2010 March Car Tow

Towed Again, Dead Battery & Ran out of Gas
After a winter sitting in the garage each year, it's usual to have to get a jump for the battery. Last week I wanted to get the mileage readout so the garage guys offered to jump Emmy. I said no thanks, I can wait until I take her out on Saturday- but… the guys thought they were doing me a favor by jumping her to get the mileage, so they did. Then they offered to let her run for 20 minutes in hopes of not needing a jump on Saturday morning. I noted that the gas gauge was close to the reserve tank, and even if she started Saturday morning, she'd be so low on gas I'd barely make it to the closest station, and even so, would have to gas her up while she was running to avoid jumping her again.
But the garage guys insisted, and they are really pretty good to my car and me, so I didn't argue. I just made back up plans.
Sure enough, she would not start on Saturday morning.
I put my back up plan into action.
I'd simply call AAA and tell them I needed gas and a jump on Wednesday, then drive the car to my friend in NJ's house to charge the battery. Maybe I'd still need to gas her up while she was running, but no big deal, right?
So here it is Wednesday. I call AAA and tell them to bring gas and jump my car. The AAA guy shows up (after being lost and me walking blocks to find him). He has no gas, only jump. I try to explain to him but you know, he knows sooooo much more than me about cars. I have no choice, so he says he'll follow me to the gas station after the jump. I pull out of the garage, make a left turn at the light and the car dies. Everything just goes black. So that's what it's like to run out of gas.
The guy is no where to be seen. My car died at a red light, and now the light is green and the taxis and cars and trucks and buses behind me are pretty surprised that I am not moving. I can't even put the flashers on- no battery. This is a VERY busy intersection of main arteries of NYC. It's going to get very nasty very fast. Taxis are already beginning to yell and shake their fists and curse me out in various tongues. I get out of the car and look for the police. A nice man from another country offers to push my car out of traffic, bless his soul. So now I am in front of some construction and out of the main lanes, but taking up the right turn lane at the corner, still asking for trouble. Another nice man flags a police EMS truck who parks in such a way as to protect me and Emmy from oncoming furious traffic. I am explaining to the extremely nice cops who are taking in this scene while I am trying to get someone at AAA on the phone to find the missing guy who doesn't have any gas.

IMG_0240 So here we are on Union Square East at 14th St before it becomes Broadway. I do not know what I would have done without that police truck.	IMG_0241 This is a calmer traffic moment. Emmy dead as a doorknob on the side of the road with the big police truck beside her like a big brother.	IMG_0266 Finally the AAA guy shows up, goes to get gas, comes back and puts 2 gallons in. That's all he's allowed to carry.
IMG_0265 I am not sure why it takes him a long time. Lucky for me, the police were able to stay until the AAA guy came back with the gas.	IMG_0267 The fellow in the background had gotten the police for me and then stuck around admiring Emmy. Then he asked me out.	IMG_0268 This is the device the AAA guy used to jump Emmy. I think I should get one.

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This is my friend's similar device.

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I get to the gas station and fill up the tank- but it's only 9.663 gallons, that is, without topping it off- and without shutting off the engine. Still, that seems short? I thought Emmy had a 13 galllon tank, and that's only 11.663 total with the 2 gallons.

As I drive off with a full tank of gas I am noticing the usual electrical tomfoolery, input the radio code, but the Traffic Pro is doing one of its trippy-wonky things, which is also sort of usual.
I call my friend and it's not too late for lunch really, about 1230, I should be there by 130 at the latest. She's in perfect battery-charging-distance. As I get on I-78 I am getting the feeling that these electrical problems are worse than usual. Much worse. The Traffic Pro is not settling down, its turning itself off and then back on. I use the Traffic Pro head unit for GPS and also for my hands-free phone, and now when i need them, they are not there for me. But I have back up, I had looked at the route, know which exit to take, and I have google maps already set on my iphone to get to her house. Then it gets dangerous. Sometimes all the lights in the cockpit light up. The gas gauge is far wilder than usual, sometimes sitting at half a tank with the reserve light on. The worst part is when the ABS lights come on, the white triangle with the ! and some ABS signal because not only do all the gauges suddenly drop in the cockpit, but also the power from the gas pedal seems to also cut out!
After this happens a few times on the Interstate I realize this is not just a gas burp, I'm really in danger of the car losing power any minute. I put my four ways on - but they too would not work. So I am driving a car that can cut out on me any moment and have no way of letting the other drivers know.
It's 7 miles to my friend's exit.
I make it to her house and pull to the side of the road in front of her house. Call my favorite repair place, I know the firkin number by memory. After some phone fumbles I am lucky to get my rep, and he says he can take the car. I call the AAA folks, they send a flat bed tow for Emmy, and I go into my friend's house at about 2pm to try and explain what's going on. I also unpack my car and leave my stuff in her garage- the car was packed with everything for my trip next week to visit family for Passover in Philadelphia.

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The nice tow truck guy arrived promptly, didn't bother with the tow hook.

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He put a piece of wood under one tire to get enough clearance for Emmy's front spoiler.

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I noted other bits and bobs to maybe fix at the dealership. Forgot to mention some new scratches courtesy of my garage. Oh well. Here's the air dam by the tires, looks pretty beat.
Lucky for me, driving to NJ first put me under the 100 mile free towing limit to Allentown :)

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It's so sad to see her go like this. So many times people saying I should get a new car- but a new car would be worse in this situation, and no new car could last better over the winter regarding the battery. From the train on the way home I reserved a Zipcar for Passover, and called just as Emmy arrived at Daniels. Collective wisdom says it's the alternator. I hope that's all it is!
I made it home just after 6pm.

saw Emmy get towed again since March 24, 2010