Is Your Car at Risk for a Breakdown?

Roadside Safety:  What to do if your car has a breakdown.

A vehicle breakdown can be quite stressful. It is inconvenient, and depending on where it occurs, can be dangerous for you and your passengers.  Today’s cars and trucks are equipped with high-tech computer-controlled systems that have vastly improved driving performance.  As a result, we can accumulate a lot of mileage on our cars and trucks with very little evidence of wear and tear.  Because your vehicle may be running well, it makes it easy to forget about routine maintenance.  In turn, your vehicle is at greater risk for breakdown.

The general perception is that preventive maintenance is an unnecessary cost for fixing problems that do not yet exist.  The fact of the matter is that preventive maintenance is a valuable investment; increasing fuel efficiency and saving you the expense of emergency repair service, towing charges and even the inconvenience of a breakdown.  Every day car owners who make a commitment to regular maintenance are proving that when your vehicle is properly maintained it will last longer, run better and hold its value longer.  More importantly, it will keep you and your passengers safe and on the road.

To understand its importance, it is helpful to know what preventive maintenance is meant to accomplish.  Preventive maintenance is a step that is taken to keep an automobile operating efficiently and is performed before a vehicle breaks down or is in dire need of maintenance.  Preventive maintenance includes such things as changing fluids and filters along with checking for signs of excessive wear and tear. It also means taking care of replacing items when they show signs of wear, not replacing them once they’ve completely failed.

When you bring your vehicle in to a trusted auto repair shop, like Shade Tree Garage, you should expect the technicians to perform a safety inspection. Here, we complete a 27-point inspection on your vehicle.  This is designed to alert you to potential problems before they end up becoming major and costly repairs. We will let you know what should be replaced right away. We will also let you know if there are any parts that will need to be replaced in the future so you can budget for those costs.

Despite the efforts of preventive maintenance, breakdowns sometimes occur.  When they do, you want to make sure you and your passengers are safe.  To help you, here are some Roadside Safety tips:

• At the first sign of a problem, don’t panic.  Instead, slow down and look for a safe place to pull over.
• Once you’ve located a safe place to pull off the road, park your disabled vehicle where it can be seen for at least 200 feet in each direction.  You want to try to avoid pulling off in a curve or near a hill and it’s important to make sure all four wheels are off the traveled portion of the roadway.
• Once off the roadway, turn on your emergency flashers.
• When the way is clear, exit your vehicle carefully and close the door behind you.  Tie a white cloth to the left door handle and raise the hood to let drivers know your vehicle is disabled. Walk to the passenger side of your vehicle and use your cell phone to call for roadside assistance.
• If there are any passengers, they should exit the vehicle on the side away from traffic.  If you are alone and feel you are at risk, lock all the doors of your vehicle and call for help.

Remember, a well-maintained vehicle not only operates more efficiently, it minimizes the potential for breakdowns so stick to maintenance schedules and alert your automotive repair shop to any problems you may be experiencing. Call Morristown, NJ’s, Shade Tree Garage to schedule an appointment for your auto maintenance.