A Bad pot or directional switches will still activate the contact unless the switch is completely gone and doesn't make a connection when the switch is closed. Basically, a bad switch will either be making a poor connection when the switch is pressed forward / backward OR some sort of bad connection when its not being pressed. This is sending bad voltage reading to the controller and either codes out and does not move or reacts erratically. Example: Driver pushes handle to go forward but the bad forward switch has high resistance not allowing the exact voltage to reach the controller and... confuses it coding out and not allowing you to drive. Or, driver pushes handle forward but the revers switch is bad also making a connecting, again, confusing the truck. If the pot is bad or the pot and switches are out of adjustment, the switches could click before the correct voltage is being sent by the pot. I'm sure there is a better, more scientific way to explain all that! Hope it makes some sense...

Plugging is when you make the truck go in the opposite direction to slow down the truck. Your driving forward the you throw it in reverse to slow the truck down and go in the opposite direction. If you are driving forward then plug in reverse to slow down but the truck just continues to "coast" forward this is a switch/pot issue. Usually the plugging and issues you described above are related.

Bad brake switch could be the problem as well. The truck wont move because the switch is telling the truck there is no drive yet, don't move. The brakes probably aren't the issues. If the brakes were not releasing the truck would just struggle to move because the brakes were still on. Your truck just isn't moving at all. Check the brake switch and make sure when you step on the pedal you can hear the switch click. you can adjust it if its not.

So, when one of these things fail the truck codes out, even though there isn't a wrench light on the dash for you to see and restarting the truck clears it to try again. I really really think its those directional switches or pot. I've seen it too many times on the RC3000.

Testing the switches: Remove one of the wires from the switch. Put your voltmeter on ohms. connect your leads to the terminal you just removed a wire from and the one still with a wire. When the switch is open(not pushed in) you should get OL or a really really high number depending on your meter. If switch is open and is reading a low resistance the switch is bad because it is allowing a connection when it should be open with no connections. Next, push in the switch with your leads in the same place. When the switch closes you should be getting a low resistance. like.2 ish ohms. try wiggling the handle with it close to simulate the truck bouncing on the floor and open and close it fast several times to make sure it goes from a solid open OL to closed with a low resistance. Do this on both switches. Again.... Im sure there is a better more scientific way to explain all that but hopefully it will get you some where!!!

The POT. put your meter on DCV and place the leads on the center pin of the pot and either of the other two pins. With the truck on BUT YOUR FOOT OFF THE PEDAL so you don't go driving off unexpectedly... at rest the handle should be, I think at around 5V. going in either direction it should count down to around 0 volts. make sure your getting about those reading. Moving it slowly you want to make sure the voltage changes smoothly and doesn't jump around. You can check it with ohms too but I dont remember all those details right now.

Be safe when working on this stuff. You should probably jack the truck up and block the drive tires off the floor. Also when checking the switches be careful to avoid laying your screwdriver over the capacitor to your right. You don't want to let the insides of that thing out!

Good Luck! Let me know what you find!