Danielle Hanrahan
Travel Trouble

What to do if your motorhome breaks down

If you’re thinking about taking your motorhome for a drive down the coast, be prepared if it breaks down with these simple tips.

Breaking down in any vehicle can be inconvenient, but you can make the experience much less stressful if you’ve prepared for the situation. Preparation is key, as they say, so here’s a list of what to do if your motorhome suddenly decides to stop moving.

Be prepared
Before taking to the open road with your motorhome, it’s a good idea to be prepared for any situation. Together with a first aid kit, a roadside safety kit is a great way to plan for life’s little speed bumps. The kit could include jumper cables, reflectors, basic tools, warm and waterproof clothing, a torch and an empty petrol can.

Keep a few litres of water in your vehicle as well, especially if you’re travelling long distance in remote or isolated areas. While GPS systems and Google Maps are great tools for tracking where you are, it’s always a good idea to pack a road map for where you’re going. This is always reliable since it doesn’t run on power, batteries or the need to be connected to a phone network.

Know your numbers
If you have motorhome insurance, make sure you know the contact details of your insurer and roadside assist company. This will be important in the event of a breakdown, especially if it’s been caused by a major mechanical fault. Most people are aware that the number for emergency services in Australia is 000, however, people may not know that if you’re calling from a mobile or satellite phone it could be 112.

Phone signals can be weak at the best of times when in regional areas, so make sure you let someone know where you’re going and your estimated time of arrival – just in case you can’t contact anyone due to low network signals.

Reliable communication is essential
While most of us have mobile phones, these devices may not always work if you’re travelling somewhere remote which doesn’t have strong network signals. For long drives that are not on major highways, consider hiring emergency communications equipment, like a satellite phone or an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPRIB) device.

However, EPRIB devices should only be used in the direst of circumstances. Another popular option is satellite phones, which are easy-to-use hand-held devices that connect to orbiting satellites and provide reliable communication for users. You can buy these outright, which may be a good idea if you take regular trips to remote places, or you can hire the devices for your period of travel.

What to do if your motorhome stops
If you can, pull over to the side or emergency lane. Get out of the vehicle by the left-hand door and if it’s dark, put on a high-vis jacket (if you have one available). Getting out to inspect your vehicle can be dangerous on roads with high speed limits, so be careful at all times.

Remember to also put on your emergency lights. A flat tyre is a common problem to encounter on long trips, so always have a spare tyre on board in your vehicle. It’s a good idea to brush up on your skills for changing a tyre if it’s been a while.

If you’re about to embark on a road trip down the coast or across the country, be safe and enjoy your travel. By preparing before you go, you’re going a long way to ensuring a memorable journey – for all the right reasons.

Image: Getty Images

Tags:
tips, motorhome, caravan, road trip