How To Prep Your Car For A Tow
Posted on: 9 June 2020
Towing services excel at transporting a broken-down car from point A to point B and know how to accomplish that feat as safely as possible. If your car needs towing for whatever reason, here are some steps to get your car ready to go and to help mitigate any possible damage to your vehicle.
1. Shift Your Transmission to Neutral
This will be the first thing your towing service asks you to do upon arrival since a vehicle simply can't roll unless it's shifted into neutral. Failure to do so will result in damage to the engine, transmission, tires, brakes, and almost everything else attached to your car. Make sure you wait until the tow truck actually arrives before shifting into neutral since you don't want your car rolling away while you wait. If you are locked out of your car and are unable to get to the console to shift the car into neutral, your towing operator should have some kind of device to pop your door open, or they may opt to use a flatbed trailer to transport your vehicle. Be sure to inform the towing service if this is the case when you call to schedule a pickup.
2. Disengage the Parking Brake
If you've clicked the parking brake on while you wait for the towing truck, make sure you turn it back off before the driver hooks up your car to the truck. Otherwise, even if your car is in neutral, your brakes and transmission will be damaged.
3. Consult Your Owner's Manual
Even though the above two steps should be enough to allow the towing service to safely transport your vehicle, you should also consider the type of vehicle you drive. Two-wheel drive vehicles can be towed for as long as necessary, as long as they're set to neutral, and cars with manual transmissions are even easier to tow. An all-wheel-drive vehicle, however, needs to be lifted up so that the rear tires are the only ones on the ground, and the rear driveshaft needs to be temporarily removed. Some towing services may choose to use a flatbed trailer, in which case it doesn't matter what kind of car you have, but it's a good idea to consult your owner's manual to find out the best way to tow your car.
To learn more about getting your car towed, contact a towing company near you.
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