Factual error: The mounted machine gun fires far too many shots for the limited supply of ammo it has in the box attached to it.
Factual error: The rocket launcher that is used on the big yellow plough is a single shot M1A1 L.A.W. (Light Anti-tank Weapon). However, the woman then picks it up and fires it again. It could not have had another rocket in it, and reloading it takes much longer than the few seconds between firings in the film. Plus Joey didn't connect the firing clip to the trigger mechanism, as would be needed.
Factual error: When the fuel truck arrives at the Dixie Boy to refuel the receptacle the spigot is moving by itself to release the fuel, however this is impossible because the spigot doesn't have electrical components, just like the spigot for the water sprinklers when Deke is riding through the neighborhood.
Factual error: A big sign at the pumps states that diesel is priced at $1.089, yet when the trucks are being filled, the price per gallon is around 55 cents. In the 70's, when product reached the $1 mark, pumps were set to half price, and the customer paid double the total, but by 1987, the time frame of the movie, the pump computers would have been replaced to show true pricing.
Factual error: When the fuel tanker comes over to have Billy drop fuel, he pulls the hose down and plugs it into the tank receptacle. The troubles here are that 1) the hose wouldn't be connected in transit, it would be stowed on the side unconnected. 2) elastic straps are usually employed to keep the hoses secured until the tanker gets to its destination to drop the load.
Factual error: When they run out of fuel at the pumps, a truck with placard 1203 rolls up for Emilio to refuel the underground diesel tanks. Diesel is 1202 - 1203 is gasoline.
Factual error: When Curt and Connie are at the railroad crossing, the lights flash but the bells do not ring. The lights on the gates don't flash either. The lights and bells on the railroad crossing are hooked up on the same circuit.
Factual error: When Hendershot fired the LAW at the trucks, the double doors weren't affected. In reality, the doors would have been pulverized by the backwash of the rocket launching. If there is anything or anybody directly behind the LAW when it's fired for a distance of up to 25 feet, destruction or death is assured.
Answer: It should be noted, the ending title cards seems to set it up so there are no plot holes and answers any "why" questions (which, intentional or not by King, can be debated). While the opening premise is the comet's close pass by Earth caused all machines to turn on people, at the end, the Russians blew up a UFO 2 days later, suggesting that it was the aliens controlling the machines. Bill suggests aliens are trying to wipe out humanity (although at that point he's just guessing and had no evidence of an alien or UFO present), but it can be debated the actual premise was that aliens were just testing or experimenting on people.
Bishop73