History Main / MyCarHatesMe

* ''Series/WhoseLineIsItAnyway'' had a RunningGag in the "Sound Effects" game[[note]]The version where Ryan Styles provides sound effects for Colin Mochrie[[/note]]: Every time Colin tried to start his car, Ryan would make sounds of the engine failing; as soon as Colin got out to look, Ryan would mime [[MurphysLaw the car driving off without him]]. Which prompted Colin to [[CrazyAwesome chase it down on foot]].

* ''Machinima/TheGModIdiotBox'': Parodied in the beginning of [[https://youtu.be/tMjTzc_QMwc Episode 7]], where [[TakeThatAudience a viewer of DasBoSchitt's videos]] is pursued by [[StrawFan #1]] for [[FelonyMisdemeanor not reading the video description]]. He makes a mad dash towards his car and tries to escape in it, but the engine naturally won't start. The trope is then taken to ridiculous levels when the frightened man tries to unlock the front door to his house and operate the homne telephone within by attempting to ''crank them up'' as with any other car, complete with ''engine sounds''.

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."

[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''Machinima/TheGModIdiotBox'': Episode 7 up with a guy ([[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 [[DopeSlap beaned on the nose by the soldier.]]
[[/folder]]

** Variations include the OldWest-themed game with Colin's ''horse'' doing the same, and the ''Franchise/StarWars''-themed game where Jedi Colin used the Force to stop his ship.

* In ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'', Hank's truck is at the end of its life, but he refuses to buy a new one because of the memories associated with it and keeps trying to repair it, with little success. While driving back from a truck dealership (which he had been lead to believe was a mechanic), it stalls on train tracks. While working on the starter to get it to start, a train is approaching, so he frantically tries to start it, which it does, only to immediately die. Hank jumps out and tries to signal for the train to stop, which it can't do in time and crashes into his truck.

* ''Film/{{Octopussy}}'': The DiabolicalMastermind's car at the end. [[spoiler:Especially panic-inducing, as he was trying to escape his own TimeBomb. It started on the second try, though.]]

* ''Series/BlackMirror''. The episode "Metalhead" (which draws inspiration from horror films, but with KillerRobot Dogs instead of zombies) has a variation when someone's desperately trying to hack into the computer of an AutomatedVehicle before the Dog catches up with him. He succeeds, only for the Dog to run him down and kill him, then hack into the vehicle so it can be used to chase the protagonist as well. The protagonist plays the trope straight when she's able to evade the Dog and get to a car, only to find out it's run out of fuel. Unfortunately the battery is still working and turns on the car radio, drawing the Dog to her.

** In "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" (first aired February 4th, 1960), perhaps the earliest instance of this trope on TV, an entire neighborhood loses its power, cars as well as electricity. When one guy's car ''does'' start running, everyone assumes he's guilty of something.

* On 15th February 2011 US Special Agent Jaime Zapata was driving through a [[GangsterLand particularly dangerous area]] of Mexico when he was ambushed by a heavily armed gang. This should not have been too much of a problem because he was driving a [[CoolCar specially armoured Chevy Suburban]] capable of withstanding anything short of an RPG, and the ambushers only had [=AK47s=], but when he stopped the car and put it in Park the car helpfully unlocked its doors. Zapata was killed and his fellow agent seriously injured.
* There was a popular trick in the Eastern Bloc [[CrapsackWorld during the Communist times]], to make sure the cars (or heavy machinery) start during the nastiest winters in the wilderness. Keep a pot in the trunk, drain the coolant (usually straight water, when not even antifreeze will work) when you expect freezing temps overnight. Cut a few branches of wood in the morning, light a fire, heat the water to near-boiling temp and pour it directly into the radiator cap. The pre-heated engine always started this way. It proved quite useful during the harsh winters [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo on the Eastern Front]]. [[{{UsefulNotes/RedsWithRockets}} Soviet military]] later built directly into the engine bays small gasoline-powered heaters to heat the coolant and oil before engine starts.

* ''Film/{{Quicksand}}'': Dan's jalopy, whir has already been established as unreliable, throws a main bearing just as he and Helen are starting their RunForTheBorder.

A favorite device of the SlasherMovie and {{Horror}} in general. A common consequence of driving TheAllegedCar. Also see PlotSensitiveItems. Can be preceded by a DangerousKeyFumble, if the bad guys are a bit too far away to catch up. Often occurs after engaging in AutoErotica.

* ''Literature/{{Christine}}'': The basic plot of the Creator/StephenKing novel. To be fair, she didn't hate her owner -- she was [[WomanScorned just]] [[ClingyJealousGirl jealous]] of his girlfriend.

* A variant occurs in ''Series/Jessie'': Zuri's race car driver costume includes an electric race car her size, and the tires end up breaking off when she and Luke try to flee a pair of CreepyTwins. (Granted, Luke adding extra weight to the car probably didn't help in that regard.)