Roadside assistance and recovery operators deal with thousands of vehicle breakdowns every month, many of which could have been easily avoided. Some of the most common requests for assistance include punctures or driver errors such as flat batteries due to lights or other electrical items being left on, overheating, running out of fuel and filling diesel vehicles with petrol.

However, Mondial Assistance is also seeing an increase in larger faults that are often due to smaller ones being left to develop, such as engine coolant leaks that lead to engine overheating – often resulting in a big repair bill for the owner, not least because many roadside assistance or warranty schemes exclude repairs if the fault is due to a lack of maintenance.

Lee Taylor, the company’s Automotive Director explains:  “Van drivers could reduce the likelihood of a breakdown by sticking to some simple rules and quickly addressing any problems which arise.”

• Flat battery – most modern vehicle batteries don’t need topping up, but if you have an older van check your battery fluid regularly to make sure it is at the recommended level. Check that the battery terminals are protected by a layer of grease or petroleum jelly at all times, to protect against corrosion and poor electrical connections.
• Punctures – check your tyre pressure fortnightly, and find out from the vehicle’s handbook what are the optimum pressures for various speeds and loads.  If you hit a kerb or pothole, thoroughly check your tyres and wheel rims – damage can cause slow leaks which may result in a flat tyre at the most inconvenient moment.  Ensure your spare wheel, jack and wheel removal tools are in good condition.
• Engine oil – use the dipstick to check the level every fortnight and always before a long journey.  Get the oil and filter changed regularly, in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations, and be aware of high oil consumption as this may be an early warning sign of problems to come.
• Engine coolant – check the level regularly, when the engine is cold, and note any consumption as this is generally an early warning sign of problems to come. Whenever you top up the coolant, ensure you use the recommended ratio of antifreeze – this is important throughout the year because it acts as a barrier to corrosion in the cooling system.
• Fuel – always make sure you fill up with fuel at the beginning of a long journey, and never let the fuel gauge drop too low in case you get stuck in traffic, have to leave home in a rush, or simply don’t notice you are running low until it is too late.

Most new or nearly-new vehicles are covered for roadside assistance as part of the original purchase package.  However, in most cases, if the van is more than three years old, owners should look to extend their manufacturer roadside assistance scheme / warranty cover or alternatively take out an independent policy.