10 Craziest Car Breakdown Stories From Wrench Customers

Almost everyone has an interesting story when it comes to car breakdown experiences and in honor of National Tell A Story Day on April 27th, we are sharing some of the craziest car breakdown stories we have heard.

We have gathered a list of the 10 craziest car breakdown stories from our customers and employees. These stories range from common experiences to super rare occurrences. Take a look and let us know what you think!

Top 10 INSANE Car Breakdown Stories

1. Hanging Off A Bridge
   Perhaps one of the most terrifying stories we have heard from our customers was when one customer experienced a breakdown on a very tall bridge. "When I was reversing my car, I hit the bridge pier and the car was hanging over the bridge. I was very scared." While this isn't a common experience, it is enough to give many of us nightmares!
2. Smashed On The Side Of The Road
   There have also been a lot of instances where someone's car has gotten hit while it was broken down on the side of the road. One of our employees recalled a moment when they were on the phone with a customer who called for help, but they didn't have good reception. The customer proceeded to get out of their vehicle and walk up a nearby hill in hopes of getting better reception. As soon as they turned around to glance at their vehicle, they saw an 18 wheeler crash into it. Luckily the customer was fine, but we couldn't say the same for the car.
3. College Road Trip Gone Wrong
   One of our employees told us that they got a flat tire while driving their younger sister to a college in Reno, Nevada. The 12-hour road trip had been fun, until the front, right tire gave out about an hour from their destination. They looked up at the sky and saw dark, stormy clouds heading right for them so they knew they needed to act fast. They called for help, but help was too far away. Eventually, a man pulled over and fixed their car in his shop nearby. That's not the worst part though. Since they were heading to a University, they had all the bedding, clothes, and other items in the trunk of the car, preventing access to the spare tire. They had to unload and reload the entire car while in the middle of a lightning storm. Thankfully they were successful in their adventure, but this gave them a story to remember.
4. This Engines On FIREEE!
   Another Wrench customer told us that their craziest car breakdown story happened when they were driving on the freeway and their engine caught on fire. They ended up pulling over and got out of their vehicle safely. When the firefighters came, their car was too far gone to be saved.  
5. One AM And All Alone
   Another common fear of many car owners is getting stuck on the side of the road in the middle of the night all by yourself. For one of our customers, this nightmare turned into a reality. "It was after 1 am and I was getting off work. I was driving up a road that winded like a snake, but my car died and I couldn't pull over. Being a woman all alone, it was very scary. Luckily a man helped me push my car out of the way."
6. Tornados! Hurricanes! Hail!
   One Wrench customer told us that his car battery failed while he was driving home in the middle of a tornado. He hadn't been following the weather and made it about halfway when his car battery died. Luckily, he was okay!
   A Wrench employee also recalled a time when a customer called her because their car was flooded from a hurricane. Unfortunately, tow trucks weren't available at this time because of the weather, so the customer had two choices - call a friend or wait it out.
   Another customer experience a car breakdown while golf ball-sized hail fell on their car. The customer pulled over, under a large tree and waited until the hail storm passed. Then someone was finally able to come out and give them a hand. Weather can do crazy things!
7. Locked Out Of Heaven
   This story is equally embarrassing and funny, so we just had to put it on our list. One couple was out at 3 am and ended up outside of their car with the doors locked. They had to call for help, but the catch, nobody was wearing clothes!
8. Hold Your Horses
   One customer was driving their horse trailer to the vet because the horse was old and sick. They were planning on having the horse euthanized, but the car broke down on the way over. Sadly, the horse ended up passing away while waiting for the tow truck.
9. Ex-Girlfriend's House
   Another funny story that a customer told us was when they got stuck at their ex-girlfriend's house. Can you imagine going to your significant other's house to get your stuff after a difficult breakup and turning your key to find out that your car won't start?
10. Brush Of Death
    If you think the story about the customer whose car got smashed by an 18 wheeler was crazy, wait till you hear this one. One woman was in a similar situation. Her car broke down on the highway and she was talking to roadside assistance to try and get help. The roadside assistance dispatcher repeatedly told the woman to stay in her car, but she refused. She opened her car door and stood near the traffic. Soon a car came by and side-swiped her car, just barely missing her. Out of shock, the woman fell to the ground and yelled out a horrifying scream. While the woman ended up with just a scratch, that moment was enough to haunt both her and the dispatcher that was trying to send help.
    

Honorable Mentions

Haunted Windshield Wipers
One customer told us that they had an incident where they believed their windshield wipers had been possessed. "The wipers turned on automatically and I couldn't get them to stop. It was actually horrifying!"

In The Middle Of Nowhere With No Cell Service
A very common response from our customers was that their craziest story was when their car broke down in the middle of nowhere and they didn't have cell service to call for help. Some broke down in the middle of the desert in the afternoon heat and some broke down in a jungle! While it is terrifying to experience a broken-down vehicle, it's even worse when your cell phone can't save the day.

Another customer recalled a time when his car broke down before cell phones were invented! He says he was 30 miles from town so he just waited until someone saw him trapped on the side of the road.

In Rush Hour Traffic
Another common experience that car owners have is getting stuck in rush hour traffic. If you have had to endure the pain of sitting in stop-and-go traffic on the highway, you can imagine how frustrating it would be for your car to break down at that moment. All you can do is try to move your car to the side and turn on your hazard lights.

In Front Of O'Reilly's After Hours
So close, yet so far. One customer told us that they couldn't get their car to start when they were parked right outside of the O'Reilly's Auto Parts store. They had just watched the last employee lock up the store and head out five minutes before. If only they had started their car before that employee left!

Near The Disney World Exit
One customer was heading to Disney World early in the morning and their car broke down on the freeway, right on the exit for Disney World. This exit is always busy as people all over the country come to the amusement park. In this case, traffic was not due to the popularity of the parks, it was because someone's car broke down.

In A Drive Thru
And finally, another customer told us that their car broke down while grabbing a bite to eat at a McDonald's drive-thru. They held up the line for 30 minutes, causing a line of hangry people. Thankfully the customer was able to get help and the drive-thru was up and running relatively quickly.

What To Do If Your Car Breaks Down

Most people end up having to deal with a broken-down vehicle at least once in their lives. Sometimes you get a crazy story out of it, and sometimes you can deal with it easily. If you are dealing with a broken-down car, don't worry because Wrench is here to help.

If your car won't start, here are some tips for jumpstarting your car battery.

Here are a few steps you can take when your car breaks down!

Turn On Your Hazards

The first thing you need to do is turn on your hazard lights. They alert others around you that you are having an emergency so they will give you extra space. Sometimes people will even stop to help. If you are in the middle of the road or off to the side, this is extremely important for both your safety and the safety of your vehicle.

Get Somewhere Safe

Once you have turned on your hazard lights, you will want to pull over on the side of the road. Find the safest place possible, even if you don't have a lot of options. Safe locations will be relatively flat and as far away from traffic as possible.

Call For Help

Then you will want to call for help. You can call roadside assistance, tow trucks, mechanics, or even 911 if you think you are in danger. Luckily for you, Wrench's mobile mechanics can come to your location and take a look at your vehicle if your car breaks down. For our mobile mechanics to do their job efficiently, you will need to be in a safe area. Give us a call and we will get a mobile mechanic to your location as soon as we can.

Unsure what to say to the dispatcher on the phone? Here are some things to tell your dispatcher:

• What happened
• Where you are located
• What kind of vehicle you have
• Your vehicle's license plate number
• Any other information that seems important

After you have called for help, all you can do is wait for that help to arrive. Soon you will be back on the road and we hope this unexpected event didn't cause too much of an inconvenience.

Want to know what emergency items you should keep in your car at all times? Click here to read our blog post.

Do you have a crazy car breakdown story that should be on our list? Tell us on our social media!