Car battery trouble - problem solved

Cooler temperatures mean car battery trouble

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Car Battery Trouble

Fall is here and while in places like Arizona and New Mexico, that may just mean relief from summer heat, it can also mean car battery trouble. Summer heat does a lot of damage to your battery. All it takes is a cold snap or a heat wave and you are left stranded on the side of the road. When you get that unexpected moment when your car or truck won’t start, don’t panic. Call Dugger’s Emergency Road Service. Our trained technicians will come to you. If you are stuck at home or on the side of the road or in a parking lot, it doesn’t matter. Our dispatchers will help you evaluate the trouble and get you back on the road in no time.

Car won’t start? More often than not, you have car battery trouble. We’ll bring you a new battery and install it on the spot. No need to go to a shop or to get upsold on services you don’t need. Call Dugger’s and we’ll send a battery tech to your rescue. No matter where you are in town or on the highway, Dugger’s is ready for your road rescue. We don’t wear capes, but we will come to your rescue no matter what time it is. Don’t abandon your vehicle on the road beacuse of car battery trouble, call Dugger’s 1-877-823-9696

Car flat tire on road

Why Driving on a Flat Tire Is a Really Bad Idea

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FLAT TIRE FIX

There’s a slight heart spike every time your tire pressure light turns on.

Some of us have seen that light and ignored it because we were late for work or didn’t feel like stopping for air. While sometimes it’s only a slight change in the pressure, most times we shouldn’t ignore it. You might be on the verge or already have a flat tire. It could be caused by a nail or sharp edges on curbs. Whatever happened, if you have a flat tire, get it fixed as soon as possible. If you’re asking yourself, “Why is it such a big deal to be driving on a flat tire?” keep reading.

You Could Save the Tire

Let’s say you’re driving along your route from work to home. You pass a construction site like normal, but this time, your tire pressure light turns on a few miles past the site. You may have a nail from the construction in the tire. As soon as your tire pressure light pops on, you need to pull over to a safe area. It’s okay to drive on the flattening tire for just a few moments to seek an area to stop the car in.

If you change the tire, you can save the tire and bring it into a shop the next day. They’ll most likely be able to remove the nail and patch the hole. If you had kept driving, there might have been too much damage from a flat tire to save it.  Remember, call a tire change service if you’re in an unsafe area and don’t want to change the tire alone.

You’re Damaging the Rim

Driving on a flat tire damages more than the tire. It can start to damage the rim. By grinding, bending, and warping the rims, you’ll need some major repairs. This will cost you a pretty penny to fully fix. Even worse, driving on a flat tire can mess up the alignment, brakes, and suspension. Once all of these damages start taking place, you’ll start noticing you have less control of the vehicle.  This can lead to wrecks and overall driving anxiety. You want to know your car is safe to drive. Call your local road service with any concerns!

Stop Driving on a Flat Tire

Driving on a flat tire is never a good idea. It can cause issues for you, any passengers, and the car itself. Make sure to immediately address the issue if your car’s tire pressure light pops on.

Continuing to drive on a flat tire can damage a tire that could have been patched, and it could further damage certain parts of the car. You’ll be shoveling out lots of money to repair damages that could’ve been prevented. If you do change your tire, make sure you know how to do so, and do it in a safe area.

For more road service help, make sure to check out the rest of our site. After you check out these reviews, you won’t hesitate to call.

The 5 Most Common Roadside Emergencies (and How to Prevent Them)

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32 million drivers experienced car breakdowns in 2015, the most recent year we have a quality statistic. What’s interesting is the study found car breakdowns are happening more frequently every year.

That’s not surprising since cars on the road get older every year too. While it used to be uncommon for someone to drive a car older than 8 years, the average age of a car on the road is now 11.8 years old. While new cars can have problems too, the older a car gets the more likely they start developing issues.

And when those issues strike, you get caught on the side of the road. So how can you prepare for the most common roadside emergencies? Here’s how to plan.

A Flat Tire

Whether your tires are old or you hit debris in the road, a flat tire can ruin your road trip.

Always keep your car stocked with a spare, a quality jack, and a tire iron. Take the time to learn to change a tire. Or Call Us. We can help.

A Dead Battery

Battery issues are one of the most common car trouble problems. Keep jumper cables or an emergency jump kit in your car so you can jump your car anywhere. This is another car skill you should learn so you can help other drivers – or yourself!

An Overheating Engine

Your car can seem fine all winter long but your first long trip in the summer can lead to your car overheating. If your car overheats, let it cool down before trying to diagnose the problem.

Then check the coolant levels in the radiator. It’s a good idea to keeps some backup fluids like coolant or oil in your car, but water can do the trick in the pinch if the risk of freezing has passed.

Once the car is cool, and you’ve deemed everything looks in working order, start it up again and keep an eye on the heat. It’s a good idea to get your car checked by a mechanic right away.

You Get Stuck

Snow in winter or mud in spring, there’s a lot that nature can throw at your car. Make sure you always have a fully-stocked emergency kit in your car with flashlights, flares, food, blankets, and water. If you can, stock something that will give your car traction, like sticks and blankets for mud or snow, or kitty litter for icy roads.

Learn the best practices in case you get stuck on the side of the road.

You Lock Yourself Out

You’re not the first and you won’t be the last, lockouts occur all the time. The best way to avoid a lockout is to keep a spare key well hidden on your car. The second best is to have professional roadside service backing you up.

Be Prepared for the Most Common Roadside Emergencies

The most common roadside emergencies can happen to anyone, so make sure your car is ready. And if you truly want to be ready for anything, it helps to know you always have roadside emergency support.

Make sure you’re prepared for everything your car can throw at you. Make sure you have emergency road service.

Broken down

What to Do If Your Car Breaks Down on the Highway

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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.