In short
- Get off the road or onto the shoulder, put the hazard lights on, and only get out on the side away from traffic if it is safe; otherwise stay belted in.[1]
- Then call us on 0413 479 606 before anyone touches the car. Our terms say to call us first and not to arrange repairs without our consent.
- A warning light means stop when it is safe and tell us; don't drive on to see if it goes away.
- Minor costs we approve before you pay them are reimbursed when you show the receipt (clause 8).
- On a South East Queensland motorway, if the car can't be moved quickly, the traffic management centre takes calls on 13 19 40.[1]
What should I do the moment something goes wrong?
Whether it's a puncture, a loud noise or a car that loses power, the first job is getting out of fast traffic. The Queensland Government's breakdown advice for highways and motorways runs in four steps:[1]
- Exit or pull over. Leave the motorway as soon as you realise the car is going to break down, if you can; waiting in a lower-speed area is much safer. If you can't, pull onto the shoulder or as far from traffic as possible.
- Show you've broken down. Turn on the hazard lights, and the parking lights as well at night. Turn the wheels away from traffic and, if it's safe, open the bonnet so passing drivers can see.
- Get out only if it's safe. Everyone leaves by the passenger side and moves behind a barrier or well away from traffic. If it isn't safe to get out, stay in with seatbelts fastened.
- Phone for help and give your location. Without a phone, and if it isn't safe to walk to one, stay with the car. Don't walk along the motorway.
The same page's video adds: don't attempt repairs on the roadside. If you break down on a motorway in South East Queensland and removal can't be arranged straight away, tell the traffic management centre on 13 19 40.[1]
Who do I call: Rentzy or a roadside service?
The government advice says to call your roadside assistance provider.[1] In a rental car, the arrangements belong to the rental company, which is why the ACCC suggests reading what the contract says about breakdowns before you sign.[2] Ours is short: for a breakdown, call us first (clause 8.2).
Don't leave the car where it is a hazard. The Queensland Government may move a vehicle left parked illegally or dangerously, or tow it to a holding yard, and the owner must pay the towing and storage costs to get it back.[1]
A warning light has come on: can I keep driving?
Under clause 7.1 you must stop and tell us if a warning light appears. That applies even if the car still feels normal and the light is one you think you recognise.
- Pull over somewhere safe, using the steps above if you are on a motorway.
- Take a photo of the instrument panel showing the light, the odometer and the fuel gauge.
- Note anything else: a smell, steam, a noise, a change in how the brakes or steering feel.
- Call us with that information before you drive any further.
Our terms also ask you to check oil, water and tyre pressures on long trips. A quick look before a drive to the coast or the Darling Downs catches problems while you're still near the yard.
What do I do about a flat tyre?
Treat a flat like any other breakdown: get somewhere safe first, then call us. Don't change a wheel on a motorway shoulder; the government advice is not to attempt repairs on the roadside.
- Ask at pickup what the car carries for a puncture, whether a spare wheel or a repair kit, and where it is. The time to find out isn't on the roadside.
- Get approval before a tyre shop. A puncture repair or new tyre is a repair under clause 8.2, so ring us first. With our OK and a receipt, an approved minor cost comes back to you.
- Photograph the tyre and anything that caused the puncture, such as a screw or a pothole.
Tyres are one of the areas where misuse costs more. Clause 9.3 lifts the excess limit for tyre, windscreen or key loss or damage caused by misuse, and for underbody damage from driving onto an obstacle or an unsuitable surface. Clause 7.2 also rules out unsealed roads (unless reasonable for access), beaches and off-road driving.
What about a windscreen chip, a flat battery or lost keys?
Windscreen chip or crack
Tell us the same day, with a close-up photo and the date, even if it's small. Clause 9.1 asks for any damage to be reported immediately, and your dated photo shows when and where it happened.
Flat battery
Call us before paying anyone to come out to the car. Tell us what happened just before, such as lights or accessories left on, and what the dashboard shows when you try to start it.
Lost or locked-in keys
Call us rather than a locksmith. Clause 7.1 asks you to keep the keys secure, and clause 9.3 lifts the excess limit for key loss caused by misuse and for keys left in or near an unattended car.
Who pays when a rental car breaks down?
Under clause 8.1 we maintain the car. In return you make it available for scheduled servicing on reasonable notice, and we try to provide a replacement where practical.
The ACCC notes that most consumer guarantees apply when you hire a car, except the ones about ownership.[2] Our terms say the same thing in clause 13.1: nothing in them takes away your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.
What you pay for is damage you are responsible for, up to the excess or more in the clause 9.3 cases. How that works is in bond, deposit and excess; a crash with another vehicle is covered in what to do after an accident in a rental car.
How can I avoid a breakdown on a long drive?
The Queensland Government's pre-trip list: keep the car full of fuel, charge your phone and have credit, download the Emergency+ app, carry a high-visibility vest and a torch, and save your roadside contacts in your phone.[1] In a rental, the contact to save is ours.
Our guide to long drives and fatigue covers planning breaks on longer trips.
Sources
- Queensland Government — Department of Transport and Main Roads: Breakdown safety on motorways and freeways (read 23 October 2026)
- Australian Competition and Consumer Commission: Car hire (read 23 October 2026)
Written by the Rentzy team at Rentzy Car Rentals. Rentzy prices, fees and rules in this guide come from our published terms and update with them; rules set by others (roads, tolls, licences, transport) are from the official pages above, as read on the dates shown. Something out of date? Tell us.
