5 Signs You Should Pull Over Immediately

The cars we drive today are more reliable than they have ever been. But serious mechanical failures can still happen, and you should know how to deal with it. In many of these situations, the best response is to pull over immediately, get your vehicle off of the road, and then shut it down until help arrives.

Let’s focus on how to recognize these situations, and what to do when they occur. What’s at stake here is the continued good health of your vehicle, as well as that of you, the driver, and your passengers.

1. You see red dashboard warning lights

The dashboard houses a variety of warning lights that will alert you to any issues that need your attention. Some of them are more important than others.

The best way to be prepared is to know what each of these warning lights is for, and what it means when it lights up. All of this information can be easily found in your owner’s manual. Generally speaking, an easy way to know which ones require your immediate attention is by their color:

Red warning lights: Immediate attention is required

Orange or yellow warning lights: Something’s wrong, but it’s not dire (yet)

So let’s narrow it down to the red warning lights. When you see these, you should pull over immediately and shut off your car:

• Brake warning light: This can indicate either a serious problem with your brakes, or you may have inadvertently left your parking brake on. If you have ruled out the parking brake as the cause, and the light is still on, you have a problem with your brakes. Do not drive your car. Call a mechanic and have it towed to the shop.
• Oil pressure/level warning light: This can indicate that there is either an insufficient amount of oil in your engine, or there is not enough pressure to distribute the oil properly throughout the engine. Either way, any further driving can quickly destroy your engine, due to lack of lubrication. Do not drive your car. Call a mechanic and have it towed to the shop.
• Engine temperature warning light: This can indicate some type of failure in your cooling system. It could be a coolant leak, a bad water pump, or something else. Driving your car in this condition can lead to overheating, and major engine repairs.

2. You see steam, smoke or flames

As you drive, keep an eye out for anything unusual coming out of your car. This can indicate a serious problem area that requires you to pull over immediately. This can include:

• Steam: The sight of steam coming from under your hood can mean your coolant is boiling, a sign of overheating. This may happen in conjunction with the engine temperature warning light coming on, or your temperature gauge reading higher than normal. Do not attempt to check your radiator — you could get badly burned. Call a mechanic and have it towed to the shop.
• Smoke or flames: Seeing smoke or flames coming from under the hood is a very serious situation. Get your car as far off the road as possible, shut it off, and get all the occupants out safely and quickly. Get everyone far away from the vehicle and assess the situation. If your car doesn’t appear to be on fire, call a mechanic and have it towed. If it looks like it’s burning, call 911 for assistance. Do not attempt to put out the fire yourself.

3. You smell something weird

Your sense of smell can quickly alert you to something abnormal going on inside your car as you are driving it. An unusual and unpleasant smell can indicate one of the following problems:

• Fuel leakage (smell of gasoline)
• Electrical issues (smell of burning wiring or insulation)
• Cooling system issues (smell of boiling coolant or hot rubber hoses)

Any of these smells can indicate that a much larger problem is about to happen. Pull over immediately, shut off your car, and call a mechanic. Towing will likely be your next step.

4. You hear certain noises

Your hearing can also quickly let you know of a situation that requires your quick attention. An unfamiliar sound can indicate a serious problem:

• A dragging sound from under your car: You may be dragging your muffler and exhaust system, or you may have run over and “caught” a large piece of debris.
• A grinding sound when you apply your brakes: You have waited too long to replace your brake pads, you have very little braking power left, and you are destroying the rest of your braking system.
• Strange sounds coming from under your hood: You may have a serious engine problem.
• A loud “pop,” followed by the car pulling strongly to one side: Your tire may have blown out.

5. You feel something wrong

Whether it’s through the steering wheel or through your seat, you might feel something amiss. Here are a few other ways to tell it’s time to pull over immediately:

• A strong pull to one side, felt through the steering wheel: This could indicate a flat tire.
• A vibration at higher speeds, accompanied by a burning smell: You could have a brake caliper that is stuck to your brake disc.

Here’s what 'pull over immediately' really means

While many of the situations described above require your full attention and a quick response, please remember to do it as safely as you possibly can. This means:

• Be aware of the traffic around you
• Use your turn signals as you move to the side of the road
• Look for a place to park that is away from the flow of moving traffic
• Shut off your car
• Set your parking brake
• Turn on your hazard flashers
• Get you and your passengers out of and away from the car, if necessary
• Call your mechanic or 911, as the situation requires
• Arrange for a tow from your auto club, roadside assistance provider or a local towing company if appropriate.