Broken down

What to Do If Your Car Breaks Down on the Highway

Breaking down on a busy highway can be one of the most stressful situations. Not only is your day incredibly inconvenienced, but it can also be dangerous.

Although owning a new car may make you feel more confident, statistics show that drivers are breaking down more than ever. The advanced warning systems and alerts are nice, but increased electronics and technology can lead to more problems.

Regardless of if you’re driving an older car or a newer car, you need to know what to do if your car breaks down on the highway. How do you stay safe? Who do you call?

What to Do If Your Car Breaks Down on the Highway

Breaking down anywhere, whether it’s a grocery store parking lot or in the middle of the highway can easily disrupt and ruin your day. However, the way you go about handling the situation is incredibly important for fixing your car, getting you back on the road, and keeping you safe.

Keep reading for a step by step guide on what to do if your car breaks down on the highway.

1. Pull the Car Onto the Shoulder of the Highway

As soon as you notice something is wrong with the car, turn on your turn signal so you can safely proceed to the side of the highway or the shoulder. This can occur for many reasons, such as:

Your goal should be to get the car as far out of harm’s way as possible without worsening your situations (driving into a ditch, grinding into a guard rail, etc.).

2. Turn on Your Hazard Lights

If you haven’t already, you now need to turn on your hazard lights. We don’t advise this immediately after you notice a problem, as it could distract you from pulling the car over safely. However, once pulled over, you need to make yourself more visible to other drivers and indicate that your car is broken down.

3. Stay Calm

Now, you have a moment to collect yourself. Stay calm and don’t allow yourself to be overcome with emotions such as panic, anger, frustration, fear, etc. Take deep breaths in and out as you count down from 30 if you feel yourself getting worked up.

Remember, this happens all the time, you’re going to be okay.

4. Decide Whether or Not You Need to Get Out

If possible, we recommend staying in the car with your seatbelt on, windows up, and doors locked for your own safety. You’re much more visible and safer in a car than on foot on a busy highway. The exception would be if you feel like staying in the car is more dangerous.

5. Call the Professionals

Finally, you need to call the professionals to come to help you with your car. Even if you know how to swap out a flat tire with your spare, doing so on the side of the highway may be too dangerous. Let a professional flat tire service handle it.

However, they can also give your battery a jump, replace a faulty battery, tow you to safety, etc. Additionally, a professional roadside service can provide further insight into what to do if your car breaks down on the highway.

Need Roadside Assistance?

If you’re in a sticky situation and need help with roadside assistance, we can help, even if it means walking you through what to do if your car breaks down on the highway. However, our services in Arizona and New Mexico exist to help stranded drivers with everything from fuel delivery and battery replacement to flat tires and towing.

3 Common Issues Your Car Battery Can Have

A faulty or dead car battery will ruin your day and possibly your week. Now, you have to call a friend to help you get to an auto shop to purchase a new battery.

You can see how your inconvenience is becoming a bigger nightmare for everyone.

Make sure you know the three common car battery problems so you can form solutions and prevent further issues.

1. Corrosion of the Battery

An obvious issue for battery failure is when the battery acid has started to corrode the unit.

The positive and negative terminals on the top of your battery are the points for charging the battery and for the alternator.

Mild corrosion may prevent you from jump-starting the battery or the alternator from charging up the battery when you turn the ignition.

A big sign of corrosion is discolored growths on and around the positive and negative terminals. Expect to see green or blue fungus-like acid on the battery. Another sign of corrosion is a white powder forming.

Battery corrosion is a normal process of the life cycle of a car battery. Small signs of corrosion don’t warrant any panic.

You can remove some acid by wiping it away with a dry rag. For tougher acid corrosion, use a wire brush carefully.

2. Car Battery Problems Are Age-Related

It shouldn’t be a shock that an old battery will die on you. The concept is the same as batteries in a TV remote or clock. Eventually, the battery will have no charge left.

The average lifespan of a battery is up to five years but can be as short as three years depending on climate.

Monitor the age of the car battery and test it regularly.

Parking a car in a garage and not using it can also create battery problems. The alternator in the car charges the battery. If you’re not using the car, the battery continues to drain even if it’s not in use.

It’s good to use all your vehicles occasionally to prevent the battery from dying. You can use a battery charger if you’re unable to use a vehicle for a while.

By knowing the age and watching your battery for signs of failure, you can prevent being caught off-guard on the road. Luckily, there are professionals who can assist you in that event.

3. Cold Climates

Have you ever noticed that your car battery always seems to die during the winter? There’s a reason for that.

Car batteries nearing the end of their life will freeze at relatively cold temperatures of 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fully charged car batteries are 60% weaker at zero degrees outside.

Unless you have a garage to store your vehicle at night, it might be helpful to keep a portable battery starter in the house.

Look for signs that the battery is dying by watching for dimming lights or clicking sounds when you turn over the ignition.

Drive With Confidence

Knowing the common car battery problems allows you to prevent the issues and form solutions so you aren’t caught stranded on the road.

Even the basic warning your car battery is on its last leg will help you.

If you become stranded without help, contact us for our mobile battery service so we can get you back on the road.