Study Reveals Diesel Mechanics Are Secretly Sabotaging Trucks — and They’re Mostly Conspiracy Theorists
September 28, 2025 — Dallas, TX
A shocking new peer‑reviewed study has revealed that thousands of diesel mechanics across the United States may be deliberately sabotaging the very trucks they’re paid to repair — and that a large proportion of these mechanics also identify as hardcore conspiracy theorists, with many openly denying the moon landing.
The 94‑page report, released by the North American Transportation Reliability Institute (NATRI), documents what researchers call a “culture of engineered breakdowns” within the diesel service industry. According to the study, mechanics with the strongest anti‑government, anti‑NASA views are the most likely to engage in “strategic under‑repair” designed to force repeat business.
“We expected to find poor quality control. We didn’t expect to find a subculture of people who think Apollo 11 was filmed on a soundstage and that DEF sensors are a plot by Bill Gates,” said Dr. Carol Penwright, the lead author.
The Data Behind the Allegations
The NATRI team spent three years analyzing fleet maintenance logs, warranty claims, and service patterns at 142 truck shops nationwide. They found that trucks repaired by self‑identified “truth seekers” had a 67% higher chance of part failure within 2,000 miles than trucks serviced elsewhere.
Researchers also embedded diagnostic trackers in long‑haul rigs. After scheduled maintenance at selected garages, they saw unusual spikes in turbo failures, sensor malfunctions, and DEF system errors — all occurring soon after service.
“It’s like an organized economy of breakdown,” Penwright explained. “These are men who don’t believe gravity works the way scientists say it does, yet they’re perfectly willing to exploit torque specs to make a part fail later.”
Mechanics Speak Out
A former Indiana diesel tech, interviewed anonymously, admitted that sabotage was part of the job culture:
“We call it the ‘Two‑Touch Rule,’” he said. “You never fix something so well that it never comes back. Loosen a bolt just a hair, tweak a sensor… you’re good. Customers blame the truck. You get paid again.”
Another ex‑mechanic described break‑room walls plastered with flat‑Earth maps, anti‑vaccine memes, and “Moon Landing Hoax” posters. “Half the guys I worked with think NASA fakes engine codes just to mess with us,” he told NATRI.
The Conspiracy Connection
The study devotes an entire chapter to what it calls “conspiratorial overlap” — a measurable link between mechanics who hold fringe beliefs and those who manipulate repairs. Survey respondents who denied the moon landing were three times more likely to admit “adjusting” parts to ensure future visits.
“These are people who distrust every institution,” Penwright said. “They’re skeptical of science, government, and manufacturers — but somehow not skeptical of charging $3,000 for a phantom turbo failure they created.”
Industry Pushback
The National Diesel Mechanics Guild issued a statement calling the allegations “a smear campaign,” insisting that no sabotage exists and that the report “confuses normal wear‑and‑tear with conspiracy theories.”
But trucking firms aren’t waiting. Several major carriers have already installed tamper‑evident seals on key components and begun auditing post‑repair failures.
What It Means for Drivers
While researchers caution that “not every mechanic is guilty,” they advise drivers and fleet owners to monitor repair patterns closely.
“If your truck breaks down a week after an expensive service,” Penwright said, “it may not just be bad luck. It might be someone who thinks the moon landing was fake — and who just loosened your EGR clamp.”