History Main / MyCarHatesMe

* In Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/{{Cujo}}'', mom and son are trapped for several days on a yard in a Ford Pinto by the eponymous dog. It's a Ford Pinto. They're (un)lucky the car got them there in the first place, (they went there to get it fixed) and it's surprising the dog jumping on the back of the thing didn't [[EveryCarIsAPinto cause it to explode]]. As King himself owned a Ford Pinto at one time, the choice of car is probably a TakeThat at Ford.

* ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' -- the moment it becomes critical for the time-traveling [=DeLorean=] to start up, it doesn't. There's an elaborate fan theory as to why this is, involving the supposition that the [=DeLorean=]'s time circuit is being used [[MeanwhileInTheFuture at another point in time]] (preventing the one in the "now" from working), but it could also just be {{Plot Driven|Breakdown}} PhlebotinumBreakdown. Of course, despite the fact that he was working on a very strict timetable, and failed to get moving as soon as his alarm went off, he still managed to hit the wire [[MillionToOneChance at the exact moment lightning struck]]. To be fair, the movie does establish that there is something wrong with the starter[[note]]Not precisely accurate, as we hear the starter trying to turn the engine over[[/note]], so it isn't as if the car ran perfectly until the very moment the plot needed it to break down. The [=DeLorean=]'s problems with breaking down were [[TheAllegedCar very much]] TruthInTelevision. It was also theorized that it was simply the the laws of time travel at work to keep time together. Marty wanted to go back to mall earlier to prevent the events of the movie thus far from happening. Since that would further complicate the situation (and have two Delorean's and Marties in the same area at once) the car failed to start until it was too late for him to do so.

* In ''Film/BehindTheMaskTheRiseOfLeslieVernon'', the DangerouslyGenreSavvy killer [[InvokedTrope sabotages]] his victims' cars before starting his attack, including the car of [[spoiler: the journalists]] who [[TooDumbToLive really should have seen it coming]].

* ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' -- the moment it becomes critical for the time-traveling [=DeLorean=] to start up, it doesn't. There's an elaborate fan theory as to why this is, involving the supposition that the [=DeLorean=]'s time circuit is being used [[MeanwhileInTheFuture at another point in time]] (preventing the one in the "now" from working), but it could also just be {{Plot Driven|Breakdown}} PhlebotinumBreakdown. Of course, despite the fact that he was working on a very strict timetable, and failed to get moving as soon as his alarm went off, he still managed to hit the wire [[MillionToOneChance at the exact moment lightning struck]]. To be fair, the movie does establish that there is something wrong with the starter[[note]]Not precisely accurate, as we hear the starter trying to turn the engine over[[/note]], so it isn't as if the car ran perfectly until the very moment the plot needed it to break down. The [=DeLorean=]'s problems with breaking down were [[TheAllegedCar very much]] TruthInTelevision. It was also theorized that it was simply the the laws of time travel at work to keep time together. Marty wanted to go back to mall earlier to prevent the events of the movie thus far from happening. Since that would further complicate the situation (and have two Delorean's and Marty's in the same area at once) the car failed to start until it was too late for him to do so.

* ''DoubleIndemnity''. They've pulled off the perfect crime, the plan's unfolded like clockwork, they hop in the getaway car and exchange a grin of triumph... cue trope. Supposedly inspired by director Billy Wilder trying to drive off the lot during a break in filming the scene.

* Seen several times on the classic ''[[Series/TheTwilightZone Twilight Zone]]'':

* ''NeedfulThings'': Later called back, as one of the characters ends up next to the same house where the events of ''Cujo'' happened. Then she thinks she hears a dog growling. Then she thinks she sees glowing red eyes to match the growling. Then her car won't start. Then, as whatever it is starts moving towards her...[[spoiler:the car finally starts and she gets away. Phew.]]

* At the end of ''Film/TheStoningOfSorayaM'', when the journalist tries to flee the village, his car breaks down in the middle of the road. He managers to restart it JustInTime before the mob arrives.

[[caption-width-right:259: And quite often, the feeling's mutual.]]

** "A Thing About Machines" features a man who hates machinery being murdered by his car>

Note that even if the car is stalled during an earthquake on a burning railroad track with a train coming from each direction and a nuclear warhead heading toward the area, the driver will keep turning the ignition key, hitting the gas pedal, and praying, "Please start, please start...". The driver won't try abandoning the car and running for it, even if the danger is slow and distant enough to evade on foot. Chalk it up to either GenreBlindness or being horrifically attached to personal property. Some may even get out only to apply PercussiveMaintenance to the hood, which has a higher success rate than you would guess.

The BigBad, TheDragon, and everything with teeth are just outside the character's locked car door, salivating and howling to get in. Naturally, the car will not start. No doubt the character is thinking "My car hates me."

Note that even if the car is stalled during an earthquake on a burning railroad track with two trains coming and a nuclear warhead heading toward the area, the driver will keep turning the ignition key, hitting the gas pedal, and praying, "Please start, please start...". The driver won't try abandoning the car and running for it, even if the danger is slow and distant enough to evade on foot. Chalk it up to either GenreBlindness or being horrifically attached to personal property. Some may even get out only to apply PercussiveMaintenance to the hood, which has a higher success rate than you would guess.

* TheOffspring's "Bad Habit" is a song about an AxCrazy guy who DrivesLikeCrazy with a gun on his hand. The singer [[http://books.google.com/books?id=3R7GZ8ghL8wC&pg=PA90 said he was inspired by]] [[TheAllegedCar his old Chevette that "wasn't really able to reach freeway speeds"]] and thus left him with feelings of revenge.

* ''{{Exmortis}} 2'': In the Point and Click game, there's a mini game of this trope. The player must find the keys to start a car in the back yard of a building while the [[RedSkyTakeWarning clouds of Exmotis]] approach him.

* ''DeadRising'': The intro scene features a young mother and child attempting to start their car, to find themselves surrounded by zombies and their car hates them.

* ''IntoTheNight'': Inverted. Insomniac Creator/JeffGoldblum, who drove to the airport after finding his wife in ''flagrante delicto,'' has decided to go back home, but he can't get his car started. Enter Michelle Pfeiffer, being chased by Iranian diamond smugglers. She jumps into his car and tells him to go -- and the car starts right up!

* ''TheEmpireStrikesBack'': The Millennium Falcon. The ship flies just fine, but the faster-than-light "hyperdrive" system is unreliable. Of course, this happens the first time after taking damage in battle, and the second time because of sabotage at the place of repair. Once R2-D2 manages to find and fix the uncoupled power coupling, it functions perfectly for the duration of the final film.

* In the third ''{{Tremors}}'' movie, Desert Jack has a switch in his jeep that he uses to deliberately invoke this trope to make his Graboid safaris more exciting.

* Invoked in ''The White Riders'' by Monica Edwards -- the villain, a CorruptCorporateExecutive, suspects the teenage heroes are sabotaging his project to build a holiday camp. So he takes them out in his car, which then breaks down, stranding them where they can't do any harm. Or rather, as the youngsters soon realise, the car had been modified so he could simulate a breakdown at will.

* Happens to two cops who try to escape the title creature in ''{{Tarantula}}''. This is especially strange given it was a (then) brand new 1955 car.

* In the first ''Franchise/EvilDead'' film. The car actually starts when the side-passenger says that she ''knows'' it won't start.

* ''[[Film/TheMummyTrilogy The Mummy Returns]]'': Rick's car hates Jonathan. He tries to start it when he hears fighting so that when Rick, Evie and Ardeth emerge from the British Museum they can all get away, but instead the key snaps off in the ignition and Jonathan has to steal a double decker bus.

* ''Film/{{Terminator 2}}'': John Connor's motorcycle fails to start while trying to escape from the [[BigBad T-1000]] until it eventually gets going and he makes his escape.

* ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' -- the moment it becomes critical for the time-traveling [=DeLorean=] to start up, it doesn't. There's an elaborate fan theory as to why this is, involving the supposition that the [=DeLorean=]'s time circuit is being used [[MeanwhileInTheFuture at another point in time]] (preventing the one in the "now" from working), but it could also just be {{Plot Driven|Breakdown}} PhlebotinumBreakdown. Of course, despite the fact that he was working on a very strict timetable, and failed to get moving as soon as his alarm went off, he still managed to hit the wire [[MillionToOneChance at the exact moment lightning struck]]. To be fair, the movie does establish that there is something wrong with the starter[[note]]Not precisely accurate, as we hear the starter trying to turn the engine over[[/note]], so it isn't as if the car ran perfectly until the very moment the plot needed it to break down. The [=DeLorean=]'s problems with breaking down were [[TheAllegedCar very much]] TruthInTelevision. It was also theorized that it was simply the the laws of time travel at work to keep time together. Marty wanted to go back to mall earlier to prevent the events of the movie thus far from happening. Since that would further complicate the situation (and have two Delorian's and Marty's in the same area at once) the car failed to start until it was too late for him to do so.

* ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' -- the moment it becomes critical for the time-traveling [=DeLorean=] to start up, it doesn't. There's an elaborate fan theory as to why this is, involving the supposition that the [=DeLorean=]'s time circuit is being used [[MeanwhileInTheFuture at another point in time]] (preventing the one in the "now" from working), but it could also just be {{Plot Driven|Breakdown}} PhlebotinumBreakdown. Of course, despite the fact that he was working on a very strict timetable, and failed to get moving as soon as his alarm went off, he still managed to hit the wire [[MillionToOneChance at the exact moment lightning struck]]. To be fair, the movie does establish that there is something wrong with the starter, so it isn't as if the car ran perfectly until the very moment the plot needed it to break down. The [=DeLorean=]'s problems with breaking down were [[TheAllegedCar very much]] TruthInTelevision. It was also theorized that it was simply the the laws of time travel at work to keep time together. Marty wanted to go back to mall earlier to prevent the events of the movie thus far from happening. Since that would further complicate the situation (and have two Delorian's and Marty's in the same area at once) the car failed to start until it was too late for him to do so.

* ''TheGmodIdiotBox'': Episode 7 up with a guy (presumably [[ThisLoserIsYou a parody of YouTube visitors on DasBoSchitt's profile]]) not bothering to read the video description. A Combine soldier then attacks his house. His first instinct is to escape in his car, but it does not start and is promptly taken to the air by the soldier. Next the guy attempts starting the ''door knob'' and then a ''home telephone'', both times failing, and finally gets hit hard in the ear by the soldier.