Hi everyone! Last night my manager had someone start my car for me.
(I know, you're not supposed to warm it up but it was 3degrees outside) I had left it in first gear with the brake on because it was on a hill.
When I went to leave it was stalled, lights on, parking brake on, in first gear. (For the record I asked if he knew how to drive a stick first ) And it REEKED. I'm assuming it was a burnt clutch smell? I'm not positive. Whatever it was it still smelled this morning when I opened the door and all my clothes still smell. Anyway I didn't really have many options with it being 3 degrees and the middle of the night, so I turned it on and started to drive home (its like 3 miles downhill). When I turned it on it flashed an ABS warning and then a low gas warning (it hadn't been on when I got there). The steering was also really tight, and when I got on to the road I noticed a wobbling and a pulling towards the left. I stopped for gas and the steering wasn't tight anymore but wobbling was still there. I took my boyfriend's car this morning so I haven't tried to drive it yet, but does anyone have any idea what could have happened? No one I asked has any idea how it could have done anything but stalled immediately when he got out of the car, but then where did the smell come from? And how could that cause the wobbling?

 

I'll bet that the managers go-fer took it for a joy ride. How long was it "warming up"?

 

Idk how long it was on before it stalled, but I handed over my keys ten minutes before I left.

 

OK, you got your post in while I was composing this. Obviously he didn't take it for a joy ride in that short time. But still...sure hope your clutch survived.

Was the temp gauge up to normal when you get in? If so, he either took it for that joy ride not knowing how to handle a clutch burning it or drove it with the hand brake on smoking the rear brakes. Or, it sat there running with the clutch slipping which I doubt. Were I you, I would henceforth deny ANYONE access to the driver's side. Nobody drives mine except me or my main indie wrench.

 

Was the wobbling coming from the front or the rear?

 

Sounds to me like some slacker attempted to learn to drive a stick at your expense. A novice can do a lot of damage in 10 minutes. I would check your tires and rims for damage. Sounds like there may have been some curb contact during the non-authorized "test-drive/learning experience".