Get a signal first
Concrete and steel eat cell signal. If you can't get a call out, walk to the entrance or exit ramp, the open edge of a level or the top deck, where the signal is usually better. A text can go through when a call won't. If the building has guest Wi-Fi, calling over Wi-Fi can work too.
Most garages also have a help intercom, a call box or an attendant. Use them. And before you walk away from the car, note where you are, so you can find your way back and tell someone exactly where it is.
A photo helps. Take one of the pillar or level sign nearest the car before you go looking for signal. It's the fastest way to remember where you left the car, and the easiest thing to read out to dispatch.
Say exactly where you are
'In the garage' is not an address. Give dispatch as much of this as you can:
- The name of the building or garage and the street address.
- The entrance or street you drove in from.
- The level, by number, letter or color.
- The nearest pillar number, row, stairwell or elevator.
- Whether the garage is gated or needs a code or a ticket to get in.
Low clearance
Most garages post a maximum height at the entrance, on a bar or a sign. A tall vehicle may not fit under it. Read the number, and tell dispatch when you request help, so the driver knows what to expect and can plan the job.
Some garages have their own rules for outside service providers, particularly at airports, hospitals and large buildings. If yours is one, ask the attendant or building security what they require, and tell dispatch.
Don't idle in a closed garage
In a closed or underground garage, don't leave a running engine going for long. Exhaust builds up, and carbon monoxide is dangerous and hard to notice. If you need to wait for help, wait outside the car near an open side of the garage, well away from where cars are driving.
The jobs that happen in garages
The common ones are a dead battery from a light left on, a flat tire and keys left inside. A jump start is $49–$75, a flat tire change using your spare is from $75 and a lockout is from $50, each plus a $19 dispatch fee charged once per job. We text or call when the driver is on the way, so keep your phone with you.
Cars in a garage are often parked close together. Tell dispatch whether there's room to open the doors and the hood, and whether another car is parked in front of or behind yours.
Common questions
Move toward an exit, or use the garage's help phone or attendant. Don't wander far from the car without noting where you left it.
Yes. Tell dispatch the posted clearance when you request help, so the driver has it before arriving.
If you have to run the engine for the heat or the air conditioner, don't do it for long in a closed garage. Wait near an open side or a stairwell, away from moving cars, and find shade if it's hot.