Find a severed transmission cooler line from a roadside call with Grok, then work out a hose fix that held

Posted

Aug 14, 2025 by Shan Newton (LinkedIn)

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Last checked

Oct 19, 2026

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Method:

How we verify

Evidence: Described by posterThe person describes what happened in words, without screenshots or video.

Outcome

Shan Newton was hauling a heavy load up a mountain when a huge cloud of white smoke appeared behind the truck and fluid leaked down the road. Knowing nothing about fixing cars, Newton described what they saw to Grok 4 by voice; it said the white smoke pointed to the transmission and where to look, and the transmission oil cooler line had completely severed. After a passer-by towed the truck 18 miles into town, the new hose wouldn't fit inside the factory-crimped metal pipe. Grok suggested a hose with a bigger inner diameter to fit over the pipe, estimated the pressure at 10 - 20 PSI and said metal hose clamps would be enough. The workaround worked, and Newton says the truck runs better than before.

Agent

Grok

The source didn't share its exact prompt, so we wrote this from what it describes.

Run this task now, exactly as written below. Everything you need is here, so start straight away and only stop if something required is missing or a rule below tells you to.

Goal: Help me work out what's wrong from what I can see and hear, and what's safe to do next.

Fill in before running:
- Vehicle (year, make, model) and what it was doing: [DETAILS]
- What I see, smell or hear (smoke colour, leaks, warning lights): [DETAILS]
- Where I am and whether I'm safely off the road: [DETAILS]

Safety first: anything touching brakes, steering, airbags, fuel lines or lifting the car is a job for a qualified mechanic unless I confirm I have the tools and experience. Say so clearly.

Rules:
- First tell me if it's safe to keep driving, and if not, to stop and get help.
- Use what I describe to rule causes in or out, and explain why.
- Tell me exactly where to look, one place at a time, with the engine off and cooled.
- If I want to repair it myself, suggest options that fit the parts I have and say what pressure or load they need to handle.
- Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify.

Output: The likely cause, what to check and, if I ask, repair options with their limits.

You'll know it worked when: I find the fault and the vehicle runs normally after the repair.

Run this task now, exactly as written below. Everything you need is here, so start straight away and only stop if something required is missing or a rule below tells you to.

Goal: Help me work out what's wrong from what I can see and hear, and what's safe to do next.

Fill in before running:
- Vehicle (year, make, model) and what it was doing: [DETAILS]
- What I see, smell or hear (smoke colour, leaks, warning lights): [DETAILS]
- Where I am and whether I'm safely off the road: [DETAILS]

Safety first: anything touching brakes, steering, airbags, fuel lines or lifting the car is a job for a qualified mechanic unless I confirm I have the tools and experience. Say so clearly.

Rules:
- First tell me if it's safe to keep driving, and if not, to stop and get help.
- Use what I describe to rule causes in or out, and explain why.
- Tell me exactly where to look, one place at a time, with the engine off and cooled.
- If I want to repair it myself, suggest options that fit the parts I have and say what pressure or load they need to handle.
- Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify.

Output: The likely cause, what to check and, if I ask, repair options with their limits.

You'll know it worked when: I find the fault and the vehicle runs normally after the repair.

Run this task now, exactly as written below. Everything you need is here, so start straight away and only stop if something required is missing or a rule below tells you to.

Goal: Help me work out what's wrong from what I can see and hear, and what's safe to do next.

Fill in before running:
- Vehicle (year, make, model) and what it was doing: [DETAILS]
- What I see, smell or hear (smoke colour, leaks, warning lights): [DETAILS]
- Where I am and whether I'm safely off the road: [DETAILS]

Safety first: anything touching brakes, steering, airbags, fuel lines or lifting the car is a job for a qualified mechanic unless I confirm I have the tools and experience. Say so clearly.

Rules:
- First tell me if it's safe to keep driving, and if not, to stop and get help.
- Use what I describe to rule causes in or out, and explain why.
- Tell me exactly where to look, one place at a time, with the engine off and cooled.
- If I want to repair it myself, suggest options that fit the parts I have and say what pressure or load they need to handle.
- Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify.
- Tell me what to watch for after the repair so I know it's holding.

Output: The likely cause, what to check and, if I ask, repair options with their limits.

You'll know it worked when: I find the fault and the vehicle runs normally after the repair.

Before you finish: re-read my goal and constraints, check your answer against each one, and list anything you assumed or couldn't confirm.

Source

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shannewton_i-was-hauling-a-heavy-load-up-a-mountain-activity-7361835806967123969-owVR