History Main / PercussiveMaintenance

* ''WebCOmic/SaturdayMorningBrakfastCereal'': [[https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/punch Punch"]] explains that the modenr day is so stressed because modern technology isn't fit to be punched any more so you can't take out your anger on it when it doesn't work.

* ''VideoGame/DeepRockGalactic'' has a series of pre-made and comically nonsensical 'construction-ish' animations play when you are performing any sort of repair or construction in the game. For sentries, satellite uplinks, fuel cells, mini-mules, and cargo crates, you build/activate these items with brisk repeated whacks of a hammer. For other objective items such as pipelines or rock crackers, the series of random animations includes a few brisk whacks with a pipe wrench.

* In [[http://www.egscomics.com/sketchbook/?date=2005-02-05 this]] ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' filler strip, [[AuthorAvatar Dan]] uses this to fix his computer.

* ''Film/TheDarkKnight'': Joker's attempt at an UnflinchingWalk is foiled when the explosives [[WheresTheKaboom don't go off]]. He looks around in annoyance and smacks his detonator until they go off.

* Halfway through the video for Music/UB40's "Dont Break My Heart", Ali Campbell's lip-syncing is interrupted by the music [[BrokenRecord skipping like a record]]. He walks over to a jukebox and thumps it, putting the music back on track and continuing where he left off.

* Halfway through the video for Music/UB40's "Dont Break My Heart", Ali Campbell's lip-syncing is interrupted by the music [[RepetitiveAudioGlitch skipping like a record]]. He walks over to a jukebox and thumps it, putting the music back on track and continuing where he left off.

* Halfway through the video for Music/UB40's "Dont Break My Heart", Ali Campbell's lip-syncing is interrupted by the music skipping like a record. He walks over to a jukebox and thumps it, putting the music back on track and continuing where he left off.

* ''TabletopGame/{{FATE}}'':

[[quoteright:266:Hey! I was watching that!]]

* Referenced in ''Film/MinorityReport''. When John has Precog Agatha hooked up to a recording device to see her visions and sees one he saw before, he tells the techie he's shanghaied into helping him to "slow it down." He responds by asking, "Slow it down? What do you want me to do, whack her in the head?"

* ''Film/{{Oblivion|2013}}'': Jack does this to make the Bubble Ship restart when it gets struck by lightning the first time.

* In "The Great Swamp Search" from ''WesternAnimation/TheOctonauts'', Ranger Marsh tries this on a malfunctioning radio. It doesn't work, but Captain Barnacles is able to get it to work with a more delicate touch.
* In ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'', Skipper tries to smack a malfunctioning flashlight. It works... for all of about three seconds, and then fizzles out again.
* In "Flooded Burrow" on ''WesternAnimation/PeterRabbit'', Peter and his friends use a vacuum-like device to get the water out of the flooded burrow. Later, when the owl Old Brown threatens to attack, Peter decides to try to reverse it in order to spray him, but isn't sure how. Benjamin suggests giving it a kick, and does so. He ends up suffering AgonyOfTheFeet for it, but it also works, albeit with a bit of a delay.
* Lampshaded in the ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' episode "Hide and Seek" when Dr. Doof tries gets his IncrediblyObviousBug working by after repeatedly hitting his monitor.

* In an episode of ''Animation/{{Pucca}}'' Abyo tries to do this with a kick, searching to repair a problem with the time clock of the Master Soo's temple, [[spoiler:which because the dragon was sleeping (it was the main mechanism of the clock), it was causing a [[GroundhogDayLoop day loop]], which only Garu could detect]], but he couldn't repair the problem. Their two attempts caused [[spoiler:that the time was going to forward and back respectively]]. Then, the Master Soo came and with a punch he can solve the problem with the clock... or well, [[spoiler:until that Pucca came later, but that's another story]].
* In a cartoon in ''Series/DieSendungMitDerMaus'' the mouse wants to make a photo of herself. All the photo machine produces are elephants. This trope doesn't help a bit. Why is revealed when the mouse opens the maintenance lid: the machine is a fake and the little blue elephant inside does the pics with crayons.

%%* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' -- Same thing happened to Homer Simpson.
* In "Pizza Delivery" in ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', Spongebob panics and floors a car down the highway until it runs out of gas. Stranded in the middle of nowhere, Squidward gets out of the car and kicks the bumper, causing the driverless car to refill itself and then speed away in reverse, presumably back to the Krusty Krab.

-->-- '''Lev''', ''Film/{{Armageddon}}''

* Done in ''Film/{{Armageddon}}'', when the crew was stranded on an asteroid: The [[Creator/PeterStormare Russian cosmonaut]] fixed the ship by banging the engines with a wrench, possibly in a ShoutOut to ''Franchise/StarWars''

** ''Film/{{Captain Marvel|2019}}'': Done with a Skrull tapping on ''[[ItMakesSenseInContext Carol's forehead]]'', of all things, as they are watching her memories. With Talos even telling the guy who did it "that did something, do it again" like they're working with a glitchy old television.* In ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol'' the famous ThisPageWillSelfDestruct trope is spoofed by having Ethan's IMF briefing (hidden in a Russian public phone) fail to self destruct after five seconds. Ethan walks back and thumps the phone, which finally produces the expected puff of smoke.* ''Film/{{Oblivion|2013}}'': Jack does this to make the Bubble Ship restart when it gets struck by lightning the first time.

* In ''Manga/{{Doraemon}}'', this is the preferred method of television repair because Nobita's family cannot afford a new one (Nobita's mother even shows Doraemon the preferred angle at which to whack) until Doraemon uses a magic cloth to restore the television to brand new condition.

** ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'' features Percussive Maintenance in its most basic form, with Dante punching a jukebox to get it to play (''"This party is gettin' crazy!"''). Destroying a jukebox in Mission 3 will inexplicably incite it to play a few notes (a remix of the combat theme from ''[=DMC1=]'').

* Wolff, the [[LovableRogue Solo-wannabe]] from ''Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone'', calls this "Emergency Repair Procedure #1".

* The climax of the action movie, ''Film/BigBullet'', have Sergant Bill and his trainees infiltrating a military plane hijacked by terrorists to prevent it from taking off. Bill's youngest rookie, Apple, managed to get herself in the cockpit, and after some failed attempts to stop the plane from moving by pressing dials and knobs on the controls, she instead decide to kick the pedals in desperation. It ''works''.

* Used by Peter Ustinov's character Jules in ''Film/WereNoAngels'' (1955). He opens a lockbox by meditating, then tapping it with the edge of his hand. So this may be OlderThanTheyThink.\

* The climax of the action movie, ''Film/BigBullet'', have Sergant Bill and his trainees infiltrating a military plane hijacked by terrorists to prevent it from taking off. Bill's youngest rookie, Apple, managed to get herself in the cockpit, and after some failed attempts to stop the plane from moving by pressing dials and knobs on the controls, she instead decide to kick the pedals in desperation. It ''works''.
* Used by Peter Ustinov's character Jules in ''Film/WereNoAngels'' (1955). He opens a lockbox by meditating, then tapping it with the edge of his hand. So this may be OlderThanTheyThink.
* ''Film/TheLongestDay'':
-->'''Capt. Colin Maud:''' ''[walking up to a stalled vehicle]'' My old grandmother used to say, "Anything mechanical? Give it a good bash."\\
''[hits hood with his swagger stick]''\\
'''Capt. Colin Maud:''' Try it now.\\
''[vehicle cranks]''\\
'''Private Flanagan:''' That did it sir!
* Dick van Dyke's character in ''Film/ChittyChittyBangBang'' used this in the form of a kick on the Truly Scrumptious Doll's stand when she stopped rotating mid-song.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** Han Solo uses this method to fix a sputtering ''Millennium Falcon'', in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''. Given the general state of the ship and Han's personality, it's a minor miracle that he only does this ''once''. This was apparently an ad-lib by Harrison Ford when the lights on the Falcon prop failed to illuminate as expected. It would seem that hitting the prop actually did fix it.
** In the [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Expanded Universe]], he does it often enough that he and Lando (the ''Falcon'''s previous owner and one of Han's best friends) refer to it as "Emergency Repair Procedure Number One".
** Inverted in one instance in ''[[Literature/HandOfThrawn Specter of the Past]]'', where for once the ''Falcon'' is working fine until Chewie, manning the communications, gets mad at the guy on the other end and smashes the switch.
** A ShoutOut to Han's repair method is given in the film ''Film/{{Fanboys}}''.
** Director Irvin Kershner said it was an homage to ''Film/TheAfricanQueen'' where Creator/HumphreyBogart's character Charlie Alnutt beats the engine of his boat to get it to start it back up again.
** In ''Film/TheLastJedi'', a First Order officer assumes the monitor showing the status of ''Supremacy'''s shield is on the fritz, and taps his finger on the display to restore it to normal. In reality, this was caused by [[spoiler:DJ lowering the shield in that area, allowing Finn, Rose, and himself to board ''Supremacy''.]]

* Film/AceVentura also has to do this while his [[MyCarHatesMe problematic car]] is under attack by an angry man.
* The title character of ''Film/JudgeDredd'' uses this to get a Mark 4 Lawmaster (flying motorcycle) to work.
* DoubleSubverted in ''Film/GoldenEye''. After the car of the CIA agent transporting Film/JamesBond breaks, said agent tinkers with it, finally asking Bond for a hammer ("No, [not that one,] the sledge.") He leans over and lightly taps the engine with the gigantic hammer, then steps back and swings it full strength, making it run again. Joe Don Baker doesn't ''do'' subtlety.
* The Julie Andrews Movie Musical ''Film/ThoroughlyModernMillie'' (as well as the TheMusical adaptation for the stage) featured an old timey elevator that you had to tap-dance in to get started.
* ''Film/HudsonHawk''. While Eddie is climbing on top of the Vatican he jostles a television aerial causing the Pope's TV set to have wavy lines. The Pope tries to get the set working by hitting it with his staff.
* At one point in ''Film/FastTimesAtRidgemontHigh'', a locker is opened by hitting it just right.
* The ship's boiler in ''Film/TheAfricanQueen'' has to be kicked vigorously every morning to get started. Charlie explains that this is caused by a screwdriver stuck inside. He admits he could open the panel and remove it, but he leaves it in there because [[PercussiveTherapy kicking it is kind of fun]].

* In ''Film/IronEagle'', Charles "Chappy" Sinclair turns his jukebox on by kicking it, and off by slapping it.

* In the made-for-TV film ''[[Series/BabylonFive Babylon 5: Legend of the Rangers]]'', the crew is trying to get an old Minbari ship ready for launch. TheCaptain (a human) suggests his NumberTwo and best friend (a Minbari) smack the console to get it working. The Minbari replies that this is barbaric and not a way to work with sensitive technology. Later, frustrated at being unable to get a screen working, he hits the console, and it immediately starts.
* Towards the end of ''Film/TronLegacy'', [[spoiler:Kevin Flynn and Sam Flynn are sneaking around in Clu's "Rectifier" [[note]]giant ship that brainwashes programs into being a mindless army[[/note]]. [[ActionGirl Quorra's]] been captured, so Sam goes to rescue her while Kevin steals a [[CoolPlane Light Fighter]]. There's a {{Brainwashed}} program standing guard, so Kevin sneaks up behind it and fiddles with its Identity Disc so it would allow him access. It doesn't work. Frustrated, he bops the program on the head. It works]].
* Referenced in ''Film/MinorityReport''. When John has Precog Agatha hooked up to a recording device to see her visions and sees one he saw before, he tells the techie he's shanghaied into helping him to "slow it down." He responds by asking, "Slow it down? What do you want me to do, whack her in the head?"
* In ''Film/{{Splash}}'', when the character played by Tom Hanks gets stranded on the boat, it doesn't start until he opens the casing and whacks it with a hammer. At which point it promptly fires up, lunges forward, and pitches him overboard.

* ''Film/AndYouThoughtYourParentsWereWeird'': Max gives the robot Newman a whack on the head to fix a voice glitch.
* ''Film/RedPlanet'': "No joy on all scenarios for engine ignition. That includes hitting the console."
* ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'': When Sam's car (not Bumblebee but some old "sad piece of shit") won't start, angry as he already is, his best resource is to open the hood and start kicking the engine frantically. It's a mix of this and PercussiveTherapy.
* In the opening of ''Film/WarGames'' one of the Air Force launch officers reports a warhead alarm on one of the missiles. The other officer tells him, "Tap it with your finger". He then taps the indicator light and it goes out, showing that the warhead was fine, it was just the alarm light was seated incorrectly.
* The first ''ComicBook/MortadeloYFilemon'' live-action movie combines this with a EurekaMoment of all things. Dr. Bacterio has invented a device that he just can't get to work. He's sure that something is missing but doesn't know what. When his radio stops working, he hits it to get it going again. That's when he realizes what is missing: "Of course! Beatings!" He proceeds to beat the crap out of the device with his shoe, and it works! It's the only part of the movie that is even remotely funny, and the German dub completely ruins it because the joke went right past the translator.
* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
** In ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'', Geordi points out a red light on the second engine valve during Cochrane's historic warp flight. Cochrane flicks the offending light a couple times, then whacks the side of the panel. [[SubvertedTrope It stays on.]] Having failed to correct it, he just brushes it off as unimportant. Cochrane also successfully does this with a jukebox. Perhaps he's descended from the Fonz...
** In ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'', [[spoiler:Kirk manages to realign the housing of the warp core by kicking it with both feet]]. This is actually a ''slightly'' more realistic example, as the goal in this case is to force the core back into position as opposed to banging on it until it works.

* ''Film/TheXFilesFightTheFuture'': Mulder can't get his drink out of a vending machine. At first he whacks as if he might fix it, but then he just [[PercussiveTherapy shakes it angrily]]. There is actually a bomb hidden inside that unplugged machine.
* ''Film/{{Oblivion|2013}}'': Jack does this to make the Bubble Ship restart when it gets struck by lightning the first time.

* In ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol'' the famous ThisPageWillSelfDestruct trope is spoofed by having Ethan's IMF briefing (hidden in a Russian public phone) fail to self destruct after five seconds. Ethan walks back and thumps the phone, which finally produces the expected puff of smoke.
* In ''Film/TheCatInTheHat'', the Cat uses a "Phun-o-meter" to determine how well-adjusted Sally and Conrad are. He uses it on Sally first, and after getting a reading of "Arsonist", the Cat has to tap it to get it to display the correct reading of "Control Freak". PlayedForLaughs immediately afterwards when Conrad gets a reading of "Bed Wetter":
-->'''Conrad''': Tap it.
-->'''Cat''': Listen, kid. You can tap it with a hammer. It ain't gonna change.
* In ''Film/{{Gravity}}'', Creator/SandraBullock's character is in disbelief of the readings, so she taps one of the instruments of the Russian space station to make it show the correct oxygen level.
* Shears in ''Film/TheBridgeOnTheRiverKwai'' is frustrated that the radio won't work, kicks it... and then it does.
* ''Film/{{Innerspace}}'' underplays this one, but does so perfectly straight. During the startup checklist for the miniaturization pod, one of the status lights refuses to come on. Pilot Dennis Quad takes a moment to look annoyed before repeatedly whacking it with his finger until it finally comes on.
-->'''Dennis Quad:''' State of the art...
* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
** In ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'', Jane's response to a meter apparently malfunctioning is to smack it against the side of a dining table. Darcey says she did the same thing before bringing it to her. When the readings don't change Jane realizes it's not actually malfunctioning.
** In ''Film/ThorRagnarok'', the bracers that allow Valkyrie to remote-control the guns of her ship are acting up, and she has to slap her wrists a few times before they deign working.
** ''Film/{{Captain Marvel|2019}}'': Done with a Skrull tapping on ''[[ItMakesSenseInContext Carol's forehead]]'', of all things, as they are watching her memories. With Talos even telling the guy who did it "that did something, do it again" like they're working with a glitchy old television.
* {{Subverted}} in ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark'', where Ian Malcolm repeatedly attempts this with an uncooperative satellite phone, and [[TheSmartGuy Eddie Carr]] repeatedly tells him ''not'' to do this.
-->'''Eddie:''' Violence and technology... ''not'' good bedfellows!
* ''Film/DemolitionMan''. During the final battle between John Spartan and Simon Phoenix, Phoenix tries to use a laser cutting device on Spartan but its power output drops. Phoenix bashes it against a column, breaking the focusing lens, and its power massively increases for a bit (though also consequently less accurate, shooting electrical arcs everywhere) before it burns out completely.

* Attempted in ''Film/TheBlueIguana''. When the IRS agents' car conks out in the jungle, Carl tries to fix it by beating first the engine, then the hood, until Vera yells, "That's obviously not going to work!"
* In ''Film/MadLove1995'', Casey gets her car started by repeatedly kicking it.

* In ''Film/GettingStraight'', Harry can't get TheAllegedCar to turn off. He repeatedly hits and kicks the steering wheel, which causes the radio to turn on, but after enough whacks he manages to get both the car and the radio turned off.

* AN early ''Manga/{{Doraemon}}'' chapter that introduces the Time Cloth (one of the series' most recurring, frequently-used gadgets) have Nobita and Doraemon watching the Nobi household's old, cranky television set, and the TV finally fuzzing up causing Nobita and Doraemon to celebrate "finally they're getting a new TV" only for Nobita's mother, Tamako to come over and land a chop on the TV fixing the screen. At which point a frustrated Doraemon decide to take out the Time Cloth and de-age their TV set to brand new. Tamako even lampshades the trope briefly, "You just need to know ''where to hit''."