Penang tow truck operators have hands full with stalled cars during lockdown

GEORGE TOWN: Modern cars can be temperamental as owners are finding out when after a few days of inactivity, these vehicles refuse to start.

During the lockdown, tow truck operators here have received fewer calls due to accidents, while those for cars which can’t start increased by between 100% and 200%.

And nearly all of these stalled cars are new, said tow truck service operator Chan Kok Hoe, 44, who has been in the business for over 20 years.

“We have been towing an average of 10 cars a day to workshops.

“This is unexpected. Most of the calls are from owners of the more modern-type cars.

“Cars of over 10 years or so do not have such issues. Owners can leave them without starting for two to three weeks.

“This might be due to the digitised technology and electronic components of new cars,” Chan said via Zoom on Thursday.

Chan suggested that owners of new cars drive their cars around their homes for about 15 minutes every two or three days.

In the car manuals, Chan said some car makers advised owners not to simply jump start their cars or call any mechanic but to bring the cars back to the manufacturers’ service centres.

“We tow such cars to the manufacturers’ service centres so that they can run a systems check,” he said.

Chan noted that during the movement control order period there was no need to drive so often and many encountered the problems starting their cars.

The other time when calls for towing increased was when the MCO was relaxed.

“Each time the MCO is relaxed, people want to travel,” he said.

“Then we get more calls when more people cannot start their cars.”