2023 Mirage stereo lacks fade

[7milesout]

It seems a lot of the car is designed to be used by idiots.

Many engineers have to work through a work package in the development phase of a project, which includes identifying "Foreseeable & Unintended Abuse." Maybe not the exact words. But part of the process is to (try to) figure out all the ways that IDIOTS will do something idiotic either on purpose or accidently. We have to conjure a list of this idiotic crap, and then go through a process of determining potential solutions to prevent wear or breaking from exposure to idiotic crap ... and estimate the cost to implement potential solutions. Depending on the cost, said solutions may or may not be implemented.

And then there's a big meeting held, and the really really smart guys take a few minutes out of their day to criticize your thoroughness & timeliness of the process, they ask for more work due by the end of the day, then they head out to the golf course for liqour and grabass, and pat each other on the back and talk about how smart they are. It is within these big meetings (and other smaller meetings and informal discussions) where the really important and smart guys start many sentences with, "All you gotta do is ..." which if they were doing would be super simple and quick, but doesn't pan out that way for us knuckle-dragging, mouth drooling moron engineers. Just an average day for nerd engineers.

[Fummins]

Many engineers have to work through a work package in the development phase of a project, which includes identifying "Foreseeable & Unintended Abuse." Maybe not the exact words. But part of the process is to (try to) figure out all the ways that IDIOTS will do something idiotic either on purpose or accidently. We have to conjure a list of this idiotic crap, and then go through a process of determining potential solutions to prevent wear or breaking from exposure to idiotic crap ... and estimate the cost to implement potential solutions. Depending on the cost, said solutions may or may not be implemented.

And then there's a big meeting held, and the really really smart guys take a few minutes out of their day to criticize your thoroughness & timeliness of the process, they ask for more work due by the end of the day, then they head out to the golf course for liqour and grabass, and pat each other on the back and talk about how smart they are. It is within these big meetings (and other smaller meetings and informal discussions) where the really important and smart guys start many sentences with, "All you gotta do is ..." which if they were doing would be super simple and quick, but doesn't pan out that way for us knuckle-dragging, mouth drooling moron engineers. Just an average day for nerd engineers.

Idiot proof something and they'll invent a better idiot.

I too get the "all you gotta do" line often enough. Or "Why don't you do it this way?" Because that's stupid and won't work. Sometimes I do it their way just to prove they're wrong. That usually doesn't backfire. Usually...

My favorite is being asked to fix a $10 part that takes hours to do, obviously costing the company far more but hey, on paper they didn't spend any money so yay, someone gets a gold star!

[inuvik]

Idiot proof something and they'll invent a better idiot.

I too get the "all you gotta do" line often enough. Or "Why don't you do it this way?" Because that's stupid and won't work. Sometimes I do it their way just to prove they're wrong. That usually doesn't backfire. Usually...

My favorite is being asked to fix a $10 part that takes hours to do, obviously costing the company far more but hey, on paper they didn't spend any money so yay, someone gets a gold star!

I work in government and one of my favorite quotes about how things operate around here is this: "If you want to save a nickel, spend a dollar". All sorts of redonkulous projects like "this will save $300,000 USD over 5 years". The unspoken part is that it took 5 million dollars to implement

[Fummins]

Speaking of Fords, I got a 2020 Dodge truck in the shop and the tailgate won't open. It's got the stupid electric button to open it and power lock via keyfob or inside truck. I got nothing happening back there. Backup camera works but nothing otherwise. I'd love to see engineers explain how an electric tailgate on a work truck was a great idea.

Edit: I got it open. Manually. Had to remove wood bed liner, then metal cover where the rods should be but now it's all wires. The latches on each end are made of plastic. They do have little levers on them you can turn to release them. Or at least I think that's what they're for. I can imagine how fun this would be if there was a tonneau cover on this thing.

Just for shats I tried scanning this thing, my scanner was just updated. It kinda connects then says to install an adapter that I don't have in some weird place behind the dash. I ignored it and carried on, and it won't communicate with anything. No obdII, nada. I think I'm gonna retire early. Things are getting too needlessly stupid.

[klroger]

I think I'm gonna retire early. Things are getting too needlessly stupid.

Yep, I had a gentleman bring in a walk behind snow blower a couple weeks ago for a tune-up. When I was working on it I thought "That's the weirdest Carb I've ever saw on a snow blower... Turns out it's FUEL INJECTED!!! On a walk behind snow blower!!!!

[7milesout]

I ignored it and carried on, and it won't communicate with anything. No obdII, nada. I think I'm gonna retire early. Things are getting too needlessly stupid.

Stellantis!!!

[Fummins]

Stellantis!!!

It just keeps getting better! I acquired this fancy 12+8 adapter. Then had to find out where it plugs in. Found a video showing a 2020 dodge 1/2 ton, completely different than this 2020 2500...Turns out you gotta pull 4 pieces of trim off then you can access the speedometer then if you have gangly arms you can squeeze between the defrost ducting and unplug some module then pull the connectors forward to plug into the adapter that plugs into the other adapter that connects to the scanner...Easy!
And then...Connect the scanner, it does it's thing then comes up with a network error code again. Turns out it's not a canbuss network error it's the scanner not connecting to the interwebs network error. So I use my hotspot on my phone cause there's no wifi where I'm at. Start updating the scanner and the memory is full. It's got a memory card installed but it's effed for some reason. At this point, I think it's just easier to sell the truck and buy beer. It'd be sitting at the dealer right now if it had any warranty left. I should look up recalls and see if there are any?
While I was digging around in the dash I pulled a panel off above the e-brake release handle. There was this orange strap connected to a lever. My fearless leader told me to pull it for no apparent reason. I thought that was dumb so didn't. It's connected to a large cable similar to a shift cable. I assume it's an emergency thingy to allow you to shift the transmission into neutral manually because the electronic dial shifter is nice(though I hate it) until it isn't.

This kinda got derailed a little bit.

[Eggman]

We had radios mounted on rear tractor fenders in the 1970's that would put the Mirage to shame!

Let's see the pictures of this!

[Mark]

Let's see the pictures of this!

I can't produce a picture of the one we had in the 1970's, but it could be heard well above the sound of a diesel tractor without a cab. My dad used to get mad at my brother & I for cranking it so loud. My dad is pretty deaf in his left ear, because most equipment like mowers, haybines, balers, corn choppers, corn pickers were always set up for the right side of the tractor. Thus, your face was turned to the right a lot, which exposed your left ear towards the exhaust pipe coming off the top of the front hood.

I remember when I was 14, & I was loading the wagon with small square bales. My 11 year old brother was driving our large diesel tractor. My mom was unloading wagons up at the barn, and my dad was stacking the bales in the haymow. We were near the end of the day, & my dad told me to fit whatever was left on the field on the wagon because rain was coming. So instead of stacking the bales about 5 high, I started the back of the load about 7-8 high. I was really loading it up, climbing bales to do so at that age.

We had one big hill in the middle of that field. As we were going over that hill, I could hear the wood beams of the wagon starting to crack. I yelled at the top of my lungs at my little brother to STOP. He never heard me, because he was blasting the tractor radio. As the wagon started to crest the top of the hill, the back third of the wagon completely snapped off. I jumped off the wagon, the load I had started was laying on the back side of the hill top. My brother just kept on going without looking back. Eventually, he did look back. He saw me up on top of the hill, the load I had started was gone, and the bales were dropping on the ground from the baler chute. We all laugh about it today! I remember us building new hay wagon racks that winter. Eventually, I was replaced by a bale thrower when I started college & had summer jobs elsewhere.


I don't have a picture of that 1970's tractor fender radio, but this is what one would like today -

https://www.rdoequipment.com/product...PerformanceMax