Can Towing Damage Your Car and How to Prevent It

Towing damage; does it happen? Though towing is not exactly difficult, it does involve a little bit of a learning curve and can, in certain scenarios, be quite an intricate procedure, which is why we recommend opting for calling a professional towing contractor. Done incorrectly, a trip with a tow truck can end up causing towing damage to your car. 

However, even with road assistance, your car, its transmission, and its engine can go through a lot. Therefore, it’s wise to be aware of the possible risks, and know what measures you as a driver can take to prevent any unfavorable scenarios.

What Damage Can Happen from Towing a Car?

This is a common question from vehicle owners before they decide on towing. The short answer is: it could. We are mainly talking about the drive wheels of your vehicle and its transmission. If the towing happens with your drive wheels on the road and your transmission isn’t in neutral, you may end up damaging the following:

• Transmission
• Tires
• Linkages
• Engine

This goes for both manual and automatic transmissions.

Naturally, any certified road assistance company in Cape Coral should have experienced and fully-trained technicians who will know what to do in almost any scenario, but we still recommend learning what these procedures involve, just to be safe.

So, the next question would probably be: How do I prevent damage while towing a car?

Tips on How to Prevent Damage While Towing a Car

A fully-certified and insured car towing service in Cape Coral handles most towed vehicles. This means that not only are the tow truck operators fully trained in their vehicle but more than likely, they’re comfortable assessing your vehicle and its proper towing needs.

Flatbed towing is the norm these days. However, this isn’t always the case. Engaging the wheels and rolling a vehicle from its stalled location to its next destination was far more common, and is still a regular practice today. If the damage is going to happen, it will most likely happen with this type of towing. With this being said, here are some tips on how to prevent damage while towing a car. 

Put your Transmission in Neutral

Engaging the neutral gear is crucial, which is why, once the towing service arrives, they are likely to ask you to do this first.

When the vehicle that is being towed is in drive or park (for automatic transmissions), and if the drive wheels are the ones that remain on the road, your vehicle will most certainly experience damage on its transmission, linkage, and tires. This happens because the wheels aren’t able to turn when they are not in neutral during the towing process, and your car will end up being dragged along the road. We wouldn’t want that.

Check the Parking Brake

As crucial it is to put your car in neutral, you should make sure your parking brake isn’t on as well. This will ensure that your vehicle won’t be dragged along. A reliable towing contractor will always remind you of this before the tow.

All-Wheel Drive Vehicles can be Extra Tricky

The wheel drive and the transmission also have implications for the safety of your vehicle during towing. Generally, two-wheel drive vehicles with a manual transmission are less prone to damage regardless of the towing method and the distance. But if you own a four-wheel drive, it is suggested that the rear driveshaft is temporarily removed from your vehicle and that the rear wheels are those that are on the ground. Serious damage will be avoided.

Keep your Vehicle’s Owner Manual Close

You might think, “who reads the manual these days?” Well, we hate to break it to you but we MUST have it and read it. Since it is always better to be safe than sorry, and since new and improved versions of modern cars are cropping up daily, there may come a situation in which the towing technician doesn’t know how your car should be towed. This is why keeping the owner’s manual in the glove compartment of your vehicle is always a good idea.

Also, don’t be afraid to speak up should you notice that someone from the road assistance team is making an obvious mistake. To avoid this, you can count on a trusted car towing service.

Keep Calm

One of the most important things you can do if you end up in need of towing is to stay calm and wait for help to arrive. Don’t try to drive your vehicle away from the road if it is not physically and safely possible, as this can result in more damage and is potentially very unsafe for you as well.

If you are looking for a Cape Coral towing contractor, Cape Coral Towing & Recovery Inc. would be your best option! We are your trusted towing contractor in Southwest Florida. 

Our car towing services are offered 24 hours of the day! Cape Coral Towing & Recovery Inc. offers emergency towing services including emergency roadside assistance and roadside assistance service in Southwest Florida. You can count on us by reaching us on 239-458-3333 today!