Roadside guides you can use.
Short driver-focused walkthroughs of the breakdown jobs every Chicago driver should know. Each guide comes with step-by-step instructions and a clear line on when to stop and call a tow.
What roadside fixes can you handle yourself?
Change a flat tire on the side of the road
The difference between a 20-minute shoulder stop and an hour on the phone with a tow company is knowing where the spare and jack live before you need them.
What to do if you slide on ice or hit a flooded viaduct
Chicago winters glaze bridges and ramps before flat streets, and a heavy rain fills a viaduct underpass faster than it looks. First step: stop making it worse.
Prepare your vehicle for a tow
A few minutes of prep before the tow truck arrives saves time, avoids damage, and makes the whole call go faster.
Car will not start - what to check first
Before calling for a tow, check five things first. Most of the time the car is fine and you just need a boost, a fuse, or a key that talks to the transponder.
Flatbed vs wheel-lift towing: which is safer?
Both are legitimate tow methods, but the wrong one can wreck your car. Here's which method belongs on which vehicle, and when to refuse a wheel-lift.
Can a tow truck refuse to take my car in Chicago?
Yes, but only in specific situations, and which rules apply depends entirely on who ordered the tow. Here is when an operator can refuse, and what you are owed either way.
How to verify a Chicago tow company is legitimate
Illinois licenses one kind of tow company and not the other, which trips people up. Here is what you can actually check, and it takes five minutes.
Compare a towing route before you call.
Use the towing cost calculator to organize pickup, destination, and distance details.
When should you stop and call a tow truck?
Six signs that the problem is past DIY. Turn the system off and pick up the phone - running a system with these issues turns cheap repairs into expensive replacements.
- You are on the shoulder of a busy corridor
The Kennedy, the Dan Ryan, the Eisenhower and the tollways are among the most dangerous places in this metro to stand, especially on a ramp or an interchange with no usable shoulder. Stay in the vehicle with seatbelts on and hazards flashing, and let an operator position a truck with warning lights as a buffer before anyone gets out.
- The vehicle was in any collision
Even light collisions can damage suspension, brakes, or the steering rack in ways you cannot see. Drive it after an accident only if law enforcement clears the scene and the vehicle is visibly intact.
- Ignition or dashboard is smoking
Electrical fires can progress from smoke to flames in under a minute. Pull over if you can, turn the engine off, get out, and call 911 plus a tow.
- Smoke or steam from under the hood
Overheating or a serious oil/coolant leak. Continuing to drive can cause a seized engine, a repair that costs far more than a tow. Pull over safely and call for a tow.
- Vehicle is AWD, 4WD, or electric and the drive wheels will not spin freely
Dragging an AWD or EV on a wheel lift destroys the drivetrain. Always flatbed - no exceptions. Tell the dispatcher your make and model when you call.
- The road is icy or you are stuck at a low-water crossing
Chicago ice glazes bridges, ramps and overpasses before flat residential streets, and a viaduct underpass fills faster and deeper than it looks in a heavy rain. O'Hare averages 38.4 inches of snow a year and 121.3 nights at or below freezing, so this is a seasonal certainty rather than a rare event. Wait for a winch-out rather than trying to drive out of either one.
What towing laws and safety resources are available?
625 ILCS 5/18a - Illinois Commercial Relocation of Trespassing Vehicles Law
The Illinois statute that governs private-property towing: relocator licensing, sign requirements, the air-mile distance caps, the one-hour police notification, Commission-set rates, and the one-hour phone rule that waives all fees.
Illinois General Assembly625 ILCS 5/11-208.7 - Municipal administrative tow fees and hearings
The Illinois statute behind every suburban impound: the fee must be reasonable and related to actual administrative cost, notice within 10 days, a hearing within 45 days of that notice, and a refund if the vehicle was stolen.
Illinois Commerce CommissionIllinois Commerce Commission - Relocation Towing
The regulator for private-property towing in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Will and Winnebago counties. Consumer guide, complaint form, and the office that licenses relocators, operators and dispatchers.
City of ChicagoCity of Chicago - Common Towing Questions
The city's official towing page: the four auto pounds and their addresses, the 9-92-080 tow and storage fees, accepted payment methods, the documents needed to redeem a vehicle, and the difference between an impound and a relocation.
City of ChicagoCity of Chicago - Winter Snow Parking Restrictions
The 107-mile Winter Overnight Parking Ban from 3am to 7am, December 1 to April 1 regardless of snow, and the separate 500-mile Two-Inch Parking Ban, with the fee set the city publishes for ban tows.
City of ChicagoFind Your Towed Vehicle
The city's lookup tool for a vehicle that has been towed or relocated. If your car is missing, the city's own advice is to check here and call 311 before reporting it stolen.
Illinois Department of TransportationIDOT Emergency Traffic Patrol
The Chicago-area expressway patrol whose crews are known as the Minutemen. They clear hazards, set up safe lane closures and restore traffic flow after crashes and breakdowns. They do not repair or tow your vehicle.
Still stranded? Call dispatch.
If the guide didn't get you moving, we can. The line is answered 24/7.