Breakdowns! What breaks?

[redstu]

Just seen the greenflag ad which stated they fix 86% of breakdowns at the roadside , which is good. So it just made me wonder what the breakdowns are, clearly they aren't major such as coolant leaks or belts snapping. I don't count punctures or running out of fuel as a breakdown. Anyone know the most common causes?

[Dracoro]

I reckon most "breakdowns" happen before the journey starts.

i.e. flat batteries. They just jump start it and then can claim they get most "breakdowns" fixed at the roadside.

[mat205125]

redstu said:

Just seen the greenflag ad which stated they fix 86% of breakdowns at the roadside , which is good. So it just made me wonder what the breakdowns are, clearly they aren't major such as coolant leaks or belts snapping. I don't count punctures or running out of fuel as a breakdown. Anyone know the most common causes?

They will.

[redstu]

Could be, forgot about flat batteries, that's not a breakdown either!

[balders118]

They will also put in the small print (not inlcuding major failures) or something similar, so they don't include all the seriously broken down cars in that statistic. I expect they do count flat tyres etc as breakdowns too.

[V6Alfisti]

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/breakdown_adv...

[Dracoro]

redstu said:

Could be, forgot about flat batteries, that's not a breakdown either!

What do you define as a "breakdown" and why is a flat battery not a "breakdown"?

As I understand it, you are talking about those that stop an already moving journey? (which a flat battery due to lack of charging or inability to hold a charge will do as well)

Overheating engine (top up coolant, will last rest of journey to garage and they can claim "fixed" at roadside as you're now able to continue. You will still need to get issue fixed.

Other things may be an electronics issue (i.e. putting into "limp" mode). They may read a code, tell you to go to garage asap but reset it so you can carry on (assuming it's not something "bad".

Flooded engine, can just wait then try starting again in 5/10 minutes etc.

[redstu]

^ useful link, alternator problems seem to be the first cause of real breakdowns ( they also included lost keys!) . They also mention spark plugs in at no 10, often neglected they say. I've had one broken plug where the core blew out due to oil contamination (dolomite sprint).

[mat205125]

The Crack Fox said:

redstu said:

Just seen the greenflag ad which stated they fix 86% of breakdowns at the roadside , which is good. So it just made me wonder what the breakdowns are, clearly they aren't major such as coolant leaks or belts snapping. I don't count punctures or running out of fuel as a breakdown. Anyone know the most common causes?

85% are flat tyres and flat batteries of repmobiles / wimmin who don't want to get their hands dirty cars where the wheels have been overtighted by a kwikfit gorilla and his airgun, and the 6" long wrench in the boot is never going to get the nut off. The other 1% is you or I with a problem that requires some mechanical knowledge to put right and a part only available from a main dealer....

/experience

EFA

[russy01]

mat205125 said:

redstu said:

Just seen the greenflag ad which stated they fix 86% of breakdowns at the roadside , which is good. So it just made me wonder what the breakdowns are, clearly they aren't major such as coolant leaks or belts snapping. I don't count punctures or running out of fuel as a breakdown. Anyone know the most common causes?

They will.

Spot on, its all for the figures.

I have had greenflag out for problems with my alarm (randomly going off in the night, couldnt get it off), im sure this would have been written down as a breakdown.