Common Breakdown Causes

Published July 13, 2017 By Chicago Towing

Here at Chicago Towing we have been helping to rescue people from stalled cars or car breakdowns for years. In this brief blog post our experts will detail what some of the most common breakdown causes are, so you can be better prepared.

Flat Batteries

If your battery is faulty it’s poor electrical connections will cause breakdowns. Whenever you get your car serviced, have the garage make sure to check the battery connections for secure placement, as well for evidence of corrosion or battery acid leaking. If you don’t often make long car journeys, your battery wouldn’t have charged too much – try charging it overnight around every 2 weeks to keep it running longer.

Key Loss

If your car keys are lost, you won’t be able to restart it which is an issue when parked at home but especially when you’re in the middle of a car trip on the road. If you lose your key, contact an authorized expert locksmith technician who can help furnish you a brand new working key.

Tire Damage

Make sure to check your tire depth tread, and if they are worn unevenly, the wheels could be misaligned. Make sure that your spare wheel has tread and is fully inflated and ready for use. If you use a car jack, make sure it’s in good condition before going on the road, as well as any wheel removal or installation tools, and a lockable wheel nut adapter. If you are driving with heavy loads, make sure to adjust your tire pressure to the change in the weight of your vehicle – look in your car handbook for custom instructions on how to do so.

Alternator Issues

If you have constant battery issues and your headlights dim when your engine is idle, it will likely be an issue with your car’s alternator. If the ignition warning light comes on and the temperature of the engine heats up quickly, the alternator and water pump belt could be broken, which is a very serious and dangerous issue. If this is happening, stop and turn off your engine and call a licensed towing company.

Clutch Cables

If your clutch cables are under major stress they can break, causing major problems. You can notice if this is an issue if you feel the clutch feels different when the pedal is pressed. If the clutch cable breaks, make sure to pull over and give an expert towing company a call.

High Tension Leads

High tension leads carry electricity to the spark plugs, but they can decay with age, making it really hard to start up your car. It can help to use dampness-repellent sprays like WD-40, but it really is the best thing to do to contact an expert car repair company to look over the entire ignition system to test to see if they can solve any of the problems.

Avoiding Scam Towing Services

Published July 1, 2017 By Chicago Towing

If you find yourself in a situation where your car has broken down in the middle of nowhere, you are likely prepared to contact a licensed towing company. However, you might be wary of the many scam towing companies out there that only want to extract some money from their customers rather than truly help out. If you’re worried about these sorts of situations, it can help to be in touch with a trustworthy towing service that can really help, like Chicago Towing. But how can you make sure to avoid a towing scam, or know what group is trustworthy? In this blog post, the experts at Chicago Towing will help you figure out what towing company is the best.

Sniffing Out a Towing Scammer

Scammers can charge unduly amounts for simple services, or even damage your car. One scam is to advertise an undercharged price for a service, which is a sure sign that you’re working with a scam artist. Cheap tow truck services usually conceal hidden costs that only are shown to the customer after the service is provided. These can range from travel fees to additional mileage costs, to gas charges or any range of mumbo-jumbo technical language – plain speaking, it’s highway robbery.

Tow Truck Chasers

Another form of dishonest tow truck business practices that’s rampant today is the payment of tow truck drivers by body shops. These referral fees basically ensure that these tow trucks, known as chasers, will send you to the corresponding repair shop automatically, towing your vehicle straight to them. If you change your mind during your trip to the repair shop, they will likely charge you additional towing service or extra fees – which can range from the 100s to the 1000s in extreme cases.

Scanner Junkies

This category describes tow truck drivers that cruise freeways and highways listening to the police scanner, looking for notifications of accidents or car breakdowns. Then they will turn up automatically, the car owner assuming it’s a lucky coincidence – and will automatically sign on to any contract, most usually, and find themselves locked into a contract that overcharges them a fortune – all out of a desire for convenience.

Finding a quality Tow Truck Company

The best way to prevent being scammed by a tow truck company is to find a trustworthy towing company. You can find this by checking out a company’s Yelp page for customer testimonials – which is the most valuable clues you can find, rather than large ad campaigns. Always ask questions regarding any hidden rates, and ask about all the necessary time of all rendered services. A professional tow truck company will be upfront about their fees, and won’t conceal any information from you. And just to make things easier – if you don’t want to search around for a company, you can always trust in Chicago Towing.

Worst Types of Automobile Breakdowns

Published June 23, 2017 By Chicago Towing

You can imagine that as towing experts, we’ve seen our fair share of awful on-road automobile breakdowns. There’s multiple factors that could cause a driver to need to pull over on the side of the road to contact a licensed towing company; in this brief blog post, the experts at Chicago Towing will detail some of the most worst types of breakdowns.

Battery Issues

Most car batteries should last between 3 and 5 years, but this can be highly shortened if you often drive in extreme temperatures. To avoid getting stranded by your battery, make sure to check your battery every time you get your car checked at a mechanic or dealers, especially if the battery is less than 3 years old. You can spot automobile battery issues when your headlights or interior car lights dim, or your windows are reacting more slowly than beautiful.

Getting Locked Out

This situation really sucks because it’s completely preventable, Make sure to get a spare set of keys copied, and keep them outside your car inside your home or office. If you’re going on a long car journey, make sure to give a pair of the spare keys to another person that you’re traveling with, so if you lose your pair of keys, you’ll have another one readily available.

Engine Issues

These issues most commonly are caused by issues like broken coolant leaking hoses, which in turn cause an engine to overheat. You can inspect hoses and belts by inspecting them for any peeling, cracks, or softening. Make sure to check out transmission and auto fluid levels, with an item similar to a dipstick. You can also prevent engine issues by monitoring your gas mileage on a monthly basis, and if the mileage suddenly drops, it’s likely an engine issue.

Transmission

A sudden drop in mileage could also be due to transmission issues. It’s harder these days to find transmission issues in contemporary modern cars, and what was once easy to spot as a broken transmission might now be revealed to be caused by software or sensor hardware. If you feel a weird jerking or slip when you place automatic transmission in gear, make sure to check out the car’s transmission, and make sure that your mechanic or dealer checks all your fluid during any type of maintenance, especially the transmission fluid.

Brake Problems

Almost no part of the car is more essential for safety than the car’s brakes. Make sure that the brake rotors and pads get check twice a year. The brake fluid should be changed between every 2 and 3 years, depending on the specifications laid out in your car manual. If you pull over to one side when you hit the brakes, hear a grinding or squeaking motion, or your brake pedal feels soft you need to get your brake issues fixed ASAP.

Tow Truck Driving Requirements

Published May 23, 2017 By Chicago Towing

Tow truck drivers are employed in a wide variety of professional industries, as well as dealing directly with civilian clients who may require towing assistance. Whether a vehicle gets somehow disabled, in an accident, ends up parked in an unauthorized place, or needs to get re-possessed, a tow truck driver will bring it to it’s required destination. The requirements stipulated for tow truck drivers vary state-by-state, but all in all they are present in order to ensure the full level of competence for all tow truck drivers on the road. In this brief blog post, the experts at Chicago Towing will detail some of the intense requirements for our professional tow truck technicians.

Government Agency Licensing

All qualifications including certificates and licenses for tow truck drivers are distributed and administered by either, or both, locally based or State run governing agencies. The standard age requirement is usually 18 years old at the minimum. Many State regulations stipulate that all prospective tow truck drivers submit their fingerprints so their criminal background can be investigated – and others require the payment of a fee- and of course, the holding of a valid driver’s license. The United States Dept. of Transportation requires large haul tow truck drivers to carry a separate commercial tow truck driver’s license.

Commercial Licenses

The United States Dept. of Transportation requires possession of a commercial driver’s license for tow trucks or cargo exceeding over 26,001 pounds, many local or state agencies require the possession of a commercial driver’s towing license for every kind of towing job. Commercial licenses are only rewarded after attendance of classes, accredited training, and the successful grade of a written test as well as driving test. The major benefit of gaining a commercial driver’s license for drivers is that it leads to an increase in employment opportunities for them.

Hours and Abilities

Local, state, and federal licensing agencies require that tow truck drivers are in good physical health states. Tow truck drivers are required to qualify a selection of assessment tests that measure vision, hearing, response time, and physical fitness. Many employers also issue required drug tests in order to qualify for their insurance policy. Tow truck drivers often work strange overnight hours, as well as during weekends and holidays. Anyone interested in being a tow truck driver has to be willing to work according to this strange schedule, and even work overtime sometimes.

Official Certificates

Many organizations exist like the Towing and Recovery Association of America, as well as the Professional Truck Driver institute that can provide tow truck driver certification. While certification isn’t always required by employers, official certification can vastly increase employment chances for prospective drivers, so it’s a common professional route. These non-governmental organizations also require passing of coursework or maintaining current employment as a tow truck driver, filling out an application, payment of a fee, or the successful passing of a nationally administered credential exam.

What oil is best for your car

Published April 23, 2017 By Chicago Towing

All cars are different and need different types of oil to work as best as it can. There’s tons of different kinds of oil on the market for vehicles, so it can be difficult to understand what kind is the best for your personal car. The fuel delivery experts at Chicago Towing have prepared a brief guide to all the different common varieties of vehicle engine oil so you can help figure out which one is the best for your car.

Normal Oil

This is the most affordable option for car engines. The majority of car dealers utilize this oil for the vehicles that they sell. This kind of oil comes in multiple grades and levels of viscosity for different kinds of cars. It’s a good choice for cars with low mileage, simple engines, and safe drivers who travel at level amounts of speed. People who regularly change the oil of their cars use this type of oil for both high performance and affordability.

Synthetic Blended Oil

This oil is used mostly by SUV and truck drivers since it carries the benefits of synthetic and normal oils. It has as much better temperature performance with a negligibly higher price than normal oil.

Synthetic Oil

This oil is commonly used with advanced car engines since it lasts longer. This type of oil goes through rigorous testing to enforce superior quality – and even though this is the highest quality of oil, many engines can run without it. However, your car’s manual may state that it needs synthetic oil – in which case, definitely use it.

Advanced Mileage Oil

This type of oil is used with vehicles that have high levels of mileage. It’s engineered with advanced types of conditioners that increase the longevity of the seals within the engine. This oil does not work with all kinds of car engines however – so before changing your oil, ask a vehicle expert whether it’s a good idea to use it.

Signs you need new brakes

Published April 22, 2017 By Chicago Towing

We all know how essential vehicles are for our everyday lives – and we all know how essential brakes are for a safely operating vehicle. By periodically having your car checked up on by a licensed towing and vehicle maintenance company, you can ensure its lasting durability. Brakes often need replacement after some time – and the team at Chicago Towing have prepared a list of signs and signals that it’s time to replace your brakes.

Grinding or Screaming Brakes

If your brakes make a screaming or grinding noise when you slow down, you likely need brand new brake pads. It’s absolutely essential to correct this before the sound gets worse, and the brakes get even more dysfunctional. If you wait too long to do so, you can really damage the braking system and put your life in danger every time you drive.

Worn Down Brake Pads

If your brake pads are worn down, it’s time to replace your brakes. You want to be able to visibly see the brake pads of your car through the spokes of the wheels – and if the pads are less than a quarter inch thick, it’s time to replace them.

Vehicle Edging to the Side

If your vehicle is edging to one side when you press on the brakes it’s a sign that the brakes are unevenly worn down, or possibly a malfunction with the brake fluid. If you notice this disfunction, call a licensed expert to help tow and possibly repair your car.

Vibrating or Shaking Brake Pedals

If the brake pedal of your car starts to shake or vibrate when you press it with your foot, you need to get your car inspected by an expert. This sort of vibration is caused by worn down brakes, and should be corrected right away to avoid wearing the brake pads completely, which can cause even more extensive damage to the brake mechanism itself.

Towing Brake Problems

It’s safer to get your car towed, and then repaired, then to attempt driving with malfunctioning brakes. It’s always better to be cautious; so if your brakes are acting funny, contact the expert towing team at Chicago Towing right away for instant, on-the-spot service.

Common reasons for roadside help

Published March 28, 2017 By Chicago Towing

There’s few everyday day-ruiners like automobile trouble. However, you’re lucky that Chicago Towing can always help provide roadside assistance to you when you need it. Here’s some of the most common vehicle issues that might lead to calling for roadside help for a good fix.

Jumpstarting

Sometimes you place your key in the ignition slot and turn it, only to find that it has no effect. This can be unbelievably annoying when you’re in a huge rush to get somewhere, or if someone you know or are related to can’t get there in a rush to help. Calling Chicago Towing for roadside assistance is a fantastic quick solution to get a jumpstart and get you back on the road. If you find that your car needs jumpstarts often, it should have it’s battery completely replaced.

Flat Tires

Flat tires are a very common cause for roadside assistance. It’s always smart to carry a spare tire inside your car, but it can be very very hard to change your tire when you’re all by yourself. Getting professional roadside assistance can help you swap your faulty tire for a good new one, and get you back on the road in a matter of minutes.

Lockouts

Roadside assistance can help when you get locked outside of your car. This is one of the most common issues for motorists. Within a matter of minutes from your call, a technician from Chicago Towing will arrive directly at your location, get your car unlocked instantly, and get you back on the road right away.

Re-Gassing

Sometimes you’re in a hurry to leave your house, so you leave bevor checking the gas meter, or hoping that you have enough to pull you through the day, and just refuel at a gas station after work. However, you’re driving down the street and your car begins feeling weird – this means it needs to be refueled, but this can be difficult especially when you’re in the middle of nowhere. Gas delivery is a commons service performed by roadside assistance groups – one of our technicians will simply drive to your location and refill your gas tank as soon as possible.

Flatbed Towing and Dolly Towing

Published March 22, 2017 By Chicago Towing

If you’ve ever had your car towed, you may have been asked by the expert towing technician if the car needed flatbed or dolly towing. You might have been – or still be – confused as to what exactly this means. Here’s a guide to the difference between flatbed and towing service, prepared by the towing experts at Chicago Towing.

Dolly Towing

This service, known as the hook method, involves a two-wheeled towing device attached to a tow-hitch and axle. This dolly trailer tows front wheel drive suspension cars, and hooks the front wheels up on the trailer, with the two back wheels of the car remaining on the ground. Dolly towing lifts the front wheels of your car off the street onto the truck itself. Dolly cars help save money over using a flatbed truck, while also keeping your car’s mileage the same. However dolly towing cannot work with the same amount of weight as a flatbed truck.

Make sure to hook the towing dolly to the vehicle you want to tow before it’s loaded onto the dolly. If you’re driving a big vehicle, we highly encourage you to use a flatbed truck, as it’s much safer for the car. You can also check with your insurance company to see if it qualifies with the first few miles.

Flatbed Towing

This involves a flatbed tow truck fit with a ‘bed’ that’s hydraulically controlled, shifting on an incline to ground level, allowing for a car to be attached on top of it (either through the car’s own drive, or using a winch.) This towing is usually used to transport 4 wheel drive cars, as well as any heavy equipment including excavators, bulldozers, and dump trucks.

This is the safest transportation methods for vehicles as they don’t change the powertrain of the vehicle. The car doesn’t incur any wear as they often do with typical dolly’s, since all of its wheels are off of the road. This is an ideal towing method for all vintage and luxury cars – or anybody who wants to keep their car as safe as possible as it’s being towed. However, flatbed towing costs more money than dolly towing.

Finding a professional towing company in Chicago

Published March 21, 2017 By Chicago Towing

There’s tons of misunderstanding about the professional towing industry. And yes, there’s many scam artist fake towing professionals out there that can not only provide poor service, but actually damage the vehicles that they poorly tow, Here’s how to understand how to find a professional towing company. At Chicago Towing, we take pride in our expert towing service, and for providing our customers high levels of serious service. Here’s exactly what makes a professional towing company.

Good Reputation

When professional towing companies make their customers happy – or even exceed their wildest expectations, they will receive a growing healthy public perception. Any trustworthy towing company will make sure to put special emphasis on customer service and the upkeep of a loyal customer base. If you’re looking for a professional towing company, check out their online reviews – or even call them in order to get a feeling on how they treat even potential customers.

High Quality Equipment

Not all tow trucks operate at the same level of quality, and some faulty tow trucks can actually seriously damage your vehicle. Any really trustworthy tow truck company will provide many options for towing including flatbed truck towing, winch recoveries, and heavy duty towing. When you all the tow company pay attention to whether they ask questions about what kind of vehicle you have – this way you know they are figuring out which specialized equipment to send you, which is always a good sign.

Availability

You can never predict when your car or vehicle will break down. Nobody plans for it really because nobody wants it to happen. It might happen in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere – and if this happens, what good does it do to have a contact for a tow truck company that can only come in the morning? You don’t want to sleep outside! A trustworthy tow truck company should be able to cater to your roadside emergency breakdown at any time of day or night, any day of the week, any week of the year. Any respectable quality company will come rescue you from your situation right on your call.

Licensing

Any reputable towing company should have full license and insurance. Any company that is not licensed or does not have insurance should not be trusted. Any tow truck driver should proudly display their DOT ID number right on their truck along with any of the other particular licensing information required by their specific State. This ensures customers that the towing company has full liability for any potential damage, and allows the customer to have peace of mind in knowing that their vehicle will be handled by a truly trustworthy towing company.

Preventing Winter Car Accidents

Published February 18, 2017 By Chicago Towing

We at Chicago Towing care about our customers safety – and it’s important, deep in this winter, to understand safe driving techniques for icy or snowy roads that might have slippery traction and low amounts of visibility. In order to lower the chances of having an accident, follow our tips for preventing winter car accidents. And if you do have an accident, don’t hesitate to contact us for expert roadside assistance.

Never Brake Suddenly

Ice is going to cause your car to slide whether you’re braking slow or fast, but what really makes the difference is when your car is going to stop. If you slowly decelerate your vehicle before stopping, it gives it less physical momentum while it’s on ice. This means even if you’re going to slide, you won’t be sliding as far, and it will be easier to reclaim control of the vehicle. If you’re on ice and suddenly break, you will skid for a while, which can be potentially very dangerous.

Always be aware of the Windshield

Poor visibility causes many snowy weather automobile accidents. It’s important to keep track of when it will be rainy or snowy by keeping watch of daily weather reports before heading out on the road. If you have to drive around inside the snow, make sure that your windshield has been cleared of snow or ice, and that the window wipers work.

Routine Inspections

It can be a smart move to inspect and upgrade your vehicle. Get your car checked out by expert technicians, and perhaps install brand new winter tires with a strong tread that can easily work with icy or snowy conditions. We also recommend applying a rust coat before taking it on salty roads, which will prevent exponential corrosion and damage. Also, make sure your brakes are always tested throughout the year – and if they slip, make a weird noise, or feel generally like their not working, make sure to replace them before embarking on an icy journey.

Maintain Tire Pressure

Any low air temperatures will cause the tire pressure of your car to drop, and if it drops enough, it can be quite dangerous. Make sure that your tires are always fully filled, and even regularly tested. Full tires work much better, and are much better equipped to handle any cold weather related challenges that might pop up on the road – for reasons such as an increased efficacy of the tire’s treads.