Truck Topics

The Tool Box - Broke Down! Now What?

Have you ever been running down the road, everything seems fine when all of a sudden BOOM… there goes a tire, or the check engine light comes on, or the truck loses power and you have no choice but to pull over and stop?

What do you do now? It’s most important to make sure your truck is in as safe a place as possible, considering the circumstances. The next thing would be to set out safety warning devices. The FMCSA states in part 392.22(b)(1) the warning devices must be placed as soon as possible, but in any event within 10 (ten) minutes, as prescribed in 392.22(b)(1)(i),(ii), or (iii); this will describe placement requirements depending on what type of road you are traveling.

Next, contact your carrier. Loaded or empty, they need to be kept in the loop as to the situation. They also may have access to breakdown services that can help. If they can’t help or don’t know who to call or you would rather take care of this yourself you can go to www.truckdown.com/ . This site and others like it will have all types of road and shop services in the area you are in.

Ok, now you know who to call but before you do, get out, open the hood and look. Look for oil, fuel, and coolant leaks. Check the oil and coolant levels and top them off if you carry extra. If your oil level is way over full DO NOT start the engine - it may be full of fuel or coolant (very bad thing) and severe engine damage could result. If you are not sure what the problem is, check the fuel level; I mean take the fuel cap off and look into the tank. Sometimes the gauge isn’t as accurate as we would like it to be. Look at the underside of the truck for any drips off the rear axle, as anything that leaks from the engine or transmission will gather on the rear axle. If either the oil or coolant was low and you topped them up, you can try to restart the engine. If the engine was making strange noises DO NOT start it. If it starts and the check engine light goes out; low fluid level was probably the reason for shutdown. You still need to find out why it was low and get it repaired. Look for leaks, drips and spots on the road under your truck.

Now that you have figured out what the problem is it’s time to make a call. If this is an engine problem I recommend using an engine shop; that is what they do all day every day. What do you tell the service person on the phone? Answer all the questions the best you can; if you don’t know the answer ask if there is a way you can find out for them. The most common questions-

Your name. Your company name - the name on the door or box. Your unit number. Your location - for example- I65 northbound between mileposts 38 and 39 be as exact as possible. If you know what the problem is; tell them what you know and how you determined this. Also if you have a part number for the broken part give them the number so they can bring the part with them, saving them from making two trips and saving you time and money. Truck make - Freightliner, Peterbuilt, Kenworth. Truck model - M-2, 379EX, W900 Year of manufacture - This can be found on the driver side door post. Truck serial number/V.I.N - also found on the door post. How are you going to pay? Everyone wants to get paid. Are you going to need a wrecker? In most cases the shop you call will have or have access to a wrecker to get you towed to the shop. They can call for you or you can ask for the number and make the call yourself. Give them a brief story of what happened - I was driving down the road when the truck started running very rough, the check engine light came on the truck lost power and died. The oil pressure and temperature were normal. They may want the engine serial number - there is a tag on the engine itself or the information is on the driver’s side visor on most trucks, the transmission info should be here also.
If it’s a tire problem, know the answer to some specific questions. What is the…

Tire location - steer, drive, or trailer Tire make - Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear Tire model - XZA3, M726, G395LHS Tire size - 295 75 R 22.5, 11R24.5, 11R22.5 Tire load range - G,H,L Also, what type of wheel - Aluminum or steel?
The above information can be found on the sidewall of the tire. If the tire is destroyed look at the tire on the other side of the same axle.

This is pretty much what you will need to know if something should happen. The cost of a tow starts around $250.00; roadside repairs are the most expensive. Doing your preventive maintenance could help to avoid this expensive situation. With that being said, even the best-kept vehicles have their moments; so you should have an emergency plan.

Have a dealer locator (truck and engine) in the truck - you can get these from the dealers. Find and bookmark websites that have breakdown services listed (you may be able to get these from your carrier). Know who pays for the repair – Warranty, company trailer, or your truck/trailer. Know how you are going to pay for the repairs-your credit card, cash, Comdata, T-Chek, or maybe you have a charge account. Know what discounts are out there for you through your carrier or other associations like TAB bank or maybe OOIDA. Know how to use these discounts before you need them.
You may also need to find out what to do with the freight if loaded; your carrier may tow you to the customer if close enough or to a transfer site. Either way, do what the carrier says - they need to take care of their customers so you will have something to do after being repaired. :)

Lastly, know when the Good Samaritan rule applies and when it’s best to decline help from other drivers. It won’t help if you get deeper into trouble than you started if your helper doesn’t know what he or she is doing.

The main point it to stay calm as anyone out here very long will sooner are later find out what it is like to be stranded beside the road.