I started programming in 1961 and have had a tech life full of "if it's documented, it's not a bug -- it's a feature" experiences in developing computer systems. However, the bug-as-a-feature I like most is automotive...
Like most cars, my Taurus needs to be in Park or Neutral to start; in fact, it can't normally be removed from Park without the key in the "on" position after being started. Then at one point it wouldn't shift out of Park even when the engine was running. Most people have experienced something like this -- usually you have to jiggle the steering wheel a little to release the steering lock and then shift. No luck doing this. After a lot of trial and error, the only way to start the car and actually drive it was to turn the ignition from lock, past off, to on, then off (not lock), shift into neutral and then start it normally.
Usually a problem like this is something to check out right away -- something's probably loose and it's only going to get looser and then fail completely at the most inopportune moment. However, I put it off. The car was used by several people (who then knew how to start it) and the keys were hung in a very public space. Twice in the month before I got around to taking the steering wheel apart, teenage car thieves tried to steal it during evening hours when there weren't many people around. They weren't successful because they couldn't get it into Drive before somebody noticed what was happening.
When I finally checked out the problem I found nothing loose or otherwise obvious problem in the mechanical or electrical systems and it's operated fine for the last six months -- including one more theft attempt -- as long as you follow the correct sequence. Kind of a freebie anti-theft feature.
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Like most cars, my Taurus needs to be in Park or Neutral to start; in fact, it can't normally be removed from Park without the key in the "on" position after being started. Then at one point it wouldn't shift out of Park even when the engine was running. Most people have experienced something like this -- usually you have to jiggle the steering wheel a little to release the steering lock and then shift. No luck doing this. After a lot of trial and error, the only way to start the car and actually drive it was to turn the ignition from lock, past off, to on, then off (not lock), shift into neutral and then start it normally.
Usually a problem like this is something to check out right away -- something's probably loose and it's only going to get looser and then fail completely at the most inopportune moment. However, I put it off. The car was used by several people (who then knew how to start it) and the keys were hung in a very public space. Twice in the month before I got around to taking the steering wheel apart, teenage car thieves tried to steal it during evening hours when there weren't many people around. They weren't successful because they couldn't get it into Drive before somebody noticed what was happening.
When I finally checked out the problem I found nothing loose or otherwise obvious problem in the mechanical or electrical systems and it's operated fine for the last six months -- including one more theft attempt -- as long as you follow the correct sequence. Kind of a freebie anti-theft feature.