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Suddenly nothing works anymore - what to do if the car goes on strike?

Reading time 6 Min.

Recently updated on September 22, 2023 at 12:31 am

There are scenarios that a driver pushes as far away from himself as possible. Serious accidents are certainly part of it, but also the total failure of the vehicle. And, as everyone knows, cars rarely go on strike when it fits in with the time and financial constraints, but when everything is already tight and tight. But what do you do when the traffic light stops, the car no longer starts, or all the lights on the road nowhere flash and the car turns off? This article shows how drivers should act.

Suddenly nothing works anymore - what to do if the car goes on strike?
If suddenly nothing works - what should you do in the event of a breakdown? @Per Lööv / Unsplash.com

Bring the wagon out of the danger zone

The situation naturally explains the necessary action. If the car strikes in a supermarket and company car park, there is no danger zone. It is different if the defect occurs while driving or at the traffic lights:

  • Hazard lights - it is switched on absolutely first.
  • Remove from circulation - that is the most important element. If the car is still moving because, for example, the engine stopped while driving, the car should be rolled out carefully. Attention: The brake booster does not work now, which is why it may be necessary to use the hand brake.
  • Off - The car is parked as far as possible away from traffic. That may be the embankment, the emergency lane on the highway, the sidewalk in the city.
  • To secure - The car must be secured, similar to an accident. The hazard warning lights continue to light up, the warning triangle is placed some distance behind the car.

At the same time, the driver puts on his safety vest. This is important because he not only has to pay attention to traffic safety, but also to himself. In general, it makes sense not to be on or in the vehicle until help arrives. On highways or on country roads there is a fairly safe place on the other side of the guardrail.

Call towing service and workshop of trust

Suddenly nothing works anymore - what to do if the car goes on strike?

The towing service and / or the workshop is called immediately after securing the position. Here it depends:

  • Locality - If you are in the vicinity of your own place of residence, you can often make an effort at your main workshop. Contract workshops in particular offer a towing service for the respective vehicles.
  • Membership - Anyone who is in the ADAC or another car club, of course, chooses this route, as towing is free of charge. The desired workshop can now also be named for the tug. Outside, the tugs usually offer to take the vehicle to a workshop that works with the vehicle club.

The car clubs can also be used without a membership, but towing is not free in this case. While waiting, it can be worthwhile to look for workshops nearby and compare the prices with one another via customer opinions. A real price comparison is of course not possible, because for this it is necessary to know the source of the error.

  • Alternatives - If the car is generally roadworthy and can still be moved, it can first be towed to the house itself. The breakdown service usually makes a first diagnosis so that vehicle owners already have a damage pattern on hand. While electronic defects cannot be determined with certainty on site, a broken V-belt, the broken clutch cable or a defective oil line would of course be a defect that can also be found in the middle of the road. With this error in mind, the vehicle could now be brought to the previously sought-after, inexpensive workshop from another vehicle by tow rope the next day.

Finance the damage

Suddenly nothing works anymore - what to do if the car goes on strike?

Whether it's a free towing service or researching an inexpensive workshop - one thing remains the same for drivers: they have to pay the repair costs. There is no way around this, although there are of course a number of options:

  • car insurance - It is popularly called this, it is a repair cost insurance. In these cases, it actually covers the repair costs, provided that the damage involved is also insured. Why does the customer still have to pay? He did this in advance with his membership fee, although it is much lower. Note: Some repair cost insurance can also be taken out when the patient is already in the dentist's chair, i.e. the car is on the lift.
  • Schutzbrief - If a protective letter was negotiated about the motor insurance, the towing costs do not have to be paid if a service that works with the insurer has been selected. However, this is usually the case. If necessary, the letter of protection includes rental car costs, accommodation costs or return transport, but not the repair costs.

Depending on the age of the car, even cheaper solutions could sometimes be used. Cars can sometimes be repaired with used parts, such as vehicle parts from totaled cars. This route is particularly worthwhile if your vehicle is already showing its age. However, if you want to be on the safe side, you can easily get an experienced master workshop in your area recommended online. Since replacement parts of manufacturer quality are used there, consequential damage can almost be ruled out.

It is important to be clear about the financing before the repair order. Sometimes mini or short-term loans help to get out of the misery. Alternatively, it also helps to speak to the workshop itself. They are more often willing to have the bill paid in installments, others even offer their own financing channels. These solutions only have to be clarified in advance, because the willingness to accept installment payments or financing requests after a repair is understandably low.

Suddenly nothing works anymore - what to do if the car goes on strike?
You can save money, especially when it comes to workshop costs. @Cristian Musolino / Unsplash.com

Conclusion - plan better in advance

If you rely on your car and don't have your own "car account", you should check whether repair cost insurance is suitable for you. There are different insurance policies and a number of models, so a comparison is absolutely necessary. Not every car is eligible for this either. Once the car goes on strike, there is often little room for maneuver. Workshops can only be compared based on other user information before the tow truck arrives, and even afterwards the error is often not clear enough for a cost estimate to be issued without an inspection. The Towing costs however, the cover letter or membership in the car club often take over the actual repair However, if there is no corresponding insurance, it must be self-financed. Whether by installments or credit is up to you.

Suddenly nothing works anymore - what to do if the car goes on strike?

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About Thomas Wachsmuth

Thomas Wachsmuth - He has been an integral part of tuningblog.eu since 2013. His passion for cars is so intense that he invests every available penny in them. While he dreams of a BMW E31 850CSI and a Hennessey 6x6 Ford F-150, he currently drives a rather inconspicuous BMW 540i (G31/LCI). His collection of books, magazines and brochures on the subject of car tuning has now reached such proportions that he himself has become a walking reference work for the tuning scene.  More about Thomas

a comment

  1. Thank you for this article about a car defect. It's good to know that you can ask the towing service to take the car to a trusted workshop. I've only had a car for a short time and will look for a workshop where I can have my car taken in this case.

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