8 Roadside Assistance Services You Should Never Do Yourself

Roadside assistance jobs are not easy to handle without the help of a professional.

High-speed Internet access, online news, video content, software downloads, and more mean that we live in an increasingly connected world. Likewise, you can fix the problem with one simple phone call when your car breaks down.

Roadside assistance is a service that helps your vehicle in locations you wouldn’t be able to reach yourself. If something goes wrong with your car, whether an empty battery or a flat tire, you need roadside service.

What Are Roadside Assistance Services?

Whether you own a Honda or a Chevy, most manufacturers provide roadside service for free for the warranty length. In some cases, you can extend that period for an extra fee. You can active your roadside assistance package through your mobile phone or calling a local office.

If your vehicle breaks down, roadside assistance offers towing services. If the issue persists, service professionals can provide maintenance or repair solutions. Roadside assistance programs are similar between each manufacturer. So, the specific details depend on the company you have a contract with.

In general, roadside service provides free help in battery failure or dead battery, flat tires, out-of-fuel, and lockouts. Roadside services may also offer alternative transportation to a local garage if your vehicle is unsafe to drive.

If you think that roadside is a service not relevant to your car, think again. These services can bring peace of mind in situations where your vehicle breaks down and you can’t fix it yourself. The services are also quite useful when traveling long distances or in remote areas with limited access to repair services.

Emergency Roadside Assistance Services Are Available 24/7

In many cases, Roadside services offer much more than what’s stipulated in your contract. They help you after accidents, for example, by offering towing services. Emergency Roadside Assistance services are available 24/7 and 365 days.

Roadside service programs are pretty flexible, allowing you to use the services whenever you need them. These services are not limited to cars only. They provide services for motorcycles and other vehicles as well.

What Roadside Assistance Jobs You Should Not Try Without Pros Assistance?

Roadside assistance is vital to have in case of emergencies. Roadside services can be helpful when you’re out and about. However, there are jobs that you shouldn’t attempt all by yourself when your car breaks down.

 Here are eight roadside services that you should never do yourself:

1) Change a tire

Changing a flat tire can be tricky if you haven’t changed many before. If the instructions on changing your tires aren’t clear or if you don’t know how to properly use tools such as jack stands and lug nut wrenches, bring it into a shop instead. You might end up causing more damage than good.

2) Jumpstart your car battery

A jump start works by passing electricity from one charged battery to another dead one. While the process seems simple enough, the risks involved in doing it yourself are not worth it.

3) Perform a WOT (Waste Of Time) flush

According to Roadside Services In America, the only way to truly rid your vehicle of its old gas is to take it to an auto service center instead. While some websites might claim that flushing your fuel system will improve your vehicle’s overall performance, Roadside America says otherwise. In fact, Roadside America states that this kind of maintenance does more harm than good by costing money, time and risking engine damage from moisture build-up.

4) Change oil without professional help

This one should be a total no-brainer: never change your oil if you don’t know what you’re doing. Roadside assistance service companies recommend never going it alone when it comes to oil changes. The process can be complicated and dirty if done incorrectly.

5) Use a tire gauge before replacing your tires

A tire gauge isn’t recommended for patching holes in your tires. While we do not recommend using them at all times, you might need one after hitting a pothole or driving over nails on the road.

To figure out if you’re going to need one, we say flat tires typically appear flat, not bulging. We also recommend using an analog gauge over a digital one because they’re typically more accurate.

6) Attempt DIY automatic transmission fluid changes

While changing your car’s automatic transmission fluid may be simple for some people, you should get a professional instead. Doing so yourself can cause problems such as misaligning valves and gaskets, resulting in the loss of transmission fluids due to leaks. Roadside adds that this problem is easy to fix but costly if you do it incorrectly.

7) Worry about saving money on things like batteries and belts by doing it yourself

When batteries or engine belts fail, it’s best to replace them with guaranteed parts. Replacing engine belts is difficult because they may cover multiple layers, such as the alternator belt and radiator fan belt, for instance. Roadside adds that replacing batteries is tricky because most models differ in shape and style, and auto stores might not stock them.

8) Use your jumper cables incorrectly

Never use a set of jumper cables if they show any signs of wear and tear, such as rubber coating peeling off. Replace them with heavy-duty ones instead because worn-out jumper cables can easily catch fire while you’re trying to jumpstart your car. The best option is to use an expert’s help for any roadside service job.

You should always call a trusted roadside assistance service company near you to fix your car breakdown problems. This is the best way to deal with car breakdown situations.