Tip #45: In a parking deck, give the level and the clearance before a truck is sent
Most parking garages and decks are too low for a flatbed to enter. When your car will not start in one, tell the dispatcher the garage name, the level, the spot and the posted clearance, so the plan fits the building.
Tip #45 in one line
Most parking garages and decks are too low for a flatbed to enter. When your car will not start in one, tell the dispatcher the garage name, the level, the spot and the posted clearance, so the plan fits the building.
Stuck right now? Skip the reading and call.
Call nowWhy garages are hard
A flatbed is tall. The clearance bar at the entrance of most parking decks at train stations, malls, hospitals and apartment buildings is lower than the truck. Even when the truck fits through the entrance, ramps with tight turns and low beams inside can stop it a level or two down. Some garages also have their own rules: management must be notified, certain areas are off limits, or only the garage's contracted service can enter.
That does not mean the car is stuck forever. It means the plan depends on the details.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowWhat to tell us
Give the name and address of the garage, the level and spot number, and the clearance posted at the entrance. Describe what is wrong: does the car crank, is a tire flat, are the keys locked inside? A lot of garage calls are roadside jobs that never need a tow. A jump start, a flat tire change or a car lockout can be done by a technician in a smaller vehicle that fits, and the car drives out.
If the car truly needs a tow, the next question is whether it can get to a level the truck can reach. Sometimes a jump gets it started long enough to drive down; sometimes it can be rolled out in neutral with help. The dispatcher works that out with you before anyone is sent.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowTalk to the garage too
Let the garage attendant or management know a service vehicle is coming, and ask whether there is a gate fee or a code the technician needs. Keep your ticket. Our roadside jobs are one flat price each, quoted on the call, and a tow from the garage exit is a flat hook fee plus per-mile rate. The roadside assistance guide has more.
A garage breakdown is also a good moment to look at the cause. A battery that dies after a day parked in a cold deck was probably weak already, and the next failure may come in a worse place. If a jump gets you out, drive straight to a parts store or a shop to have the battery and charging system tested, rather than parking again and hoping.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowMore on breakdowns
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- What to do when your car breaks down in New Jersey
- Where to tow your car: home, repair shop or dealer?
- Tip #23: With kids in the car, decide in the first minute whether they stay buckled or get out
- Tip #24: Ask the dispatcher about your pet before the tow truck arrives
- Tip #32: Close the trunk, windows and sunroof before the truck pulls away
- Tip #33: Take your valuables with you, or lock them out of sight
- Tip #48: Call 911 for danger, a tow company for a car that will not go
- Tip #50: Tell the dispatcher where, what and which way in the first 30 seconds
- All posts
Need towing and roadside assistance right now? One call, truck on the way.
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