My car left me stranded! What to do during road trip breakdowns.
The family is all loaded up in your chariot of freedom, ready to embark into the great unknown! You have been looking forward to this moment all year. Time for your family vacation. The kids are excited and bubbling with nervous energy. You are mostly on schedule and hit the road. Everyone is happy! Fast forward to three hours down the road… You are traveling through the big city. There is traffic surrounding you on every side. Suddenly, your car makes an unusual banging noise! Then, the dash lights come on, and the engine starts to lose power. You make your way over to the side of the road. Cars are whizzing past you. The kids are scared, and you are getting “the look” from your significant other. Or, instead of the big city, you are traveling through the vast openness of our great country. The engine temperature suddenly shoots up and steam starts pouring out from under your hood. You pull over to the side of the road and shut the engine down. All you hear is the sound of a very hot engine bubbling and hissing angerly at you, and the sound of wind rustling the corn fields all around you. It is hot outside! The car is mad, the kids are mad, your significate other is boiling, like the car. What do you do now? Your vacation might hinge on what you do next! I can promise that yelling at the car, punching the steering wheel, and melting down, like the car, will not help you much in this situation. Stop, take a breath, and remain calm. Here are some helpful suggestions as to what steps to take next.
- Focus on the safety of your people. Help everyone calm down. Reassure them that sometimes things happen, and mechanical components can fail. This situation will pass. We will get through it if we are patient and stick together. Next, make sure the vehicle is over on the right-hand shoulder as far as possible. Your goal is to get it away from the flow of traffic so as not to cause a traffic hazard. Turn on your hazard flasher lights. If there are concerns about the safety of your people, deal with those concerns first.
- Take note of what happened. Before you call for a tow, take a moment to review the chain of events that happened to the vehicle. What sounds did it make? How was it driving? Was it shaking or rattling? Did the engine lose power? Did warning lights come on? Is it leaking anything? Are there any unusual odors? Any of the tires flat or at wonky angles? Are you towing a trailer? Having answers to these questions will save you time and money. The better you can communicate what is going on will help the tow company and repair facility have the right people and equipment in place to get you back on the road as fast as possible.
- Time for a tow. In most cases, if you are forced to pull over for a vehicle problem, you will need a tow. The important question is not who will tow your vehicle, it is where are you going to have your vehicle towed to? Are you a AAA (American Automotive Association) member? Great! Call the number on the back of your card or 800.AAA.HELP. They can arrange a tow. While you are talking to them, ask them about AAA approved repair facilities in the area. All AAA approved repair facilities go through a vetting process that validates their experience, capabilities, and reputation. As an AAA member, you will get preferred service too. In most cases, they will make a preliminary evaluation of your vehicle within one hour of arrival. The repairs might take longer but, you will have some information to make further travel arrangements. Don’t have AAA? You can still search for AAA approved repair facilities at www.aaa.com/autorepair/ Do you have full coverage insurance on your vehicle? Most comprehensive insurance plans have a provision for towing. Just keep your towing receipts and turn them into your insurance company for reimbursement.
- What’s next? So, you made sure everyone is safe and relatively calm. The repair facility has been chosen and the tow company is on the way. You have some time on your hands. Now is a great time to pick a path for the future. What is your highest priority? Is it reducing your down time to a minimum and getting back on the road as soon as possible, or keeping the extra cost down and you have some extra time to be patient? Getting a vehicle towed can take anywhere from 1-6 or more hours, depending on your breakdown location. Most non-chain store repair facilities are only open Monday-Friday 8-5. If you are outside this window, your repair time will likely run into the next day or two. One more insider tip, most shops/chain stores open late into the evening and are usually staffed with entry level technicians. They might get you back on the road fast, but a fast repair doesn’t always equal a good repair. Do you want to deal with another breakdown again farther down the road? Some qualified repair shops do offer after-hours assistance, but it will come with an increased cost.
- Picking a path. You’ve made it to the crossroads. You likely still don’t know what is wrong with the vehicle yet. Time for the waiting game. How patient are you? How about your family?
- Leaving the vehicle behind. Is the vehicle that left you on the side of the road critical to the success of your trip? If not, consider renting a vehicle and continuing your vacation. You can always pick up your vehicle on the way back home after it has been properly inspected and repaired.
- Follow the vehicle. Catch a ride to the repair facility with the tow company or call the repair center for a shuttle ride if you have a big crew. If the tow truck driver is offering you free advice as to what is wrong with your vehicle, take that “knowledge” with a grain of salt. They are usually very good at vehicle recovery, and they do see many vehicle failures, but they don’t always see the final outcomes of their guesses. There is usually more to the vehicle repair story. Once you arrive at the repair facility, patiently wait for them to get eyes on the vehicle and give you a diagnosis of the problem. At best, this will take an hour. Usually, this process takes several hours, and in many cases, it can roll over to the next day. It can be a great opportunity to take your crew out for a meal, treat, or snack! Ask the repair facility for local recommendations. Auto mechanics always know where the best food is!
- Follow the vehicle and incorporating a stay. Skip the waiting game. Find a place to stay right away. Many times, the tow company or repair shop can take you to directly to a hotel/motel. Get your family settled in. Find some local points of interest that they might enjoy. Maybe they just want to soak in the hot tub or pool for a while? Soaking in a hot tub is more relaxing than waiting in a shop lounge area. While all of this is going on, the repair facility can focus on getting your vehicle inspected. They will call you when they know what is going on and you can make a plan on how to proceed from there.
- Is it possible to prevent breakdowns?Breakdowns can’t be eliminated but they can certainly be minimized. The age and miles on your vehicle do not necessarily increase the likelihood of a breakdown. New cars fail too. What is important is keeping your vehicle properly maintained and serviced throughout its life. Stay on top of the preventative maintenance! Take the recommendations of your trusted home shop to heart. Have your vehicle thoroughly inspected one to two weeks before your big road trip. Pay for the inspection that has a service technician test driving your vehicle and completing a thorough, hands on, inspection. If it is a vehicle that is not driven much, like an RV for example, drive the vehicle around locally at least a week before you leave on your trip. Vehicles that sit a lot can develop many unexpected problems that even a thorough inspection will not catch. It is always easier to take care of problems locally rather than while you are on your big trip. It also helps to plan for unexpected delays ahead of time. Figure in some extra travel time. Budget for the unexpected. Make yourself aware of your vehicle’s emergency equipment locations and use. If you take the time to prepare for these disruptions ahead of time, the less stressful they will be should they happen to you. Plan for the worst and hope for the best, and for all your vehicle needs, see the experts at Sanderson Auto Repair.
Aaron B.