How To Make The Best Out Of A Breakdown In Your RV

RV Roadside Assistance

It is inevitable, eventually you will end up with a breakdown on the side of the road. It does not matter if you are pulling a camper or driving a motorhome. At some point it will break! No doubt about it, when it breaks it is going to happen at the most inconvenient time.

Thankfully, there are some companies out there that will help during this stressful time. There are some common practices as well to help with early detection of a problem.

When you find yourself stranded on the side of the road, the last thing you need is extra stress. I believe these companies bring peace of mind of knowing that they will be there for me. They will help me remain safe, and get back on the road as fast as possible. Today we are going to cover some of those companies that I have used myself. We are also going to cover some of the common practices of early detection.

AAA Plus RV

About a year ago we were on our way home from a weekend trip we took in Tennessee. This was the last “test trip” for us before going to Yellowstone. As we approached the Paduka exits in Kentucky and we lost all power to the engine on the motorhome. I did not have a dingy, I did not have tools, nor did I have a scan tool. Luckily my dad purchased a AAA plan plus RV for us right before we left to go to Tennessee.

After realizing there was nothing we could do on the side of the road. I called the number on my member card and was connected with a very friendly and helpful young lady on the other side of the phone. After establishing where we were located at, the tow truck was on the way. A large wrecker showed up, swooped up the camper and ran us into town.

This driver was very friendly and kind, he went above and beyond helping us. He took me to Enterprise where AAA called ahead and set us up with a minivan so we could get home. Then he took the camper to a local shop that is equipped to work on motorhomes. Once again AAA called ahead and informed the shop of the issue we were experiencing.

We did not have to do anything and was able to get back home that night. God Bless the tow truck driver! God bless the AAA for all the help during a time where we had a 3-year-old with us and a 2-year-old with us. A time that we were dealing with the breakdown, hot, tired, and worried about the cost of fixing this camper. We got the van for a AAA discounted rate. The tow bill was over $400 that AAA covered completely.

Visit Website

Hard Lesson to learn

What this taught me was to always have a scan tool in the camper! Always have tools, always have AAA, and always have a dingy. The issue with the camper was the CPS sensor. If I would have had the scanner I would have known this sensor was bad. I could have used the dingy to go to the auto parts store. With tools, I could have fixed it. That would have saved me a $900 repair bill. Not to mention a weekend of driving back and forth to retrieve the camper once it was fixed.

I want to say thank you to my Dad! Thank you for getting us the subscription to AAA plus RV and upkeeping it for us every year. It is a great Christmas gift, the gift of peace of mind.

Good Sam Roadside

Another good option for roadside assistance is the Good Sam Roadside Assistance Plan. It is very similar to the AAA plus RV plan. It will help you pay for tow bills, running out of fuel, tire changes, etc. If you already have a Good Sam membership then this is the clear option for you. If you currently do not have a roadside assistance plan and are shopping around. I encourage you to check out all options and see what is the best fit for you. Both AAA and Good Sam are comparable in prices. Both companies have great reviews and have helped many campers get home.

You can also check with your insurance company and see if they offer a option for you. Even if they do not offer an option, it is worth checking with them. You may be paying for a tow package. You would be able to drop that from your insurance, if you have one of these plans that is going to cover a tow regardless.

Visit Website

Interstate Repair Service

The last trip we had scheduled for 2021 was a fall weekend getaway to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Long story short as we were coming home descending down the mountains entering into Sevierville Tennessee. We ended up locking up the right front brake caliper on the Motorhome. This of course caused extensive damage including ABS sensor, calipers, rotors, brakes, and wheel bearings.

This left us stranded on a very busy road with no way of getting home. I called a few RV repair shops. Some were not interested in the work, while other were closed since it was on a holiday weekend. Running out of options, it seemed that I was going to have to call a wrecker. Forcing us to make other plans on retrieving the motorhome at a later date…. not ideal!!

That is when one of the RV repair shops gave me the number to Interstate Repair Service out of Knoxville, Tennessee. If you breakdown anywhere near Knoxville, I highly suggest giving these guys a call.

They were on site with us within an hour. They evaluated the damage, gave us a price to repair with some options on how extensive we wanted to go. We chose to fix it the right way and to rebuild the entire front end.

The guys at Interstate Repair Service went to pickup up all the parts that was needed. They returned to us, calling us during the entire process. Keeping us informed of what the delays was going to be. They returned and rebuilt the entire front end of our motorhome on the side of the road. Getting us back up and going with the comfort of knowing the repair was finished properly. Giving us the comfort of knowing we had nothing else to worry about.

The guys at interstate Repair Service are very honest, open, and priced perfect for the repairs they performed for us. I thank them for being prompt! I thank them for making sure my family was safe and comfortable during a time we were stranded.

Visit Website

Have a plan before you need it

One thing you can do to limit your breakdown chances is to always do an inspection of your unit before leaving. Check oil, transmission fluid, coolant, tire pressure, brakes, belt condition, etc. Taking a few minutes to do an inspection of your unit can save you hours of headaches and tears on the side of the road. Not to mention when you find something wrong before it breaks! That will usually be a cheaper fix, than when you are stranded and have to have a rescue unit come and fix it.

Speaking of tires, your tires should be replaced every 5 years regardless of the tread that is left on them. This will help with blowouts, but remember nothing can ever eliminate the chance of the breakdowns. Look for cracked sidewalls, flat spots on the tires. Tires not holding air. Chopped tread pattern ( like the tire is bouncing). All of these can be signs that the tires are about to go BOOM!!

Try to bring some tools with you. Think of it as a small breakdown kit. I like to carry a small toolbox filled with sockets, ratchets, screw drivers, wrenches, hammers, a multi meter, 4 way lug nut tool, and a code reader. I also carry a heavy-duty bottle jack. Even with all these tools and years of experience working on vehicles, I still have had to have my RV towed and repaired on the side of the road.

No matter what direction you decide to go, just make sure you have a plan in order. I hope this article has helped giving you some ideas on how to minimize the stress during a breakdown. At least help you think about a plan on what you will do during a breakdown. You don’t want to start thinking about what to do, once you are on the side of the road. For us AAA Plus RV is who we choose to take on the road with us. I would not feel comfortable traveling this amazing country without them.