TÜV NORD TIPS - IF YOU BREAK DOWN
How to get moving again!
When a car breaks down, it is usually unexpected and always inconvenient. The only thing to do is to "remain calm", keep yourself and others safe and get your vehicle moving again - either by yourself or with the help of others - so that you can get to the next service station or repair workshop.
Prevention is better than cure
Reduce the risk of breakdown by checking
- the engine oil level
- the radiator or coolant tank
- the windscreen washer bottle
- the tyre pressure (not forgetting the spare)
- lighting and horn function
- and the condition of the windscreen wipers and blades
on a regular basis.
You should also have your workshop check the following at slightly longer intervals:
- tyre condition
- fanbelt
- free play of the steering
- brakes
- spark plugs
- and anti-freeze.
The right tools, whatever happens
A breakdown becomes really annoying if you don't have the right tools or spare parts to hand. And driving with defective lighting or damaged wiper blades puts your own life and the lives of others at risk and is grossly negligent. You should therefore have the following basic equipment with you at all times:
- Warning triangle and first-aid box
- Operating manual and tool kit
- Hi-viz waistcoat and warning signal lamp
- Spare bulbs and fuses
- Torch and mobile phone
- Umbrella and waterproof jacket
- Starter cable and tow rope
- Jack and wheel wrench
- Wiper blades and adhesive tape
For older cars it is also recommended that you keep a litre of engine oil with you, in case the engine is losing oil and it needs topping up. Also take spare bulbs, even if you cannot change them yourself, as then you will not have to wait for the right ones to arrive. Many service stations resemble small supermarkets nowadays, but the range of spare parts can be limited. That is why a spare set of wiper blades can also be worth its weight in gold. And you can make a temporary repair to a leaking hose with adhesive tape.
Broken down – now what?
If your car breaks down, first turn on the hazard warning lights and keep calm! Remove your vehicle from the immediate danger zone or move it as near as possible to the right side of the road (or in left-hand drive countries, the left side). The driver and any passengers should all leave the car and get away from the road itself, preferably behind the crash barrier. Make the car safe by placing the warning triangle and if you have one, the warning signal lamp, at a sufficient distance behind the vehicle. If you are not able to repair the breakdown yourself, ask for help. If you don't have your phone with you, black arrows on the white reflector posts show the direction of the next emergency roadside telephone.
Towing safely
If there is no alternative to towing the vehicle away, the towing eye has first to be screwed into the bumper. The eye can generally be found in the car tool kit in the floor of the boot. You will also need a tow rod or a tow rope. This may not be more than eight metres long and must have a small red flag attached in the middle to make it visible. The optimum length is five metres. The permissible towing capacity of the towing vehicle must never be exceeded.
Put the car that has to be towed into neutral gear - in the case of automatic gearboxes, the lever should be at "N". The ignition key must remain in the ignition so that the steering lock does not go on. Don't forget the hazard warning lights! Caution: when the engine is not running, the driving behaviour of the vehicle changes, as the power assist for the steering and the brakes does not function, neither is there the possibility of using the engine brake. The maximum speed when towing is 50 km/h.
