RAC Winter Breakdown Facts

RaC Winter Breakdowns In 2015, the RAC were called out to 2,402,225 breakdowns in the United Kingdom. Of that number, a total of 648,064 breakdowns occurred between 1st December and 28th February. The RAC attend more breakdowns in the winter due to battery, tyre and alternator faults, all of which are vulnerable to the cold weather. We have quizzed our seasoned patrols and expert technicians to answer the following questions: how often should I perform maintenance checks, what do the dashboard warning lights mean and how should I drive in extreme conditions? Top Seasonal Breakdowns SPRING SUMMER AUTUMN WINTER Alternator Battery Engine Fuel Gearbox Plugs Puncture Starter Motor Percentage of Top 25 Breakdown Faults by Month 10 AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL 7.9 8.0 8.0 9.5 9.1 10.3 8.6 8.3 7.7 7.3 7.4 7.9 Winter Breakdowns by Category Extreme temperatures can be hard on car batteries so it may not be a surprise to hear that the RAC attend more call-outs for batteries than any other faults during winter. 31.0% 25.1% 23.3% 5.6% BATTERY TYRES MECHANICAL ELECTRICAL FU 4.6% 3.0% 2.1% 1.5% were involved in a had the wrong fuel in their cars had no obvious fault were locked out road traffic accident with their car of their vehicles Most Common Winter Breakdowns 1 70,900 Battery - non-serviceable 2 38,600 Battery - flat 3 37,800 Puncture - wheel changed 4 30,000 Tyres 22,600 Road traffic accident 6 18,300 Alternator 16,500 Puncture - no spare wheel 8. 13,400 Clutch - assembly 9. 12,600 Starter motor 10 12,500 Engine flooding Common Winter Warning Lights The warning lights on your dashboard will pop up when something goes wrong with your car. Here are some of the ones you should look out for in winter: 70 60 50 80 40 100 30 110 20 120 3 6 130 1 BEE Pressure Battery charge Oil Engine monitor warning fault Often relates to Alerts you to low tyre pressures, indicative of Notifies you that the oil temperature may be too high, or the pressure and/or level is too low faults within the Indicates a car's electrical system e.g. alternator, battery, cabling malfunction of the engine punctures Patrol Hero Advice Our patrols are highly skilled technicians dedicated to rescuing our members in all weather conditions – who better to ask for expert driving advice? lan Webster Phil Kerby "Check the forecast, assess "Spend five minutes allowing your car to warm-up and to clear your windows fully of snow or ice." the road conditions and adjust your speed accordingly and leave more distance between your car and the vehicle in front." Gary Stanton Ryan Guy "Take your time and pay attention to other road users." "If you feel your car is starting to skid on ice then steer into the direction of the skid to regain control and avoid breaking sharply." Darren Bladen "Preparation is key. If you are going on a long journey, get your car serviced or at the very least, check the oil, water and tyres before setting off." Regular Vehicle Checks Regular checks should be performed on your car, especially in poor conditions and before setting off on a long journey. These can vary depending on your vehicle, so you should always refer to the handbook where possible. EVERY WEEK WEEKLY Lights Screenwash EVERY 2 WEEKS FORTNIGHTLY Oil level Engine coolant Tyre pressures EVERY 4 WEEKS MONTHLY Power steering fluid Windshield Brake fluid EVERY 13 WEEKS QUARTERLY Spare tyre Windscreen wipers Transmission fluid Shock absorbers * * These can be difficult to check yourself, so consider having them checked at a garage. Driving in Extreme Conditions If the driving conditions are extreme then do take note of Met Office weather warnings and only drive if necessary. In snow *** To reduce the likelihood of wheel spins, use low revs and try to get into higher gears Steer into skids Stopping distances may increase depending i on severity of the snow i Brake, steer and accelerate smoothly In heavy rain In the event of aquaplaning, do not brake but ease off the accelerator Leave more space between your car and the car in front Use dipped headlights Avoid using rear fog lights In fog Increase the distance between your car and the car in front i Use dipped headlights i Use your front and rear fog lights In high winds Hold the steering wheel firmly Maintain control by reducing speed i Give all other motorists extra space In ice & hail Importantly, only drive if necessary Steer into skids i Clear all of your windows i Increase stopping distance Driving in higher gears can help tyres to i grip the road RaC Copyright © 2016 RACERESCUE O O O O O O O