A lot of things can go wrong when you’re travelling, especially if you’ve decided to try out a road trip, and experience the world for yourself on your own terms. But that also means you need to be completely self sustainable, and that can be hard when you don’t know the first thing about your car.

If you’re off in another part of the country that you don’t know, or you’re in a completely different country and have a bit of an issue with the language barrier, it’s easy to feel like you’re on your own. And sure, sometimes you are – which makes the idea of having your car breakdown whilst you’re trying to road trip a very scary idea. So you’re going to need to know how to troubleshoot the problem in your car, and what to do about it; be sure to read on for some tips.

The Battery’s Gone Flat

Maybe the engine took a while to start, maybe your headlights are really dim, maybe you suddenly came to a stop. Any one of these signs indicate your battery has gone flat. This is when you flag down another car for help (if you don’t know the language, download a translation app), or you ask a friendly stranger who’s approached you to use their vehicle to start your own.

After all, when your battery hits zero, you’re going to have to depend on the jump leads, and hopefully you’ve got some stashed in the back. Once you get back on the road with this extra charge, you’re going to be able to head to a mechanic for a repair or to buy some a new battery to replace the flat one.

The Car Pedals Feel Weird

You’ve been driving for a while now, and one of the pedals breaks. If the clutch you press down on no longer has any resistance to it, there’s a good chance your clutch cable has broken, and you definitely need it repaired sooner rather than later. If you don’t, you’ll have all kinds of trouble trying to change your gears and subsequently, getting your car operating properly on the road. Of course, something like this doesn’t have to be a problem straight away, but head to the nearest town or city to get it seen to.

It also might be a good idea to invest in some new EBC Brakes or brake pads now, to make sure you’ve got a set to replace any pads that wear down and cause some nasty noises when you’re just trying to slow down whilst on the road. Your brakes are an integral part of the system! And also be sure to read through a tutorial like this before you go off on your trip, as you’re going to need a full tool box and the right knowhow to undergo a repair like this on your own.

Troubleshooting a roadside breakdown doesn’t have to be frustrating.