How to deal with on-the-road emergencies Learn what do in a number of sticky situations

 

There are plenty of ingredients for a bad summer road trip in addition to rain and cranky kids. You could be driving along when the engine stalls (the reason for GM’s recent recall of 1.6 million cars) or the car accelerates suddenly and unintentionally (the reason for Toyota’s recalls in 2009 and 2010) or a tire blows out. Here’s what to do in those situations:

Stalled engine. A car can lose power for many reasons, from running out of gas to having a faulty fuel pump or alternator. (In the recalled GM cars, the problem was an ignition switch that was flimsily made and easy to switch off inadvertently.) If you’re driving and the ignition key moves to the accessory position accidentally, try shifting into neutral and restarting the engine. Then shift back into drive and you’re good to go. If the engine won’t restart or has stalled for another reason, apply the brakes and steer gradually to the side of the road. You’ll lose power steering, so steering will feel heavier, but it will still be possible. Expect the power boost for brakes to disappear after one or two applications, so try to stop as soon as you can, using the emergency brake if necessary.

Sudden acceleration. Our tests have shown that brakes may not be enough to stop a car with a stuck throttle while traveling at highway speeds. Brake firmly, but don’t pump the brakes. And don’t turn off the engine, because doing so disables the power assist for your steering and brakes. Shift into neutral. Some modern gear selectors are unconventional enough to cause confusion about where neutral is; if yours is one of them, you can practice sliding your gear lever into neutral while driving in an empty parking lot at low speed. Don’t worry if the engine revs up alarmingly—most modern cars have rev-limiters, and that will keep the engine under control. Steer to a safe location and come to a full stop. Shut off the engine with the transmission still in neutral. Lastly, shift the transmission into park or, with a manual transmission, set the emergency brake.

Blown tire. Don’t stop in the travel lane; take a firm grip on the wheel and limp the car to a safe location. A new wheel is less important than your safety. Do what you can to prevent flats from happening in the first place by keeping all tires, even the spare, properly inflated to the automaker’s recommended pressure. Check air pressure at least monthly—many tire problems result from underinflated tires that overheat—and inspect the sidewalls for bulges or cracks.

For any of those emergencies, once you’re safe take a deep breath, then turn on the hazard flashers and summon help.
We provide complete ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE throughout the Orlando Metro area. Alvin can quickly open most locked vehicles, fix a flat tire in a jiffy, or jump start any vehicle with a dead battery. Alvin is your friend indeed, when it’s roadside help you need!