Certain inconveniences have a way of making their way into just about anyone’s life. Like power outages and the occasional cold, you never want your car breaks down, but you’d be smart to have a plan for when it does happen, because the odds are good that it will.
Modern cars are more complicated than they ever have been before, but you don’t have to be a mechanic to handle a breakdown. You just need to know how to avoid creating a traffic jam and perform some basic assessments of the car’s condition. 
Safety First
Imagine you’re driving along, minding your own business when a light comes on on your car’s dashboard. Maybe there’s some noise to accompany it, maybe not. Your car slows. What’s important now is that you protect yourself and other drivers around you. Immediately turn your emergency lights on so that people know you might not be able to drive consistently with the flow of traffic. When it’s safe, pull to the side of the road.
You should always have a cell phone on-hand while driving (just not in use) in case you need to call for help (once you’re stopped). Contact someone you trust and let them know that your car is inoperable and what your location is. If you have AAA, you can call and request roadside assistance. Some cars also come with the OnStar roadside assistance program.
Make an Initial Assessment
Cars don’t just shut down for no reason. If you can deduce what’s wrong with your car, it will help you make a decision about your next move. Pay close attention to the lights and gauges on the dashboard. Is there a check engine light on? Have you run out of gas? In some modern cars, the engine computer can even display an error code on the dashboard to help you discover the issue.
Tire pressure can set off a number of warnings in newer cars, so it’s good to have a pressure gauge close at hand to test all four tires. Along with several other issues, tire pressure can become a frequent issue during bad weather and low temperatures.
Look for signs of high engine temperature in your gauges, and pay attention for white smoke, which could be an indicator of a broken head gasket. Similarly, listen for a “ping” sound from your engine if your car is able to run, as this sound can be an indicator of serious engine damage. Do not drive the car, but make note if you notice either of these symptoms.
Get Your Car to a Mechanic
Do not make any attempt to perform roadside repairs unless you’re already proficient working on cars. Even if you are, it’s unlikely that you’ll have all the tools you’ll need to right the issue on the side of the road. Contact a tow truck and ask for help relocating the car to a nearby mechanic’s garage or to your home if you intend to work on it yourself.
When you arrive with the car at the mechanic’s shop, they’ll want to know what’s wrong. For engine issues and error codes, it’s much simpler now that engine computers can download information about what’s not happening to your mechanic’s device to help diagnose your problem, but you should still share all of what you noticed from when the car broke to ensure they make the correct assessment. Failing to do so could cost you money.
Most car repairs can be done fairly quickly. If a repair is going to take a prolonged period of time, your mechanic should be able to forewarn you so that you can consider your options if you rely on the vehicle for transportation. A dealership may even provide you with a loaner vehicle.
We hope you never have to go through a breakdown, but they do happen, so it’s best to be prepared. Remember to always be safe — spending some money on parts can be difficult, but it’s better than risking a crash.
