It’s a situation no driver really wants to be in: stuck on the side of the road. Nothing mechanical is flawless and even meticulously maintained cars and trucks are capable of breaking down. With this inevitability in mind, we’d like to suggest some tips to those who may be reading this while sitting inside their vehicle that refuses to fire up. Whether you call a tow truck first or consult Cars Protection Plus for insurance advice, there are a few more steps drivers must take to get their car to the repair shop and back on the road as soon as possible.
Seek safety: A flat tire, snapped belt or charging system issue can happen without warning. Motorists should find a safe place to assess the situation before springing into action. Even if the issue is a flat tire that can be solved in 10 minutes with the spare and jack in the trunk, the safety-first approach would dictate setting up road flares if you’re along a busy road. According to a June 2019 article from TheWireCutter.com, “battery-powered emergency beacons are a much safer alternative to traditional magnesium flares, both for your health and for the environment around you.”
The tool kit: It helps to have a basic understanding of how motor vehicles work, but even basic problems can be solved with the right gear. Dim headlights, weak radio and dying cabin lights are signs of a weak battery or charging system issue. A set of jumper cables and help from a passing motorist could be all that’s required. A side-view mirror that was smashed off could be temporarily reattached with duct tape until the trip is over. A broken latch on a pick-up truck bed door could be solved with a bungee cord in the interim. You never know what’s going to happen on the road, but having these items and more in the trunk can prove to be worth their weight in gold.
Who to call: If you know that a jump-start isn’t going to solve the problem at hand, it’s time to make two phone calls. The first should be to a local tow truck company that can pick your disabled vehicle up and get it to the repair facility. That repair shop should then make a call to Cars Protection Plus and the number will be on your member ID card. The reason for the call is to determine if the shop is capable of the following: tear-down to the faulty part, diagnose the cause and extent of damage then rebuild if required. If these parameters are met, you’ll be on your way to having portions of the problem covered by the Cars Protection Plus coverage plan.