What To Do If Your Car Breaks Down On Vacation
Even if you’ve been keeping up with regular maintenance and prepped your car for a big road trip, the expected can still happen. Knowing what to do when your car breaks down on vacation can take some of the stress out of what can be a disappointing situation. If your car breaks down far from home, know how to handle the repairs safely and quickly.
How to Handle Roadside Breakdowns Safely
Experiencing a breakdown close to home is stressful enough. When your car fails during a road trip or vacation, It’s even more stressful. While preparing your car with regular maintenance is a great start, sometimes unforeseen issues cause engine failure, brake trouble or electrical issues that can leave you and your family stranded. Traverse City is a popular destination for tourists, and we often help drivers with car troubles get back on the road quickly.
Here’s how to handle a roadside breakdown safely.
Get off the road
Move to the shoulder of the roadway or find a safe parking lot. If you do have to stop on the roadside, use your emergency flashers and set out emergency cones or triangles 20-30 yards behind your vehicle to alert other motorists. If you’re on a high-traffic roadway, take care entering or exiting your vehicle but remain with your vehicle.
Contact roadside assistance
If you belong to AAA or another roadside assistance company, call them immediately. Otherwise, call a local towing company and be sure to explain the situation. They may be able to fix a flat tire or fill your gas tank if either of those are the problem. Otherwise, they will be able to tow you to a nearby automotive repair shop like Garfield Auto Service Center.
Speak with the Mechanic
Work the automotive technicians to determine the cause of the problem and establish how long it may take to finish repairs. Always get pricing written down and don’t be afraid to ask questions! At Garfield Auto, we ensure our estimates are accurate and communicate throughout the repair process to keep our customers up to speed on repairs.
Related Content: Summer Automotive Maintenance Checklist
What Is The Most Likely Reason For A Car Breakdown On A Road Trip?
One of the most common highway repairs is related to tires. Due to wear, overinflation or underinflation, tires that hold up fine to short, low-speed city drives may fail when exposed to longer trips at higher speeds. Other common road trip breakdowns are caused by issues like:
Dead batteries
Brake failure
Electrical shorts or bad sensors
Running out of gas
Yes, one of the most common roadside problems is running out of gas. More than a few ambitious drivers experience this every year during their trip to Traverse City!
Get Back on the Road with Garfield Auto Service Center
Visitors and locals alike trust Garfield Auto for fair prices, quality repairs, and exceptional customer service. We take pride in honest work and keeping families safe on the road. If you experience a roadside breakdown during your northern Michigan vacation, have roadside assistance get your vehicle to Garfield Auto for expert service you can trust. Contact us today for fast service Monday through Friday.