Prepare your vehicle for a tow
Spend a few minutes getting ready before the truck shows up, and you’ll save time, prevent damage, and keep the whole call moving.
What you'll learn
- Clear out your car before it’s loaded on a flatbed
- Battery disconnect: usually no, sometimes yes
- How taking photos first keeps you protected
- What transport mode is and when your EV needs it
Step by step
- Empty the cabin of valuables, registration, loose items
- Snap and save photos of all four sides before loading
- Got an alarm? Switch it off, or turn off its motion sensing.
- Driving an EV? Turn on transport mode per your manual
- Show the driver any damage that’s already there
- Don’t drain the tank unless the driver says to
Pictures taken before the tow cover you and the driver alike. Yours also help back up your account of how the car looked.
Rather have a pro handle it?
Need a tow or roadside help anywhere in San Diego County? Call any hour of the day or night, and someone will pick up.
Keep learning.
Jump-start a dead battery safely
Jumper cables seem easy until they’re connected the wrong way. Get it right and you skip the sparks, the fried electronics, and a tow you never needed.
How to change a flat tire
Start by checking that your spot is safe, firm and level. If it isn’t, keep your seatbelt on unless you see fire or smoke, and call for help.
What to do when stuck in sand or mud
Ocean Beach, Fiesta Island, and the Carrizo Badlands swallow vehicles every week. Your first job is to keep the situation from getting worse.