The most common reasons for a car breakdown statistics and how to breakdown prevention

Busiest day of the year for the road patrol is usually December 29th. Immediately after the Christmas holidays, due to the nationwide onset of winter, the ADAC receives a call for help every 3.3 seconds on average – there were a total of 26,195 breakdown calls on this record day. Looking at 2014 as a whole, mild weather was the main reason that the number of rescue services (3.9 million calls) fell slightly compared to the previous year (4.1 million calls).

The most common causes of a car breakdown

The most common causes of a car breakdown are as follows:

• A broken or worn-out wheel
• A loose hubcap or wheel cover
• A faulty wheel alignment
• A screw or bolt that has come loose
• A damaged tire
• A bad wheel bearing
• A bad wheel hub
• A bad wheel
• A bad wheel seal
• A bad wheel bearing cap
• A bad wheel sealant

Correct behavior in the event of a car breakdown

Expenditure on ADAC’s breakdown and accident assistance last year totaled almost 300 million euros – this corresponds to around two-thirds of the automobile club’s premium income. The modern equipment of the vehicles was just as important as the training and further education of the breakdown helpers: the club financed around 7000 training days for its 1750 breakdown helpers.

This year, ADAC is planning to set up a new IT communication platform that will further improve the roadside assistance process and enable road patrol drivers to communicate even better with the ADAC headquarters. 2.9 million smartphone users have already downloaded the ADAC’s free roadside assistance app, which can be used to transmit all the necessary information and geo-coordinates in a matter of seconds in the event of a breakdown. ADAC breakdown assistance can be reached by telephone using the service numbers printed on the membership card. The club must be expressly requested at the emergency telephones on the motorways.

The probability of car breakdown increases with vehicle age and peaks at 14 year old cars. After that, cars are obviously taken out of circulation or maintained as youngtimers with a lower annual mileage, which the ADAC sees less often again. The middle class is dominated by German premium manufacturers. The models from Audi, BMW and Mercedes are consistently very puncture-proof.

Timely breakdown protection

The Society for Technical Monitoring (GTÜ) advises bringing forward due dates for the main inspection and inspection. Much of the work that is done in this context also serves to prevent breakdowns. Tires and brakes, chassis and exhaust gas behavior, a close look at windows and headlights as well as under the hood and vehicle floor are of course part of the scope of the test and quickly show the specialist possible weak points in the event of a car breakdown. During service work in the workshop, the battery (which is responsible for 1/3 of the breakdowns) should also be checked and the filling levels of engine oil, brake system, radiator, air conditioning and windshield washer system corrected. You can find a list of workshops in your area and their opening hours at www.oeffnungszeiten.com.

Mishaps in summer

In the summer holidays and during a heat wave, the Automobile Club expects a very large number of breakdowns. In the strong summer heat, the roadside assistance experts primarily expect overload problems with the engine and cooling system.

It is therefore important, especially during holiday travel, to check the coolant level and check the air conditioning or have it checked as part of a holiday check. Filling up the tank before a longer journey is also recommended, as the air conditioning also consumes additional fuel in traffic jams. Other tips: Take enough non-alcoholic drinks with you and an insulating mat for the windshield.

10 steps to breakdown prevention

1. Tires: Check the tread and sidewalls for damage to avoid being caught unawares by a – often predictable – flat tire along the way. The tires should still have a tread depth of at least 3 mm in order to be safe on the road even in the wet and when there is a risk of aquaplaning.
2. Air pressure: When loading, the tire pressure has to be increased, sometimes by up to 50 percent. Otherwise the tires will be overused. The correct values ​​can be found in the operating instructions or in the fuel tank cap or in the entrance to the driver’s door.
3. Spare wheel: Always check the condition of the spare/temporary spare wheel (if available) so that it is actually ready for use in an emergency. Is the air pressure correct? Is the profile ok? How about aging? From the age of six you should think about replacing them, because even unused tires become porous and brittle as a result of storage. A four-digit DOT number on the tire sidewall provides information about the production date. As a result, the number 1105 says that the tire was produced in the eleventh week of 2005.
4. Engine oil: Is the oil level correct? As a precaution, take spare oil with you, preferably the same specification that was used at the last oil change. If you find the engine oil on the dipstick to be extremely dark when checking the oil level, this could be a sign of poor engine combustion or excessively aged oil. Engine breakdowns are inevitable.
5. Battery: Testing a battery is rather difficult for laypersons. If the alternator is in order, a normally stressed battery should be able to withstand a holiday trip, especially in summer, even if it is already a few years old. The danger of a failing battery is highest in the sixth and seventh year of life of a car, because the first battery is that old on average. Check the battery acid level. Maintenance-free batteries often have a viewing window with a color display to check the condition. White powder on the battery poles is an indication of damage to the battery. An exchange before departure is recommended.
6. V-belts & Co: Under the hood, take a look at the V-belts, cooling hoses and ignition cables. Frayed V-belts can easily tear, problems are also indicated if the V-belt squeaks when driving. Ignition cables and cooling hoses are often victims of marten bites. Damage should be assessed by a specialist and repaired if necessary.
7. Brake fluid and cooler: Also check the coolant and brake fluid levels. Below the minimum must be refilled. But ask yourself the “why”. Lack of service? leak? May be gleaned from tell-tale stains on garage floor. If the marking shows too much (!) brake fluid, you should consider changing it before you go on holiday. Too high a water content could have a dangerous effect on the braking effect, especially on downhill passes.
8. Windows and headlights: A look at windows and headlights is important to identify damage. Stone chips in the windshield can worsen into veritable cracks while driving. Headlights and indicators must of course work. Driving off “one-eyed” is negligent and dangerous.
9. Windshield washer system: “Flying blind” due to smeared insect dirt on the windshield is life-threatening. Before you travel, check the fill level of the window cleaning system and fill in an effective window cleaner for less than 10 euros, depending on the time of year.
10. Indicator lights: Modern cars usually have high-quality diagnostic equipment. Malfunctions are reported in the instrument cluster by a warning light and/or beeper. Never ignore such warnings! Never drive off at random, but when in doubt, it is better to go to the workshop first.