Roadside Assistance Phoenix is a service that provides coverage when your car breaks down. Some credit cards or membership organizations offer it as a perk, or you can add it to your auto insurance.
Depending on the provider, your plan may include services such as jump-starting a dead battery, delivering fuel, or changing a flat tire. Some plans also offer winching services.
If you’ve ever experienced a car battery death, you know that getting help can be an arduous task. Waiting for someone to show up can be time-consuming, and it can also expose you to potentially unsafe situations if you’re in a remote area. The best way to avoid this is by carrying a portable jump starter in your trunk. These handy devices cost less than a year’s membership to roadside assistance and last decades.
Battery jump-starts are one of the most common roadside assistance services that vehicle owners need. Even electric vehicles can benefit from a boost every now and then, especially if the vehicle has been left parked for days or weeks. As time passes, batteries tend to drain, and as a result, the engine may not start or will crank slowly when it is turned on.
To avoid electrocuting yourself or your friend or a stranger, it’s important to follow the correct procedure when using jump cables. Before connecting, ensure both vehicles’ engines are switched off and engage the parking brakes. Open the bonnet or boot (depending on where the battery is located). Locate the positive terminal in each vehicle; this should have a red plastic cover with a plus (+) symbol on it, and is usually bigger than the negative terminal. Attach one end of the red cable to this terminal. Then, attach the other end of this cable to the positive terminal of the booster car’s battery. Finally, attach the other end of the black cable to a ground point on the casualty vehicle — an unpainted metal part of the chassis or engine block is usually ideal.
Once the connection is made, start the booster car’s engine and allow it to run for a few minutes. This will charge the casualty battery. Once the car has enough charge, disconnect the black cable from the casualty vehicle. Then, start the casualty vehicle and let it run for about five minutes to prevent the new battery from draining too quickly. Once the casualty vehicle has enough charge, switch off the engine and disconnect the remaining cables.
Fuel Delivery
Whether your car runs out of gas while driving on the road or in a parking lot, roadside assistance can help you out. You can call your roadside service provider and they will send a fuel delivery truck to your location. They will fill your tank and then you can get back on the road.
In addition to providing fuel delivery, some roadside services offer other helpful solutions. For example, some will provide winching services if you run off the road and become stuck in brush or mud. They will hook a cable to your vehicle and pull it back to the main road or sometimes to a garage or mechanic for repairs.
When selecting a roadside assistance provider, consider their policies and customer feedback. Find out if they have an app that makes it easy to communicate with them and whether they have multiple payment options. Look for a company that provides a safe way to pay for deliveries and offers perks for frequent customers.
You can also find out what their fueling policy is by checking with local authorities to see if they are licensed and follow rules for storing and moving fuel. Choose a company that uses environmentally friendly fuels and has certifications to prove it. You should also find out if they offer any other services to make life on the road easier, such as tire changing or lockout assistance.
Many auto manufacturers offer roadside assistance plans for their vehicles. These typically include a free towing service when your car breaks down, and can cover the cost of food and lodging up to a certain limit if you are far from home. You can also purchase roadside assistance from credit card companies or through AARP.
While roadside assistance isn’t necessary for most drivers, it can be a valuable safety net when you need it. Check out our Ultimate Guide to Roadside Assistance to learn more about the services that are available and how they work. Also, keep your roadside assistance provider’s phone number and your insurance card in your glove box or another convenient place, and download their mobile app to easily reach them in an emergency.
Lockout Service
Lockout service is available from most roadside assistance companies, although you should check the terms of your coverage before you call for help. Some automakers have apps like GM’s OnStar that can unlock your car remotely, but this is usually an optional feature and costs about $200 per year to add. If your key breaks inside the lock, you might have to pay for a locksmith, but it will be less expensive than breaking a window or calling a tow truck.
An organization may have one overall lockout program, but for each machine, equipment, or process that requires lockout, there are detailed procedures and work instructions that must be followed. These procedures will identify what kind of energy is present, how to shut down, isolate, block, and secure the system, where the lockout devices are to be placed, and how the work will be performed. The procedures will also describe what is required to return the system to operation and how others in the area can be notified of this.
The procedure will also identify the authorized person to whom the lock and tag will be given. This is the only person who can release the locked out energy or reactivate the system, and it is important that this information is noted on the tag. The authorized person will also need to sign the log after each use of a lock and tag.
Some roadside assistance companies have dedicated staff to handle car lock outs, but they may not always respond quickly to calls for help or put you on hold for lengthy periods of time. A better option is HONK, a new mobile app that connects you to nearby service providers who can fix a wide variety of motor vehicle issues, including getting your car locked out. Using a simple smartphone app, you can describe the problem and your location, and a service provider will give you an upfront “guaranteed not to exceed” price for the repair. HONK is free to download and use, and its commitment to fairness and transparency makes it a great choice for helping with minor or major emergencies.
Tire Change
If you find yourself with a flat tire, you may be able to call roadside assistance and have someone change your tire for you. But before you do, make sure to pull off the highway and into a safe area. Changing a flat tire while driving is unsafe and can be dangerous for you and other motorists.
Most vehicles have a spare tire and jack in the trunk of the car. You can also purchase roadside assistance coverage as part of your auto insurance plan, or through other non-auto companies like AT&T, AARP, Chase Bank, and even rental car companies.
A professional technician will visit your location to replace your flat tire and can also repair or change other mechanical problems on the spot, if necessary. The cost of this service is typically less than you might expect, and can save you the time, trouble, and expense of having to take your car to an auto shop or mechanic for repairs.
Before the roadside assistance tech arrives, you’ll need to be ready by removing the tire and jack from your vehicle and setting them on the ground. The jack should be placed on a flat area of your vehicle frame, away from the components that can be damaged by a jack (such as suspension or fuel pumps).
When you call for a roadside service provider, they will need to know the type of car you have, and the exact problem you’re experiencing. This information is used to provide the right kind of assistance for your specific vehicle. It can also help to ensure that the technicians you work with are experienced and qualified to handle your specific issue.
Roadside assistance is a great option to have, especially if you frequently travel for work, drive a lot of miles for pleasure, or have a long commute to and from work. It can give you peace of mind and ease the stress of being stuck on the side of the road with no one to help. But remember, not everyone needs roadside assistance, and you can still get a good deal on auto insurance without it!