Southern Vectis 3362 HW54 DCO breakdown at Newport bus station exit

Broken down yellow cab-type taxi in NYC 2009

A vehicle breakdown is a mechanical or electrical failure of a

motor vehicle A motor vehicle, also known as a motorized vehicle, automotive vehicle, automobile, or road vehicle, is a self-propelled land vehicle, commonly wheeled, that does not operate on railway track, rails (such as trains or trams), does not fly (such ...

that renders the vehicle inoperable or causes further operation of the vehicle to be unsafe. Vehicle breakdowns have various causes. Depending on the severity, the vehicle may need to be

towed Towing is coupling two or more objects together so that they may be pulled by a designated power source or sources. The towing source may be a motorized land vehicle, vessel, animal, or human, and the load being anything that can be pulled. ...

to an

automobile repair shop An automobile repair shop (also known regionally as a garage or a workshop) is an establishment where automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics and technicians. The customer interface is typically a Customer service representative, service adv ...

or fixed on-site by

roadside assistance Roadside assistance, also known as breakdown coverage, is a service that assists motorists, motorcyclists, or bicyclists whose vehicles have suffered a mechanical failure that either cannot be resolved by the motorist, or has prevented them from ...

or a mobile mechanic. With other problems, the driver may be able to operate the vehicle seemingly normally for some time, but the vehicle will need an eventual repair. Many vehicle owners with personal economic difficulty or a busy schedule may wait longer than they should to get necessary maintenance or repairs made to their vehicles, thereby increasing their chances of a breakdown, inducing further damage to the vehicle, or else causing more danger.

Severity

There are various levels of a vehicle's disability:

Total Breakdown

* A ''total breakdown'' is when the vehicle becomes totally immobile and cannot be driven even a short distance, thereby necessitating a tow to an

auto mechanic An auto mechanic is a mechanic who services and repairs automobiles, sometimes specializing in one or more List of car brands, automobile brands or sometimes working with any brand. In fixing cars, their main role is to Diagnosis, diagnose and ...

, or an on-site repair from

or a mobile technician.

Partial Breakdown

* In a ''partial breakdown'', the vehicle may still be operable, but its operation may become more limited or more dangerous, or else its continued operation may contribute to further damage to the vehicle. When this occurs, it may be possible to drive the vehicle to a repair shop or a safer location for a mobile repair, thereby avoiding a tow.

Causes

In 2014, The

Royal Automobile Club The Royal Automobile Club is a British private Club (organization)#Country or sports club, social and athletic club. It has two clubhouses: one in London at 89 Pall Mall, London, Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, ne ...

(RAC) attended almost two million breakdowns in the United Kingdom. Battery problems were the most common cause of a car breakdown, accounting for more than 450,000 call-outs.

Top 10 Causes

# Dead or faulty battery # Engine issues # Faulty alternator # Damaged tyre & wheel # Electrical issues # Starter motor problem # Damaged clutch wire # Brake problems # Fuel problems # Lost car keys Source:

Contributing Factors

Roadside assistance data collected, analyzed and published by

AAA AAA, Triple A, or Triple-A is a three-letter initialism or abbreviation which may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Gaming * AAA (video game industry) - a category of high budget video games *'' TripleA'', an open source wargame Mu ...

provides the following statistical insights into vehicle breakdowns in the United States and Canada:

Age

* Vehicles ten years and older are twice as likely to end up immobilized on the side of the road compared to newer vehicles, and the odds of needing a tow quadruples. * Vehicles fewer than five years old have a higher proportion of tire, key and fuel-related issues than older vehicles. * One in five service calls for a newer vehicle required a tow to a repair facility. * Vehicles between six and ten years old have the highest proportion of battery-related issues, as most batteries have a three-to-five-year life.

Maintenance

* Millions of roadside breakdowns each year could be prevented with basic vehicle maintenance. * 35 percent of Americans have skipped or delayed service or repairs that were recommended by a mechanic or specified by the factory maintenance schedule.

Region

* Drivers in the West experienced the most breakdowns, followed by the South, the Northeast and the Midwest.

Season

* Roadside assistance calls peak in the summer (8.3 million) followed by winter (8.1 million), fall (7.8 million) and spring (7.7 million).

Coverage

When a breakdown occurs, the motorist may be able to have the tow and/or repair covered by a third party:

Factory Warranty

* A vehicle manufacturer's

warranty In law, a warranty is an expressed or implied promise or assurance of some kind. The term's meaning varies across legal subjects. In property law, it refers to a covenant by the grantor of a deed. In insurance law, it refers to a promise by the ...

often covers the repair and subsequent towing expense if the root cause of the repair is deemed warrantable and is repaired at a certified dealership.

Extended Warranty/Service Contract

* A service contract is a type of extended warranty (although may not be legally considered a true warranty) that is typically available for purchase at the time of the vehicle sale and usually includes roadside assistance.

Insurance

* An

auto insurance Vehicle insurance (also known as car insurance, motor insurance, or auto insurance) is insurance for cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other road vehicles. Its primary use is to provide financial protection against physical damage or bodily injury ...

policy provides liability coverage for any damage caused by a vehicle, however, some comprehensive policies also cover repairs, roadside assistance services, tow and rental expenses.

Roadside Assistance

* A

plan may be available for purchase through club membership or in some cases, as an add-on service from another subscription, such as a

mobile phone A mobile phone or cell phone is a portable telephone that allows users to make and receive calls over a radio frequency link while moving within a designated telephone service area, unlike fixed-location phones ( landline phones). This rad ...

References

External links

{{Wiktionary, breakdown Motor vehicle maintenance de:Betriebsstörung#Stra.C3.9Fenverkehr