#tow needed

Car AC Compressor Seized Engine Stopped: What to Do Right Now: What To Do Next Originally published on Tow With The Flow: https://towwiththeflow.com/car-ac-compressor-seized-engine-stopped-moving-tow-needed/ ``` Quick Answer: A seized AC compressor locks up the serpentine belt, which stops the engine dead. Your car is not driveable. Turn it off immediately if it is still running, get off the road safely, and call a tow. Attempting to drive it risks snapping the belt entirely or damaging the alternator, power steering pump, and water pump on the same belt loop. Did My AC Compressor Actually Seize or Is Something Else Going On? A seized AC compressor has a specific signature: the engine suddenly bogs down, then stalls or stops completely, often right after the AC kicks on or during a hot idle. You may hear a loud squeal or grinding screech for a second or two before everything goes quiet. If the engine dies and you notice the AC was running hard beforehand, a locked compressor is the most likely cause. Overheating and fuel delivery failure can also stall an engine, but those usually come with warning lights, rough running, or a gradual loss of power. A compressor seize tends to be sudden and total. Check for a burning rubber smell under the hood. That is the serpentine belt skipping or slipping over the frozen compressor pulley. If you see belt debris on the ground or the belt is visibly shredded, that confirms it. Is It Safe to Keep Driving or Do I Have to Stop Right Now? Stop driving immediately. A seized compressor that has already stalled your engine means the serpentine belt may be moments away from breaking completely, if it has not already. That single belt drives your alternator, water pump, and power steering on most modern vehicles. If the belt snaps while you limp to a shop, your engine will overheat within minutes from loss of coolant circulation, and the repair bill goes from an AC compressor job to a potentially warped cylinder head. Pull to the shoulder, turn on your hazard lights, and do not restart the engine to "test" it repeatedly. Every restart attempt with a seized compressor grinds the belt further. If you are on a highway, get as far right as possible. Stay in the car if traffic is fast and moving. For more on what to do while you wait, car broke down on highway at night has safety tips that apply any time of day. What Do I Do Right Now While I Wait for the Tow? Get safe first, then make your calls. Here is the sequence: 1. Pull completely off the travel lanes. Parking lot, shoulder, exit ramp, anywhere away from moving traffic. 2. Hazard lights on immediately. 3. If you are on a highway shoulder, exit the vehicle from the passenger side when safe and stand behind a guardrail or well away from the road. Do not stand between your car and traffic. 4. Call a tow. If you have AAA, call them. If you have roadside assistance through your insurance, call that number. If you are paying out of pocket, expect a local tow to run $75 to $150 for the first few miles, more if you need a flatbed or a longer haul to a specific shop. 5. Let the tow driver know the car may not start. They need to know upfront so they bring the right equipment. Do not try to disconnect the AC compressor yourself on the side of the road to "bypass" it. That bypass requires removing the belt and installing a shorter bypass belt sized for your specific vehicle. It is a shop job, not a shoulder job. If you are curio !tow truck loading car Photo: Pexels us whether your roadside coverage actually applies here, this breakdown of what insurance covers when a car is not driveable is worth a quick read while you wait. What Is This Going to Cost to Fix?

Car Won't Shift Out of Park: When You Need a Tow and What to Try First: Explained Originally published on Tow With The Flow: https://towwiththeflow.com/car-wont-shift-out-of-park-tow-needed/ ``` Quick Answer: Your car won't shift out of park because of a failed brake-transmission shift interlock (BTSI), a dead battery, a broken brake light switch, or a damaged shift cable. Before calling a tow, try pressing the brake pedal firmly and locating the manual shift lock override slot near your shifter. If none of that works, you need a tow. Do not force the shifter. Why Won't My Car Shift Out of Park? The most common culprit is the brake-transmission shift interlock, a safety system that prevents shifting unless the brake pedal sends a signal to a solenoid in the shifter assembly. If that solenoid fails, the signal never arrives and the car stays locked in park no matter how hard you push. A dead or weak battery causes the same result because the solenoid needs power to release. Less often, the brake light switch (the small switch on the brake pedal arm itself) fails and kills the signal upstream. A stretched or broken shift cable, common on higher-mileage automatics, is a mechanical failure that no solenoid override will fix. What Can I Try Before Calling a Tow? Use the manual shift lock override before you call anyone. On most vehicles, it is a small slot or cap near the base of the shifter, sometimes labeled "Shift Lock Release" and covered by a plastic plug you pop out with a coin or flathead screwdriver. Insert a key, screwdriver, or the override tool from your owner's manual, press it down, then press the brake pedal and move the shifter. This bypasses the BTSI solenoid electrically and lets you shift manually. If that does not work, check whether your brake lights are on when someone presses the pedal. No brake lights means a dead brake light switch, which is a $15-30 part but requires diagnosis and replacement before the car will shift normally again. Also try jump-starting the battery if it is dead or borderline. A healthy 12-volt battery is required for the interlock to function. If the car starts and you still cannot shift, the problem is mechanical, and forcing the shifter at that point risks snapping the shift cable entirely. Is It Safe to Drive After Using the Manual Override? Using the override once to move the car out of a dangerous spot is fine. Do not rely on it as a daily workaround. The BTSI exists to prevent the car from rolling when you move the shifter without intending to. Driving regularly without a functioning interlock means one lapse in brake-pedal pressure during shifting could result in an unintended gear change. Get the solenoid or brake light switch repaired at a shop before you drive normally again. If you used the override to shift into drive and now need to park, the car may lock in park again when you turn it off. Plan your stop carefully. What Does It Cost to Fix a Car That Won't Shift Out of Park? A brake light switch replacement runs $75 to $150 at most shops, including parts and labor. The BTSI solenoid itself costs $30 to $80 for the part, but labor to access and replace it ranges from $100 to $200 depending on how buried it is in the center console. If your shift cable is broken, expect $150 to $300 for parts and labor. None of these are cheap-out repairs. If the car will not move at all, you will also need a tow on top of the repair bill. A standard local tow typic !tow truck loading car Photo: Pexels ally runs $75 to $150 for the first few miles. For a fuller picture of what a tow will set you back, see what towing costs in Denver, Colorado or check rates for your area. When Do I Just Call a Tow Truck?