Spent a whole afternoon chasing a 'bad' sensor that was just unplugged

I was working on a 2015 Ram 5500 with a persistent P0087 code, convinced it was a failing fuel pressure sensor. I replaced the sensor, checked the wiring harness, and even pulled the fuel pump before I finally saw the main connector under the dash was just loose. That was about $90 for the part and four hours of my Saturday gone. Anyone else ever miss something that simple and feel like a total goof?

4 comments

4 Comments

hernandez.gavin3mo agoMost Upvoted

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt and the dented pride. Spent an hour on a no-start once only to find the shifter wasn't fully in park. Those simple fixes are a special kind of humble pie.

michael8033mo ago

Feel that deep in my soul, @hernandez.gavin. Chased a weird engine click for an afternoon, checking every relay and connection. Finally noticed the hood wasn't latched all the way and the safety switch was doing its job. You just sit in the driver's seat for a minute, staring at nothing, questioning all your life choices. It's a rite of passage that never stops being a little funny and a lot annoying.

tessap973mo ago

Honestly though, isn't that the best kind of fix? You solved it yourself for free. Bet @michael803 felt way smarter after finding it than if a mechanic just told him.

oliviabutler1mo ago

Jumped in here to say this is exactly why I keep a labeled photo of every connector I unplug on my phone now. After I chased a "dead" alternator for two hours only to realize I forgot to plug the field wire back in after a test, I started snapping quick pics before I touch anything. It sounds so extra but it's saved me from that exact feeling of wanting to kick my own toolbox across the garage. Now I even label the photo folders by date and vehicle so I can find them again if something weird pops up later.