Planning / Quartz recovery guide
Recovering a non-running car: what to tell the driver
Prepare an accurate request when a car will not start or drive, including its wheels, steering, keys, access and destination.
By Quartz Recovery · Published · Updated
Deal with immediate safety before booking
If the vehicle has broken down on a road, follow the current official breakdown guidance for your location. Do not stand in traffic or attempt unsafe checks to complete a form. If there is an immediate threat to life or safety, use emergency services. Quartz is a recovery-booking platform, not an emergency-response service.
Not starting and not moving are different problems
A car that will not start may still roll and steer; another may have locked wheels or damage that prevents movement. Describe the observed condition rather than diagnosing the fault. The registration and model help identify the vehicle, but they do not describe the loading requirements.
Explain whether keys are available and whether there are known steering, wheel or braking problems. Include damage and any other known hazards. If something has not been checked safely, say that it is unknown rather than guessing. A driver may need more information before deciding whether their equipment is suitable.
- Does the vehicle start or drive?
- Can it roll, and are any wheels locked?
- What is known about steering and brakes?
- Are keys available, and is there visible damage?
Help the driver understand collection access
Describe where the car is positioned and how a recovery vehicle can reach it. Height restrictions, gates, narrow lanes, soft ground and underground parking may matter. A map pin is useful, but it does not explain every physical restriction.
Share the correct entrance and any collection permissions or site restrictions. Do not move the car, defeat a lock or attempt loading yourself to make it fit a quoted service. Suitability and safe recovery remain for the driver to assess.
Confirm where the car can be delivered
Choose a destination that can receive the vehicle and confirm opening hours, access and handover arrangements. If it is going to a garage, check those arrangements with the garage rather than assuming someone will be there.
Request quotes with those details, compare the available scope and total, and keep changes in the booking conversation. If the car's condition or destination changes, tell the driver or support before assuming the original plan still applies.
Sources and further guidance
This guide explains the booking experience; it does not replace the terms that apply to your recovery. For booking-specific questions, contact support.