When a Car Owner Should Call a Towing Service
Car owners usually never want to call a towing service; they may want to avoid the expense and the hassle, or they may not realize when it's best to avoid driving their car altogether. However, there are times when it's good to call a towing service rather than risk getting behind the wheel, so you protect your car and also keep yourself safe when on the road.
1. When the engine has overheated
If your engine is overheating, it can mean serious trouble for your car if you should keep driving it. Too much heat means corrosion under the hood and this can lead to the engine failing altogether. If the needle on your dashboard signals overheating or there is smoke coming from under your car's hood, don't risk driving the car even a short distance to a repair shop but have it towed instead.
2. If the car slides or skids when you brake
You may think that you don't need your car towed if the brakes actually stop the car, but if your car slides and skids when you apply the brakes, this can mean a serious problem. If the brake pads on one side of the car need to be changed, the other brake pads may need to overcompensate so that the car slides or skids when you apply the brakes. A rotor may also be worn down so that the brake pads have nothing to grip, and the other brakes are working too hard; in turn, they pull the car to that direction. Whatever the cause, this problem typically just gets worse so that the brakes wind up failing altogether; have the car towed rather than risk this happening when on the road.
3. When it grinds or hesitates to start
If a car struggles to turn over or start, this can be a weak battery or it may be that the fuel pump is going bad; your car may not be getting enough electricity in one case or fuel in the other. Both can be very dangerous, as the battery doesn't just start the car but is also needed to run parts like the fan that cools the engine. If this were to fail when on the road, your engine could overheat and be permanently damaged. If the fuel pump were to completely fail, your car wouldn't get fuel to the engine and it would stall. It's best to have your car towed and have its problems with starting checked out than risk these problems when on the road.
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