Whether you’ve just received your license or you’ve been on the road for some time, car trouble can strike anywhere, any time. At the first sign of trouble, take your foot off of the accelerator and allow the car to slow on its own. Never jam down on your breaks – instead, guide your vehicle towards the side of the road, signaling as you shift. Once your car is safely off the main roadway, make sure it’s visible to other drivers by marking the area with reflector cones or triangles.
Here are tips on how to handle common car emergencies:
- What to do when you get a flat tire. You’ll feel a flat tire before you hear it. If you feel your vehicle start to drag to one side, safely pull over, moving your car as far to the edge of the road as you can. Once you’re out of the way, examine the tire to see if the flat was caused by a puncture. If it was, you may be able to plug and patch the tire. This will hold you over until you reach a garage where they can complete a full repair. If the tire is completely shot, you’ll need to replace it with your spare. To do this, you’ll need to jack your vehicle up remove the lug nuts, and pull the tire off of the rim. Make it easy to change your tire by keeping a BeadBuster in your car.
- What to do when your brakes stop working. When your brakes fail, you should first downshift to a lower gear. This will help to slow your car’s speed. Then, attempt to pump the brake pedal as fast as you can to build up brake fluid pressure. If this doesn’t work, start to gradually apply the emergency break. Brace yourself, as the car may start to skid. If none of these solutions work, continue to downshift the car to a lower gear and guide the car safely until it comes to a complete stop.
- What to do when your service engine light comes on. Generally speaking, the check engine light signals that there’s a power train problem that could impact your emissions. When this light comes on, it means that there’s a problem that requires immediate attention and you should seek out the help of a mechanic.
- What to do when your car starts smoking. To figure out what’s causing the problem, check your dashboard for any other indicators, like a low oil pressure symbol. Some of the most common reasons the check engine light comes on are: the oxygen sensor needs to be replaced; the gas cap is loose, damaged, or missing; the catalytic converter needs to be replaced; the mass airflow sensor needs to be replaced; spark plugs or wires need to be replaced. In some vehicles, the check engine light will glow yellow if the problem is minor and red if the problem is major. Regardless of the problem, you should pull over as soon as you can safely do so and investigate.
- What to do when your battery dies. The easiest way to fix a dead battery in a pinch is to give it a jump start with jumper cables. Keep a pair of these in your car in case of emergencies like this! If you don’t have jumper cables, you can attempt to flag down a good Samaritan for help. Once you’ve obtained a set, put both vehicles in park and turn off the ignition. Attach the red clips to the positive terminals (it will read POS or have a + on it). Then, add the black clips to the negative terminals on each car and attempt to start your vehicle. Once the car starts, drive around for 10-15 minutes to recharge the battery. If the car won’t start, you need to have the battery replaced.
Stay safe on the roads this holiday season. Remember these tips next time you run into trouble with your vehicle!