What to Do in Case of Car Breakdown on the Route?

You’re on the way to the passenger’s destination, and the vehicle started acting funny. Even though it’s well-maintained, you can feel that it’s about to just stop. What now? Consider this the driver's emergency guide on responding to an unexpected breakdown in Senegal.

Passenger safety may be compromised if you don’t act right away. So, pull over if you observe any of these on your car:

• Strange noises like grinding and squealing sounds
• Warning lights on your dashboard
• Weird burning or sweet odors
• Excessive shaking like grinding and squealing sounds
• Overheating or smoke coming out of the engine

At least for now, don’t focus on what to do if your car breaks down. Pull over so that you can try to keep things from getting worse.

For your and the passenger’s safety, find a spot where you can park right away. And if you have any reason to believe that it’s some kind of engine problem, turn it off. Now, look at the environment. Is it possible for you to figure out what caused the issue and what are the possible car breakdown solutions? If you’re not confident about troubleshooting because, let’s say, it’s raining too hard, consider getting roadside assistance.

You want to make it clear to everyone else that you’re not moving your car for now. So as part of this driver emergency guide, communicate this to them by:

• Turning on your hazard lights
• Using warning triangles behind your car
• Doing short blasts on your car horn or asking the passenger to do it

Especially at night in Senegal when accidents are more likely, all these help in preventing a car crash. This means you can focus on figuring out what to do since your car broke down.

Knowing the issue is the first step in identifying car breakdown solutions. And since these are the culprits most of the time, we recommend troubleshooting them:

• Engine. If you can open the engine, check for leaking fluids and signs of overheating. But if you don’t feel confident doing it, call roadside assistance instead.
• Battery. Look for corrosion at the battery terminals or any loose connection. When you start the car and you only hear a clicking sound, it means the battery is dead.
• Tires. See if it’s flat or if there’s any damage.

Part of any driver's emergency guide is basic repairs too. So, don’t just limit your troubleshooting to these three. There are other possible issues Senegalese drivers face like a blown fuse or a loose belt.

Putting your and the passenger’s safety over everything else should be the top priority. If resolving things on your own will be dangerous for you, call roadside assistance. Anything that prevents you from getting the car to run, like not having the right tools, ask for help right away.

As part of regular vehicle maintenance, any Senegalese driver should:

• Replace old parts
• Schedule oil changes
• Inspect the brakes and air filters
• Make sure the tires are at the right PSI
• Flush and refill the coolant regularly

When in doubt, refer to your Senegalese manufacturer’s maintenance schedule. That will do a lot in promoting the passenger’s safety.

Whether in Senegal or anywhere else in the world, a car breaking down is stressful. But as you’ve seen, there are ways to avoid and address it. And if you feel like you don’t have the right car breakdown solutions, you can always get help from experts. Don’t let it get to that point. Through regular maintenance, you may prevent this stressful experience altogether.