A vehicle is supposed to take you from point A to point B, and 99.9% of the time (give or take), they do. However, vehicle troubles and breakdowns can happen to the best of us, often at the most unexpected and inconvenient times as well.
Fortunately, your vehicle may be so nice as to give you one or a handful of warning signs to let you know it’s in trouble.
This gives you the opportunity to pull off the road safely.
Want to know these 4 signs?
Read more from the Perth tow truck company, Performance Towing, to find out what they are.
Steam or smoke appearing out of nowhere
There’s a saying that goes: “where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” While there might not be a fire yet, seeing smoke or steam coming out of your vehicle should never be ignored.
Pull off the road immediately (when it’s safe to do so) and put your hazard lights on.
What’s the difference between steam and smoke?
- Steam coming from your vehicle is indicative of a cooling system problem. So, check your engine temperature warning light for a sign of overheating. Don’t check the radiator – leave that to the experts.
- Smoke indicates flames somewhere within your vehicle (usually under the hood). Remain calm, look for a safe spot to pull over, park, turn the engine off and get yourself and any occupants out as quickly as possible. Remember to stay at least 30 metres away from the vehicle as you call for help.
Call a trusted Perth towing company to safely take your vehicle to the nearest auto body repair shop.
- A shaking steering wheel
Sudden changes to your steering wheel, which make your vehicle difficult to drive is a reason to pull over when you can.
Car handling problems are an easily noticeable sign. In some circumstances, you might not even have control of your vehicle anymore! This is of course, a massive safety concern. Do what’s best for you and other road users.
- Loud, recurring noises
Loud, recurring noises coming from your vehicle is another reason to pull over.
These sounds could result from any number of things such as:
- Engine exhaustion and bad bearings,
- A damaged muffler,
- Or worn torque convertor.
While not always an emergency, loud noises can suggest something is failing within the vehicle. It definitely doesn’t hurt to safely pull over and check it out for yourself before taking it to your mechanic.
Warning lights coming on
There are 3 warning lights to be aware of: your vehicle’s brake warning light, oil level warning light and engine temperature warning light.
Remember:
- Be safe and don’t proceed with your journey if/when your brake light comes on.
- Stop driving when your oil level warning light comes in, as doing so may dry up the engine.
- While not always an emergency, still pull over and examine what the issue is if your engine temperature warning light comes on.
Looking for a reputable towing service in Perth you can count on?
Contact Performance Towing today for professional tow truck drivers all the time, every time.