Roadside
Locked out, or a flat battery: what to do in the first ten minutes
Most ‘breakdowns’ on our phone line are a flat battery or a set of keys on the passenger seat. Here is what helps before we arrive.
If the keys are inside
Stop. Forcing a window or a coat hanger bends door cards and can set the alarm into a state that is harder to open. Note the registration, find photo ID and any proof the car is yours, and call for a lockout. We will not open a car we are not satisfied you have a right to enter. If a child or a dog is shut inside and distressed, call 911 as well.
If nothing happens when you turn the key
- Lights dim and a click: often the battery. Switch off everything and wait for a test rather than holding the key and flattening it further.
- A jump start that dies again at the next lights usually means the battery will not hold charge, or the alternator is not charging. A battery visit includes a test so you do not buy a battery the car does not need.
- Rapid clicking, or silence with bright lights: this may be the starter or an earth. Say so when you call and we will tell you if it is our job or a workshop job.
Planned work can go through the booking form. A car that will not move, a lockout, or a tyre down to the rim should be a phone call so we can dispatch instead of offering you Thursday week.