What Is Car Breakdown?

Have you ever been stranded in the middle of nowhere, because your car broke down? If you have, we can imagine the plight and if you haven’t touchwood! 

Vehicle breakdown refers to a situation where your car stops functioning properly and you aren’t able to exercise any control over its performance. 

What causes a car breakdown?

Although there could be a plethora of causes the top reasons for car breakdowns are as follows:

• Mechanical Faults 

You could experience an emergency car breakdown due to engine failure, transmission problems, braking and suspension problems, or a fault in any other important part of your vehicle. 

• Electrical Or Wiring Problems 

You could experience emergency car breakdowns due to dead batteries or a problem in your car’s internal wiring.  

Also Read: 7 ways to extend the life of your car battery

• Deflated Tyre

If you happen to have a deflated tire, and there isn’t a spare tire in your car’s boot, you might be stranded. 

Also Read: Car Tyre Change: How Often Should You Replace Your Tyres?

• Unforeseen Conditions 

Weather extremities and car wear and tear can also cause car breakdowns. If the weather is too windy, foggy, cold or hot, it can have an impact on your car’s performance. 

No matter what the reason is, the driver might require car breakdown assistance, to resolve the issues. However, the extent of help that is required might vary.

What To Do In Case Of A Car Breakdown?

In case of a car breakdown, you can adhere to the following steps to alleviate your struggles: 

• On emergency lights

Turn on the hazard or emergency lights to ensure that the other drivers know about your vehicle’s condition. This will alert them and might even get you some much-needed help.

Also Read: What do your car's emergency lights mean?

• Get off-road

After your vehicle breakdown, you must make an effort to move your car off the road or away from the moving vehicles. This will ensure that you and other vehicles stay safe. 

Also Read: Best Cars And Suspension For Off-Road

• Stay in vehicle

If you happen to be on a busy road, it is generally a good idea to stay in the vehicle with your seatbelts and emergency lights switched on. 

• Call an emergency number

Use your mobile phone to call an emergency car breakdown service provider or any other friend/family for help. Stay off the road and probably inside your car, till help arrives. 

• Emergency brake

Reply to the emergency brake to ensure that your car doesn’t move down a slope if you happen to be stranded on one. 

• Try to get help from other people 

If calling your vehicle breakdown service provider or a trusted friend or family member for help doesn’t seem like a plausible option, because of your location, weather etc., you can try to seek help from nearby people to address and alleviate the situation. 

How To Prevent A Car Breakdown?

If you are wondering about how to prevent a car breakdown, allow us to acquaint you with some preventive measures that you can adopt:

• Carry an emergency kit

You must always have an emergency kit in your vehicle that can help you manage such difficult situations. The kit should have first aid supplies, a flashlight, basic tools etc. 

• Regular car service

Get your car serviced regularly, so that any potential risk attributed to your car’s performance can be checked beforehand. 

Also Read: Car Servicing: All You Need To Know

• Maintain your car battery

Kelly your battery is clean and checked at regular intervals to ensure that there are no surprises in the form of sudden stoppage of the car while you are out and about. 

Also Read: Car Battery Check Up - How To Check Car Battery

• Avoid driving in bad weather

If the weather seems too intense, it is always a great idea to stay indoors and avoid hitting the road. 

• Clean the air filter

To facilitate proper airflow to the engine, the air filter should be properly cleaned. You can even get it replaced if the need arises. This will help you avert a situation of an emergency car breakdown.  

Also Read: A Step-by-step Guide To Change Car Air Filter

• Avoid overloading the vehicle, etc.

In addition to driving responsibly, you should also ensure that you do not overload your car which might impede its performance to move smoothly. 

Conclusion

The need for a vehicle breakdown service amidst unknown territories can be quite a daunting situation. However, if you have proper knowledge about how to respond in such a situation, you can actually be at a vantage point to manage it. All the tips that have been mentioned in the points above, can help you navigate l through the entire situation in the most effective manner. The most important thing to do would be to stay calm, and then take any subsequent action while prioritising your safety and that of others. These situations can occur with new and second hand luxury cars too.

FAQ - 

1. What are the essentials to keep in the car?

You should always have a well-equipped emergency kit that contains flashlights, a first aid kit and other essentials. In addition to that, you must always have a spare tire in your car to use in case of an emergency car breakdown. 

2. How to maintain the car battery for a longer period of time?

In order to prolong the life of your car battery, you must check it regularly, and avoid draining by leaving the air conditioner, lights and other electronics switched on when not in use. 

3. Is it safe to sit in a car with a breakdown?

Yes. Once you have carefully manoeuvred the car away from the road, you can sit in it with your emergency lights switched on, to let other drivers know about your situation. 

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