Unfortunately, we have all either been or will be in the situation where we need roadside assistance. It is maddening to experience car trouble and even worse when you have no way to remedy your problem. This is when it is in your best interest to call for a tow.
1. Your Car Will Not Start
Getting in your car or truck and finding it will not start is an utterly aggravating experience. It is second nature for some people to look over the motor, hoping to see an easy fix. Unfortunately, this rarely happens.
The smartest and easiest thing to do in this situation is to call a tow truck. You and your car can be dropped off at a repair shop where technicians can diagnose and treat your vehicle.
2. Breakdowns Such as Overheating
When your car is overheating or displaying another type of system failure, the safest thing you can do is pull off to the side of the road and call for assistance. Trying to chug along a few more kilometres will not accomplish much and may do extensive damage to the car.
3. An Accident
Unless you are a part of a true fender bender with very superficial damage, calling a tow truck after an accident is always a smart idea. Even if your car appears to be functional, driving off after filing a report can be a mistake. You have no way of knowing what damage occurred to things like your breaks, steering or electrical systems. You may have fluids leaking and be unaware.
Even if the damage looks relatively minor, a tow truck driver should be able to tell you how much damage your car experienced.
4. You Have a Flat Tyre
While most vehicles have a spare tyre, a lug wrench, and a car jack, it is sometimes much safer to call a tow truck. This is an especially good idea if you are along the side of a busy highway or alone in an area where you question your safety. The driver can tow your vehicle to a better location where they can change your tire or take you to a repair shop where your tyre may be repaired or replaced.
5. You Run Out of Gas
Even the most careful driver can overestimate how far a tank of gas will carry them. If you discover you are out of gas, pull off the road and call for a tow truck. The old idea of leaving your car and setting out on foot to find gas is dangerous. (And the reason this scene frequently plays out in mysteries and horror movies.) Often, a towing company can dispatch someone with enough gas to get you home or at least to a station where you can fill your tank.
6. Warning Indicators
Most warning indicators do not mean you have a serious problem but that you have a potential problem that needs attending. However, if you are in a remote location and a light comes on warning of a problem that will need an expert or special equipment to fix, a tow truck may be your safest option.
*Three Warning Indicator Lights You Should Not Ignore*
Automobiles have scores of lights designed to make our travel safer and assure us that everything is in working order. Some models have dashboards that look like Christmas trees because of the number of lights that appear when the car starts.
It is not always easy to know what all the lights mean, which one’s spell trouble, or which lights are a heads up meant to prevent a future problem. And many people opt to ignore the lights waiting to see what happens.
While ignoring indicator lights is never a good idea, here are three lights you should always pay attention to; in many cases, you can drive to a service station. However, keep an eye on the situation; you may need a tow.
1. The Tyre Pressure Indicator Light – This light is usually amber in colour and looks like a flat tyre with an exclamation mark in the middle. It could mean a seasonal change has caused your tyres to deflate a bit. The light could also indicate a slow leak or a puncture. Take care to get your pressure checked and if the tyre looks flat, give us a call.
2. The Battery Indicator Light – The red (or sometimes orange) light in the shape of a car battery warns you that your car battery may soon run out of power. You can remedy this situation before finding yourself stranded by having a battery test and possibly getting a new battery.
3. The Brake Indicator Light – Generally, this light is the word BRAKE with parenthesis around it. There are several things the light could be indicating, and for this reason, never ignore your brake light.
If you need a tow truck, remember that there is no shame in asking for assistance. The experts at Fast Sydney Towing are available 24 hours a day to help.