Car Broke Down in Brisbane? Here’s What To Do

If your car breaks down in Brisbane, move to the left lane immediately with your hazard lights on. Coast to the nearest shoulder, side street, or car park. Stay with your vehicle until help arrives. On a motorway, reach the emergency stopping lane and call QLD Traffic on 13 19 40 or Linkt on 13 33 31. Do not walk along the road. Once you’re safe, call a tow truck if the car can’t be driven.

Breaking down is stressful. It’s worse when it happens during peak hour on the M1 or in the middle of a busy Brisbane intersection. The right steps in the first few minutes can keep you safe and get you moving again faster. This guide covers exactly what to do, whether you’re on a quiet suburban street or stranded on the Gateway Motorway at 7am.

Step 1: Get Off the Road Safely

The moment you notice something wrong, start moving toward the left lane. Don’t wait until the car stops completely. A warning light, a strange noise, a loss of power — act on it early. You’ll have more options if you do.

Aim for a side street, car park, driveway, or left shoulder. The further you can get from moving traffic, the better. Turn your hazard lights on as soon as you start moving and keep them on.

Avoid stopping in tunnels, on bridges, in merge lanes, or around blind corners. These are the most dangerous positions on Brisbane’s road network. If you have momentum and can safely reach a better spot, use it.

On Brisbane Motorways (M1, M3, Gateway, Logan)

Motorway breakdowns require a different approach. Do not stop in a live traffic lane. Keep rolling slowly with your hazards on until you reach an emergency stopping lane. This is the yellow-edged lane on the far left, marked with yellow lines and a yellow P symbol.

Once stopped, call for help straight away:

• Linkt motorway assistance: 13 33 31. This covers Transurban-managed motorways including the M1, M3, M7, Gateway, and Logan. Operators monitor CCTV and will often call you, but don’t wait for them.
• QLD Traffic: 13 19 40. This covers all Queensland roads. Report your location and request assistance.

Do not walk along a motorway under any circumstances. The shoulder looks like a safe place to stand. It isn’t. Vehicles travelling at 100 km/h can drift onto it without warning. Stay with your vehicle until help arrives.

Step 2: Make Your Vehicle Visible

Once stopped, do everything you can to make your vehicle obvious to other drivers from as far away as possible.

• Pop the bonnet. It’s a universal signal that you’ve broken down, not just parked. Drivers will give you more space when they see it.
• Keep your hazard lights flashing. At night, turn your parking lights on as well so your tail lights stay visible from both directions.
• Place a warning triangle behind your vehicle if you have one. Face it toward oncoming traffic, clear of their lane. A basic reflective triangle from any hardware store is a worthwhile addition to your boot.

Stay behind any barrier rail if one is present. On a normal suburban street with slow-moving traffic, you can exit through the passenger side and wait on the footpath.

On any road where traffic travels faster than 80 km/h, the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads recommends staying inside your vehicle with your seatbelt fastened. Your car has crumple zones, side-impact protection, and airbags. Standing next to it does not.

Never stand directly in front of or behind your car. It’s a common instinct. People stand behind their car to watch approaching traffic, or in front of it as a shield. Neither is safe. A vehicle striking yours at 60 km/h can cause catastrophic injury even with the car between you. If you must exit, move well clear of the vehicle, past the barrier or onto the footpath.

Step 3: Assess — Can You Fix It?

Once you’re safe and visible, take a moment to assess the situation. Some breakdowns can be resolved roadside without a tow.

Situations you may be able to handle yourself:

• Flat tyre. Only attempt this if you have a spare, a tyre iron, and a jack, and you’re in a safe location away from moving traffic.
• Dead battery. If another driver stops and you have jumper leads, or if you have a portable jump starter in your boot.
• Run out of fuel. If you can arrange a jerry can delivery.

Situations that require a professional tow:

• Engine warning lights, especially oil pressure or temperature warnings
• Overheating
• Mechanical failure (grinding, clunking, loss of drive)
• Accident damage
• Any situation where the car cannot be safely started or driven

If you’re unsure, don’t experiment. An attempted repair that goes wrong can cause further damage. It can also put you in danger on a busy road. Call a tow truck and let a professional assess it.

Brisbane Summer Heat: Watch for Overheating

Queensland’s heat is a genuine breakdown risk that drivers in cooler states don’t face. If your temperature gauge climbs into the red, pull over immediately and turn the engine off. Do not keep driving to find a better spot.

Do not open the radiator cap. The cooling system is pressurised when hot. Opening the cap can cause scalding fluid to spray out and cause serious burns.

Let the engine cool for at least 30 minutes before checking coolant levels. If the gauge returns to red as soon as you restart, or the car won’t start at all, you’ll need a breakdown tow to a mechanic.

Step 4: Call for Help

Once you’ve reduced the risk as much as possible, get help on the way.

If you’re an RACQ member, call them first on 13 11 11. They’re Queensland’s primary roadside assistance provider and cover most of metro Brisbane.

If you’re not an RACQ member, call a local tow truck service directly. The same applies if your wait time is too long or your car needs a tow rather than a roadside fix. WeTow operates 24/7 across Brisbane and surrounding suburbs. No membership required. No hidden callout fees. From $99, we’ll get your car to your mechanic, your home, or wherever you need it.

If there’s a life-threatening emergency — a car fire, injuries, or a vehicle blocking a live motorway lane — call 000 first. Everything else comes second.

Only reach for your phone once you’ve done everything you can to reach a safe position. Sitting in a live lane scrolling for a number is the wrong order of operations.

Step 5: Wait Safely and Share Your Location

Help is on the way. Your job now is to stay put and stay safe.

Stay with your vehicle. A tow truck driver needs to find your car. If you’ve walked away, that’s significantly harder, especially at night or on an unfamiliar stretch of road.

Share your location. Send your live location to the tow company or a family member via your phone. If that’s not possible, note the nearest cross street, exit number, or landmark and relay it when you call.

Keep your phone battery alive. Switch to low power mode. Avoid unnecessary use while you wait.

If a stranger pulls over to offer help, you don’t have to accept. Wave them off and indicate that help is already coming. If they do stop and park behind you with hazards on, the added visibility is useful. Use your judgment about whether a second vehicle in that location helps or creates more confusion for approaching traffic.

Don’t wave down passing vehicles. A broken-down car is already something drivers need to process and avoid. Actively flagging them down adds a distraction at exactly the wrong moment. Let your hazard lights do the work.

Don’t attempt to tow your car yourself. Under Australian Road Rule 125, towing a vehicle in a way that unreasonably obstructs traffic is illegal. More importantly, towing from a busy road with a strap or chain puts two drivers at serious risk. Call a professional.

What to Keep in Your Car (Brisbane Edition)

A well-stocked car kit can turn a breakdown from a crisis into a minor inconvenience. These are the essentials for Brisbane drivers:

• Jumper leads or a portable jump starter. Flat batteries are the number one breakdown cause in Australia.
• Spare tyre, tyre iron, and jack. Make sure you know how to use them before you need to.
• High-visibility vest. Required if you need to exit your vehicle near moving traffic.
• Torch. Motorway breakdowns at night are harder to manage without one.
• Phone charger or power bank. Your phone is your lifeline in a breakdown.
• Water and a snack. Sitting on a shoulder in Queensland’s summer heat is genuinely dangerous. Don’t underestimate it.
• WeTow’s number saved in your contacts: 1300 368 616.

Prevention: Keep Your Car in Good Shape

Breakdowns don’t always give warning, but many do. Regular maintenance is the easiest way to reduce the risk.

Check your tyre pressure regularly when the tyres are cold. Keep an eye on coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid between services. Don’t skip scheduled services. A $30 coolant top-up is considerably cheaper than being stranded and needing a new engine.

Brisbane’s summer heat and stop-start motorway traffic are both hard on vehicles. If your car has been running hot, pulling heavily, or showing warning lights intermittently, get it checked before it becomes a roadside emergency.

Broken Down in Brisbane? Call WeTow

If your car needs towing anywhere in Brisbane or the surrounding suburbs, WeTow is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No membership needed. No hidden callout fees.

From breakdown towing to emergency recovery, we get your vehicle to your mechanic, your home, or wherever it needs to go.

FAQ: Broken Down Car