Taking the plunge. My journey as an O/O.

So. Finally got my old truck over to Ritchie Bros. a bit East of Columbus, signed for the new truck, loaded all my old stuff in the new truck, and....

Went to shop for odds and ends + groceries, and when I get back, the truck is utterly dead.

I had turned off the disconnect switch instead of simply leaving the truck because I noticed I had left every single light in the truck on, and didn't feel like climbing back into the sleeper to turn them all off.

Either the disconnect switch is dead, the disconnect controller relay is dead, or there is a catastrophic failure in the power or electronics systems.

My money's on a dead relay.

Better to happen in the yard than out on the road, or at a customer's.

So, I am in a hotel on the company's dime now.

 

I doubt I will go o/o again, but if I do, that particular adventure will need to wait until my mother retires and decides where she wants to live.

 

So, first night in the new truck. I wake up at 0500 and the truck is 85F in the sleeper.

Fiddled with opti-idle and could not find anything wrong.

Called breakdown, and was advised of known Freightliner design flaw.

The temperature control in the cab should be set to max cold to let the truck cool as fast as possible BUT if you turn the temperature control in the sleeper to max cold, the opti-idle will activate only one time for temperature, then not again unless the block temperature or battery level get low.

So, if you hear anyone talking about their new-ish Freightliner with opti idle failing to keep the sleeper cool, make sure they know to NOT turn the sleeper temperature to max cold. One click off max works. I have verified this.

 

I am planning a post like that, and I could write it decently right now, but want to think about it a day or two more.

No better way to think about it than driving.

I have 684 miles to final from where I stopped this morning, so I will have a full, mostly uninterrupted day of driving today, and a short leg to drop tomorrow AM.

I might post a wrap-up tonight. I will still report on the sale of the truck, and dealing with Ritchie Brothers as well, since selling trucks is part of being an o/o.

 

Well, I was planning on recapping my o/o time with Crete tonight, but I am too irritated to be fully rational right now.

My current truck has some sort of many-faceted broken #### in it.

First night, truck completely dies except a couple lights.

Second night, I learn that Freightliner hired incompetent programmers to write climate control code, because the system is too retarded to work when turned to full cold.

Third night, bunk AC worked most of the night, then failed at around 0500.

Today as I am driving down the road, I notice my cab dome light is turning itself on and off. I need to drive until 2230 or so to make ontime delivery and not screw up my two preplans.

Park the truck near the receiver, and power cycle the unit using the cab power disconnect, go inside for 15 minutes or so, then return to the truck, turn it on, and the light show in the cab resumes.

Fortunately the lights in the sleeper are not poltergeisting, so I should sleep tonight.

Trying to decide how long to deal with this crap before I start making loud noises to get a different truck.

 

Well, finally got a couple bits of reasonable help from Crete shop guys.

First one told me to pull my sleeper light control panel and check it for moisture. No luck. New Freightliner vents are not directly over the light control panel like old ones were.

Second tech told me that the newest year Freightliners had a known software issue that would cause the cab done light to turn off and on, that any Crete shop should be able to get their resident Freightliner tech to straighten it out.

In the meantime, I have 'fixed' the light with half a roll of electrical tape. I will hit the Mechanicsburg terminal tomorrow and hopefully have the lighting issue resolved Monday AM.

We shall see.