AtWheel vehicle recovery guides
Clear answers for breakdowns, flat batteries, non-runners and planned vehicle movements. Start with the guide that matches the problem, then contact AtWheel when you need help with the actual vehicle.
Make the scene safe, then work out what the vehicle needs.
For injury, fire, immediate danger or a vehicle blocking a live lane, call 999 and follow the emergency operator’s instructions. Once everyone is safe, note the exact location and describe what the vehicle is doing. Clicking, slow cranking, warning messages, loss of power, a damaged wheel or a brake that will not release are more useful than guessing which part has failed.
Our breakdown guides explain what to do first and what information a recovery driver needs. Battery guides cover jump starts, warning signs and when a new battery may be more sensible. Transport guides explain collection and delivery planning, vehicle condition, access, auction releases and non-runner loading.
General advice cannot inspect the vehicle, so call us for a definite answer. Have the registration, exact location, vehicle condition and destination ready. Photographs are helpful when there is damage, tight access, low clearance or a wheel that will not turn.
Breakdown, battery, recovery and transport guides
Choose a guide below for practical information you can use before arranging help.
What to Do When Your Car Breaks Down
A practical breakdown checklist covering safety, location details, roadside assessment, recovery and what information to give the operator.
Read guideMotorway Breakdown Safety: A Practical UK Checklist
What to do after a motorway breakdown, how to give an exact location and when to call 999 rather than a recovery operator.
Read guideRoadside Assistance vs Vehicle Recovery
The difference between attempting a safe roadside fix and transporting a vehicle to a garage, home or secure destination.
Read guideHow Much Does Vehicle Transport Cost?
Understand loaded mileage, travel to collection, vehicle condition, access and specialist-equipment factors in a vehicle transport quote.
Read guideHow to Prepare a Non-Runner for Transport
A collection checklist for non-running, project, MOT-failed and accident-damaged vehicles.
Read guideElectric Vehicle Breakdown & Recovery Guide
What makes EV and hybrid recovery different, including 12-volt faults, neutral release and platform transport.
Read guideAccident Recovery Checklist
A practical checklist covering safety, photographs, wheel damage, insurance details and destination planning after a collision.
Read guideCar Jump-Start Safety & Flat Battery Guide
Understand when a jump start may help, when to stop and why modern vehicles need the correct procedure.
Read guideSigns Your Car Battery May Need Replacing
Common flat-battery and weak-battery symptoms, plus reasons a charging or starter fault may look similar.
Read guideAuction Vehicle Collection Checklist
The references, condition information, deadlines and release details needed before an auction vehicle is collected.
Read guideHow to Choose a Vehicle Recovery Company
Questions to ask about insurance, equipment, pricing, destination, condition and communication before booking recovery.
Read guideVehicle Transport Booking Checklist
Use this vehicle transport booking checklist to confirm identity, condition, access, keys, contacts and handover details before collection.
Read guideWhat Information Does a Recovery Driver Need?
The exact location, vehicle condition and destination details that help a recovery operator allocate the right equipment.
Read guideStay safe
Do not try to repair a vehicle in a dangerous position. Traffic, visibility, passengers, weather and instructions from road authorities come before the vehicle.
Describe the symptoms
Tell us what you can see, hear and feel. Warning lights, noises, leaks and starting behaviour help us choose between roadside help and recovery.
Explain how it moves
Starting the engine is not the whole story. We also need to know whether every wheel rolls, the steering turns, the brake releases and keys are available.
Choose a destination
Check that the home, garage, bodyshop or storage site can receive the vehicle at the agreed time and has enough space for delivery.
Find recovery near the vehicle
Choose the nearest town and then give us the full address or safe map pin.
Use the correct road and direction
On a motorway or divided A-road, tell us the direction of travel, nearest junction, service area, emergency area or marker.
Choose the service that matches the situation.
Roadside assistance may help with a straightforward non-start or minor fault in a safe location. Vehicle recovery is for a vehicle that cannot continue safely and needs to be loaded. Vehicle transport is for a planned collection and delivery.
We also have dedicated information for motorway recovery, accident recovery, non-runner transport, jump starts and mobile battery replacement.
Show the vehicle and the space around it.
A close-up of a damaged wheel is helpful, but we also need to see the whole vehicle, the space in front and behind it, nearby walls, gates, barriers, gradients and the route the recovery vehicle would use.
Never step into traffic or place yourself in danger to take a photograph. A verbal description and safe map pin are better than an image taken from an unsafe position.
Using AtWheel advice safely
General information helps you prepare, but it does not replace emergency advice or a job-specific assessment.
Do the guides replace emergency advice?
No. Call 999 for immediate danger, injury, fire, a live-lane obstruction or an uncontrolled collision. Follow the emergency operator and road authority.
Can a guide tell me the exact recovery price?
No. The price depends on the route, vehicle, condition, access, waiting, timing and destination. Submit the actual job details for a quote.
What should my photographs show?
Show the whole vehicle, affected wheels, visible damage, ground clearance and the access route, but only where it is safe to do so.
Which guide should I read for a car that will not start?
Start with the battery warning, jump-start safety and roadside-assistance-versus-recovery guides. Describe the actual symptoms rather than assuming the battery is at fault.
Need help with the actual vehicle?
Send the registration, exact location, destination, access and condition to AtWheel.