Should I Call For A Tow?
There are definitely occasions where a vehicle should be towed, even though it will still drive.
Many times, a vehicle owner will drive their car to to the repair shop in an attempt to avoid a towing bill. However, there are times when this can cause more damage to your vehicle, and will cost you a lot more in repairs. At times like these, a $75-$100 towing bill could save you several hundred dollars in damages!
Since you are the operator of the vehicle, you'll need to rely on your knowledge of how your vehicle performs normally, and decide if your vehicle is safe to drive, or not. Being in tune with the smell, performance norms, and the sounds normally made by your vehicle will allow you to notice key indicators of whether your car needs to be towed.
Things to watch, listen, and look for:
- Check Engine Light is flashing
- Oil Level or Oil Pressure light is on
- Smoke is coming from under the hood or out of the tailpipe
- Vehicle is emitting a burning smell
- You can smell fuel, whether your car is running or not
- Brakes make a very loud grinding noise
- Temperature gauge indicated vehicle is overheating
- There is a rotational noise while your vehicle is moving, and it gets louder as you go faster
- Loud knocking, whirring, or screeching noises from under the hood while engine is running
- Vehicle is running poorly; misfiring, backfiring, stalling, etc
- Sudden loss of fluid, that can be seen on the road around the vehicle.
Any time you encounter one of these problems, there is a potential problem that can cause your vehicle to be unsafe to drive, or could cause further damage if driven.