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Step 1
Breakdowns
Prior to setting out from your vehicle, check your car’s location, double-check your resources, and make a plan. Lock the doors and take your keys. If you use a phone booth, call 911 for help and detail if you are feeling/being threatened. If anyone tries to get into the phone booth, experts say to sit down on the floor, and place your back against the door, bracing it shut.
If you seek assistance at a neighboring home, stand back from the door. Ask the occupant to call for help for you, and provide him with your car details and exact location.
If it is dark or you are stuck in an isolated spot, experts suggest you stay locked inside your car until daylight.
If you are a long distance from a phone or house, you are advised to flag down a passerby, then return to your car, locking it, and talk through a partly closed window. Ask the motorist to call for help, and provide your Good Samaritan a written note with your name, and car and make/model. -
Step 2
Dead Battery
A dead battery is a definite stop for the unlucky motorist. Find another vehicle with a good battery that is the same voltage as yours. Study the difference between positive and negative battery terminals, as well as the matching + (POS in red) and – (NEG in black) of the cables.
Align the cars next to each other, and turn off the ignition switch in both cars. Attach the red positive clamp of the jumper cable to the dead battery’s positive terminal. Attach the other red end of the cable to the positive terminal of the good battery. Then, attach the black negative clamp to the negative terminal of the good battery. Last, attach the other negative clamp of the cable to a metal surface to ground it (like the engine block area) in the car with the dead battery, away from the battery, or gas related areas such as the carburetor or tubing. This serves as your ground connection point.
Avoid contact between the cables and any moving parts, like fan blades or belts, in both cars—and move people away from them. Then, start the good battery car’s engine, followed by starting the car of the dead battery.
If the car starts, let the engine idle; remove the cables in THE REVERSE ORDER that you originally put them on: first, the negative clamp on the metal grounding surface, then the negative clamp on the good battery’s car, followed by the positive clamp from the good battery car and then the positive clamp from the dead battery’s car.
If the battery doesn’t start, wait a bit, then try it again. If it still doesn’t respond, consider purchasing a new battery and think about towing the car. -
Step 3
Frozen Locks
Dealing with frozen car locks is not only a frustrating delay, but can be dangerous for people left out in the elements, or in unsafe neighborhoods.
Experts suggest cautiously heating the tip of your key with a match or lighter. If that doesn’t work, consider carrying a small de-icer spray bottle with you; locking it away without access in your glove compartment is worthless when your locks are frozen to begin with! -
Step 4
Flat Tires
Suffering flat tires are never convenient, but there are a few ways to prepare for the possibility as well as to take care of the problem when it occurs.
Carry a can of Fix-a-Flat, or similar tire filler to inflate a problem tire and get you as far as the closest gas station for further repair. The tire does not need to be completely flat to use this, and it is not the permanent answer. It won’t, however, fix severe damage, repair sidewalls, rim leaks, or large punctures/cracks in wheels. Once you reach the gas station, add more air to the tire.
If a tire blows out or otherwise suffers extensive damage, it can’t be repaired. But, if it had a puncture, remove the tire and make note of the location for later removal and repair. Since these things tend to travel in pairs, look for more punctures, and also listen for air leakage.
Change the tire by first making sure the car doesn’t move (wedge a block under the tires), setting the emergency brake, unscrewing the lug-nuts and taking off the tire. Replace with the spare, retighten the nuts and proceed to a gas station to have it patched—-or replaced.
Comments
Clem-Media said
on 5/6/2009 As a person who takes her cars religiously for oil changes and oversees their ongoing upkeep, I whole-heartedly agree. I think it's fear of a breakdown that spurs me, though!
ehudsonj said
on 5/6/2009 Good article, but what is never beaten, is to take the time to take proper care of the 2nd largest purchase you ever make - How stupid to allow it to get to the point where it breaks down who-knows-where! Sorry to toot my own horn, but money spend doing my own maintenance and then giving it to the dealer to do the other things I can't, has no got me close to a million miles without a breakdown through about 6 cars now - Only once did I have a breakdown, because GM did not specify when to replace a rubber timing belt in one of their first front-wheel drive cars - a Mitsubishi Sunburst - It broke and took out 2 valves as well - Never since then - take the time and spend the money - It's worth it for the knowledge you will drive trouble-free
Clem-Media said
on 5/3/2009 Yes, cell phones are life savers when you can get a signal, but often that isn't possible, or you find the battery is too low to do much with. I like your fortitude, though. Kicking in the "sack" should always be an option! LOL.
CCrock said
on 4/30/2009 Always have a cell phone! The one time in my life that I didn't have a cell phone plan, I was stranded in the middle of no-where late at night in a blizzard...I had to catch a ride with a stranger and even though it worked out fine...I was scared and ready to kick him in the sack if need be!
sbhanot said
on 4/29/2009 Awesome