experienced By Jimmy Fallon’s Fans
Before you get a permit to drive, you are subjected to rigorous training in preparation for whatever challenges you encounter, regardless of the car or the environment. No matter how much you abide by the guidelines and training, car trouble looms like a tiger waiting for the right moment to pounce. Rookie and experienced drivers alike are bound to experience car troubles despite personal preparation for the unseen. In 2019, Jimmy Fallon asked fans to share car fails to feature on the show. They delivered and shared so many experiences that Jimmy couldn’t read out the entire thread. This piece compiles forty of the best car fail experiences shared by citizens of Twitter. Read on to find out whether someone has had a car mishap similar to yours. We hope you can find a lesson from these car fails that may help you on your future travels and save you additional expenses and lateness.
1. Hitchhiker
If you have ophidiophobia, you may struggle if find yourself in this encounter. Reptiles such as snakes are notorious for squeezing into various parts of your car. Unfortunately, you never know when the snake shall come out to explore its environs, or when to run for dear life.
While driving home, @Shemy25 caught a glimpse of a snake wrapped in the side view mirror. She maintained her composure and sped up to shake the snake off, but it only tightened its grip. We still don’t know where the snake emerged from and how she got rid of it.
2. And The Winner Is…
As with any skill set, the more practice and experience you gain, the better your performance. In driving, spending more hours behind the wheel makes you a more confident driver. In due time, you find yourself more comfortable driving at higher speeds without making rookie mistakes that could cause accidents.
For example, you can avoid spinning out of control in the middle of the road. When racing, exercise caution, unless you have a death wish. While racing to Applebee’s, @Kennedybaker33’s friend lost control after a failed stunt. While he won the race, the friend was left stranded with two flat tires.
3. Drink Responsibly
Alcoholic beverages are labeled with clear reminders that you shouldn’t drive or operate machinery after drinking. As a designated driver, you should limit drinking to juice, water, smoothie, coffee, or tea to ensure that you have perfect control of the vehicle.
@jimmyq921 made his mother seem like an irresponsible parent and driver based on claims that his mother drank while driving. Years later, he realized he should have clarified that it was only water. Hopefully, she didn’t get into too much trouble, courtesy of her son.
4. Attention Hog
A car horn may seem like a negligible part of your car. However, you need it when maneuvering through traffic, communicating with other motorists, and warning pedestrians before they get run over. The horn sends essential signals based on the times you honk and the loudness of each honk.
If your horn is faulty, you will need alternative means to ensure your safety. @Superdavegod had to improvise a way of capturing the attention of other drivers while stuck in a traffic jam in Atlanta. He chose to knock on the windows of other vehicles, risking his arm despite going slowly.
5. If You Don’t Have Something Nice To Say…
People in your circle of friends should appreciate the little you have. If some clique members belittle your possessions, you should find a new crew. @MeShellaBella72 encountered a friend that didn’t appreciate a friend’s car while out for a band gig out of town.
While other band members flew in and rented cars, a friend chose to drive her car all the way there. As the band headed for dinner in the friend’s car, one bandmate made a big mistake by insulting their vehicle for the evening. We sincerely hope that he apologized for the comment.
6. From Bad To Worse
When people get sick, they visit the doctor or a hospital for immediate medical assistance. For vehicles, it’s a trip to the garage or car shop where the technicians will sort it out to ensure that it operates effectively. Unfortunately, sometimes a visit to the garage can make your car’s condition worse.
In this heartbreaking story, @courtgarrr lost her first car in a fire incident at the garage. We can imagine the loss incurred by car owners and the car shop. The fire razed down her car alongside other cars awaiting repairs in the shop at the time.
7. Disaster Averted?
When you try to exit the frying pan, you may end up in the fire. You need a practical plan to ensure that you exit a problem without creating a different problem, as @RyanBartholomee learned. Experienced drivers learn the importance of dodging carefully.
While his wife was behind the wheels, she dodged a pothole in their alley. Unfortunately, she ran into the minivan and a city dumpster. The couple escaped a pothole successfully but created more problems considering that they had to make various repairs.
8. Lightweight
Pranks by family and friends know no bounds. Instead of pulling a prank on you in the house or office, the adventurous friends may involve your car. @shaylahc1 was a victim of a workplace prank that left him clueless for a brief moment.
Four male colleagues chose to move his car to a different section of the parking lot. You can imagine the frustration of thinking that you’re going crazy, given that your car isn’t where you left it. Hopefully, his next car wasn’t one that could be carried away so easily.
9. “Dream On”
As portrayed in most movies, loud noise can shatter glass. Science proves that if the glass is subjected to a loud sound of steady high frequency, the buildup of vibrations can exceed the glass’ elasticity limit causing it to break. @NewsomScoob thought for a minute that the music he was blasting was too loud for his car’s windshield.
Steven Tyler’s voice came through singing “Dream On” at full blast. After assessing the damage, @NewsomScoob realized that his windshield was broken by a high-velocity pebble instead of the loud music. We can hope that after the incident, @NewsomScoob chose to play music at a lower volume to ensure he’s aware of everything happening around him.
10. Tough Terrain
The experiences of most first-time drivers are outright hilarious. In the initial days, you should start off easy and take more advantage of the road, level terrain, and traffic signs. While the privacy of off-roading, away from the gaze of other drivers and pedestrians is nice, you should get a bit more practice before tackling the Badlands.
For rough terrains, you need a beast to ensure that you don’t roll over. @llaurenmmhh learned that lesson the hard way when she was out off-roading with family in the Badlands. She rolled over her mom’s giant SUV just two days after earning her permit. How would your parent react to such an incident?
11. Who’s Horn Is That?
Car horns are loud to ensure they are heard clearly, even in noisy surroundings. Depending on the message, you can honk multiple times or press down the horn for prolonged honks. And if you’re feeling creative, you can press the horn with any part of your body, like your elbow, for instance.
If one presses the horn for long, most folks in the vicinity will react to the annoying sound. @PottysyMJ had a funny experience when the mom’s breast rested on the horn while her forearms were on the wheel. The mother was also irritated by the prolonged honking before realizing that she was the culprit.
12. Three Doors Down
Most drivers have found themselves trying to access the wrong car when they’re in a rush or absent-mindedly chatting on their phones. This could also happen if you fail to check the specs and license plate of the car you’re trying to enter.
@st8eofconfusion experienced this first-hand and almost drove the wrong truck home. We can forgive her for the mistake, considering that she had borrowed her father’s truck. It took the intervention of another man to help her realize that she was trying to open the wrong vehicle and had, in fact, parked her truck three spots over.
13. Batter Up
Inside most old cars, some parts may be faulty and unable to work as efficiently as required. In this case, the owner had to improvise a practical solution to keep their passengers comfortable without an expensive repair. For the best experience, you need a professional before the faulty parts break down further.
When the passenger seat of @BPNave’s car gave out, he had to improvise a simple method to keep the seat up. Looking at the picture, you may not realize that the passenger seat is broken at all. If the vehicle is at full capacity, one must support the front seat or maintain the bat’s position.
14. Unlucky Mailbox
If sharpening your driving skills in a housing complex or around the neighborhood, you may run into roadside posts and mailboxes. When driving too close to the pavement or parking the car, you should look for mailboxes to avoid causing damages.
Judging by this Twitter account, it’s common for drivers to run into mailboxes and other items by the road in the area. After @maestro915 hydroplaned into a mailbox, the homeowner expressed the pain of having to fix their mailbox for the eighth time. Maybe, next time, they should put it closer to the house.
15. Play It Again
While some people prefer driving in silence, others prefer to listen to music playing on the phone or car speakers. Before iTunes, Spotify, and CDs, your only options were to listen to the radio or use tapes. Funnily, if the tape in your cassette gets caught, you might risk breaking the player to get it out.
While on a 3-hour road trip, @pdaveb learned that your favorite song might not stay #1 if you’re unable to skip to the next track. His Sir Mix A Lot SWASS tape stuck in the tape player while on loop. He had to listen to “Buttermilk Biscuits” more than forty times.
16. Don’t Point Fingers
Sometimes we are too quick to judge wrong actions, often jumping to conclusions before digging deeper for more details. Think of an incident that leaves you hurling insults before realizing that you’re the main culprit. Would you kick yourself for the mistake?
When parking, you should ensure the brake is on. While entering the store, folks in the vicinity called out to @Marci42911824, but she dismissed the call while blaming an irresponsible driver that may have left their car in neutral. You can imagine her shock upon realizing that she was the one responsible for the commotion.
17. Duck And Cover!
Making friends is one of the best ways to ensure that you lead a better and healthier life. Enlarging your circle of friends also improves your exposure to new opportunities and experiences. However, some friendships just aren’t meant to be, and every once in a while, you may need to avoid someone.
In the process of dodging an unwanted encounter, @lindseykiwi hit her head on the roof of a friend’s car. Luckily, their grocery bags had something cold that she used to relieve the pain. We wonder what may have prompted her to avoid the person at the cost of her own wellbeing.
18. The Babysitter
When leaving your child in the hands of a babysitter, you may worry about their safety. After all, they’re in the care of another person without you around. With repeat babysitters, your child may develop certain habits, both good and bad, emanating from the reinforcement of behavior exercised.
@Overtired_Katie’s babysitter used a leaking car roof as punishment for misbehavior. While kids may get on your nerves most times, putting them under a leaking roof may not be the best form of discipline. However, we hope that @Overtired_Katie learned their lesson quickly enough and avoided many wet car rides.
19. No Failure Here
The common notion is that girls are unable to fix a broken-down car. Most women are afraid to get their hands dirty, while others simply don’t know how to make the necessary repairs. But desperate times call for desperate measures. This user proved that gender stereotypes can take a hike when you’re headed to an important event.
While headed to see The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, @molly_meador and her friend had to improvise or risk missing the show. The duo followed guidelines from @molly_meador’s dad via FaceTime to change the throttle body successfully and proceed to the show on time.
20. Just A Scratch
Most drivers are cautious to avoid mistakes that could jeopardize the car, other cars, pedestrians, and items by the road. Unfortunately, careful driving isn’t enough to keep your car damage-free. As this user learned, you don’t need to be on the road, or even behind the wheel, for your car to get into an accident.
@KatherineMJ_ shared her experience that could change your mind on the safety of public parking lots. After finding her car in a ruined state, she checked the security footage and found out that a huge truck drove by and grazed her vehicle. The reckless driver claimed she didn’t hear or feel the impact when it happened.
21. Using One Car To Find Another
When you can’t find your phone in your pocket or bag, your heart races faster. Imagine how much faster it would beat if the missing item were your car. What lengths you would go to in order to retrieve your vehicle before it vanishes into thin air.
@CTaylor8’s dad went above and beyond to get his car back at a shopping mall. He hired a taxi to drive around the parking space to find his car. If it happens again, he could save the money and try using the car’s alarm button instead.
22. Looking For The Wrong Car
After enough time with your car, you can locate it with ease, subconsciously considering the model and color. But what would you do if you can’t find it anywhere in the parking lot? @zajkrovaa panicked to the point that she involved police in the search for her car.
@Zajkrovaa shared an experience she had a week after getting a new car. While at the grocery store, she couldn’t locate her car, prompting her to involve the police to find her missing vehicle. You can imagine her relief, and embarrassment, upon discovering that she was looking for the wrong car.
23. Be Careful Where You Park Your Luggage
Female drivers are regular victims of sexist comments from other motorists and pedestrians based on the stereotype that women are poor drivers. It’s reached a point that jokes about poor driving are directly linked to women, often targeting them as the cause of various accidents.
While trying to prove to a male attendant that women can be good drivers, @the_eh_teamUSA’s mother ran over another couple’s luggage. In this instance, we can’t help but blame the couple for leaving their luggage carelessly in the way. Even a male driver could make a similar mistake.
24. Stranger Danger
With factories producing our cars, clothes, and technology, it’s not uncommon to meet people who have the same item as you. Without notable markers, it can be tricky to differentiate your property from the next person’s. To avoid strangers getting into your car by mistake, you should always keep your doors locked in parking spaces.
For most cars, the unique identifier is the license plate. Without paying attention to the license plate, you risk finding yourself in the driving seat of a foreign car. In a past event, @Leebird_ak found a stranger in her passenger seat. The stranger genuinely apologized, claiming that she had chosen a different car while expecting to surprise her boyfriend.
25. D-I-Wipers
Windshield wipers are a small part of the car one may rule out as insignificant to your overall safety and driving experience, but they should not be so easily overlooked. You need wipers to rid the windshield of snow, rain, dirt, pollen, snow, other debris, and raindrops to see ahead clearly.
If your wiper breaks and you can’t afford to fix it right away, you may need to get creative in order to avoid an accident. @Celizabeth107’s mom improvised a temporary solution by tying a shoelace to the wipers allowing her to pull and release when it rained to keep the windshield clear.
26. Brake, Not Lake
New drivers are easily overwhelmed; road safety involves a lot of checks that can be a bit much for beginners. The experience entails checking other cars on the road, confirming you’re abiding by the traffic rules, parking straight, and maintaining a full tank. Such distractions can affect your driving and parking experience.
@jbones96 forgot to put the parking brake on, allowing it to roll into a pond at his girlfriend’s house. Watching the car sink to the pond’s bottom must have been a reminder to always put the brake on. At least it earned him an award in his senior year.
27. An Unforgettable Encounter
No matter how cautious drivers are, accidents are inevitable, both on and off the roads. Accidents prove that humans are prone to error, though some just show that one needs more driving skills. And what, or who, you hit may determine the amount of trouble you face after that.
While most students think the worst of some teachers and lecturers, driving into them should be at the bottom of your to-do list. In an unprecedented accident in freshman year of college, @hannahwilllie hit her professor, who was riding a bike. Not a great first impression to make.
28. New Furnishings
Moving houses can be fun as you meet new neighbors, make new friends, and create fresh memories in different environments. Unfortunately, moving can be a bit overwhelming as you have to move clothes, appliances, and other essentials. Before you put large furniture in your car, you should think twice in order to avoid the dilemma of @elliemay1323.
@Elliemay1323 tried to move a beer pong table in her jeep, but the trunk wouldn’t open upon reaching the destination, leaving her no choice but to drive around with a table inside the car for weeks on end. We wonder if they had to make the jeep convertible to remove the table.
29. First Date Failure
On the first date, everybody aims to make an impression that could earn them a second date soon. Fumbling around with the controls and ignition of your car may send an impression that you’re a rookie or you have rented a car, sending your newfound love away.
In the case of @Coachthrift, he was unable to get the car out of park, only to find out he had to push on the brake pedal. While he may have made a fool of himself in front of a beautiful girl, the duo had an unforgettable first date.
30. Press Start To Begin
Just a decade and a half ago, car start buttons were only available in science fiction. Over the years, car manufacturers have made incredible advancements to maximize driver experience. With each new model, car manufacturers are introducing newer technologies for a better, and often safer, experience.
Wireless key fobs only require proximity to start the car, so you can keep your keys safe in your pocket or purse. @GGibson70 didn’t know that all you need to do is step on the brake and press the start button. He ended up calling the garage in a panic, asking why his new car wouldn’t start.
31. Check Your Pockets
Essential items are notorious for vanishing when you need them the most. You may turn the rooms inside out, searching for keys, phones, chargers, and wallets. Imagine the pain of losing your house or car keys while in a rush.
Twitter user @K1NOM3D shared an ordeal when he thought that he had locked his car keys in the car. He smashed the back window to retrieve the keys only to find them in his back pocket. While finding the key on him was a relief, the extra charges required to replace the window were not.
32. A Dangerous Seat
The car is a haven for the driver and passengers in equal measure. Unfortunately, without the proper care and maintenance, it may cause injuries that leave occupants afraid of riding in the car. In the case of @J_Max713, he experienced a car fail, making the seat electrocute those that sat on it.
After lightly injuring multiple passengers with electrical burns, @J_Max713 had to disconnect the electricity from the passenger seat. Resolving the problem protected future passengers from further injuries while protecting him from lonely rides. It must have been quite a shock (get it?) for the first person to discover this car fail.
33. Turn It Up
Two decades ago, listening to your music took a lot more effort than just downloading a song online. Unlike the high-tech vehicles we have today, cars of the past didn’t have entertainment systems, AC’s, push start buttons, and other automated systems. You needed to invent practical methods to improve your experience through the journey.
Boombox blasting and windows down was the best way to stay entertained and keep cool. @DevonKinzer recounts an experience dating back to the 90s in a car without an AC or radio. With the boombox in the backseat, the summer was great. That is, until the boombox melted in the summer heat.
34. The Birds
A convertible car is ideal for driving around town as you interact with beautiful scenery and people, especially on hot days. You can visit LA for a unique experience down the Sunset strip with your top down to let the wind blow your hair around as the sun illuminates your face.
While the experience is remarkable and beautiful, be ready for the unexpected. @itsleahbale shared their experience in which a bird flew into her friend’s face while driving with the sunroof open. Hopefully, it didn’t make too much of a mess inside the car.
35. One Size Fits All
The pride of owning an automobile has a way of making one feel special, especially if your classmates, friends, and family don’t. Most of the time, you get requests to take people places, giving you a chance to improve your driving skills as the designated driver.
@TheRealRando was the only car owner among his peers in college, meaning that his car was their vehicle of choice for group trips. However, only the driver’s side door worked, leaving the crew to enter or exit through the single opening, unofficially dubbing it a “clown car.”
36. Filled To The Brim
Without gas, your car may shift from a means of transport into a major liability, prompting you to push tonnes of weight to the next gas station. Most gas stations are adopting automated machines to facilitate self-service. In the early days, you may have had trouble filling your tank to the preferred quantity without complications.
In a previous experience, @MsRP22 filled their gas tank to the brim. She later learned that one hears a clicking sound when the tank is full. The darkness and rain prevented her from discovering the tank had overflowed, leaving a dangerous mess on the ground.
37. Hottest Car Of The Year
You are obligated to give every asset the utmost care and attention to ensure they operate efficiently under pressure. Without proper care, your car may change from a modern luxury to a lethal hazard. In some cases, poor care and maintenance can also make your car break down sooner than expected.
Seeing as the car is still in the driveway, we hope that the only thing damaged was the vehicle itself. @StarksTwins’s story is a cautionary tale to get your car serviced regularly. We wonder what happened that caused her mother’s car to self-destruct like that.
38. Helping or Hinderance?
Once in a while, due to no fault of their own, drivers find themselves stuck and at the mercy of fellow drivers, pedestrians, and other motorists before finding their way back to civilization. Seeing people on the streets giving a helping hand to a driver with a faulty car proves there’s hope for humanity.
@Gabriella_watt2 shared her hopeful story of being rescued when she was stuck on an icy hill. While the good Samaritans were busy flexing every muscle to get her off the icy tracks, putting her feet on the brake accidentally inhibited the vehicle from moving an inch.
39. Unwanted Passenger
While in the car, you expect to be cut away from the outside world. Unfortunately, your vehicle doesn’t translate into full protection from nature, creatures, and unprecedented phenomena. Once in a while, you may come across creepy crawlies that found a way into your sheltered vehicle.
@_Cassieeeeee_ had an accident after a huntsman spider crawled into the car through the window, prompting her to crash into two parked cars in an attempt to evade the spider. Sadly, it didn’t work as the spider waited for the tow truck with her.
40. A Pup Named Diesel
Without paying attention, you’ll find yourself with a tankful of the wrong type of gas. It’s an expensive and lengthy process to fix, often leaving you stranded while you wait for help. At 13, @Ayesports had an experience that reminded him to always use the right type of fuel.
At the time, @ayesports had accompanied his father to pick up a Dalmatian puppy. Regrettably, they forgot that the car required diesel and fueled up with the wrong type of gas. In honor of their troubled evening, they named the puppy Diesel, reminding them not to stock the wrong fuel.