What should I tell a towing company about my vehicle?

Start with the facts that help the operator identify your vehicle and assess the pickup: year, make, model, drive layout if known, whether it can roll or steer, its condition, and where it is. Also mention anything that could affect access, such as a tight parking area or a blocked approach. Don’t guess about a towing method if you’re unsure; tell the company what you know and ask them to check the vehicle-specific instructions.

A useful opening is: “I need a tow for a [year] [make] [model]. It is [drive layout, if known]. It [can/cannot] roll and [can/cannot] steer. It is at [location], and access is [brief description]. Can you confirm the appropriate method using the vehicle’s towing instructions?”

Give the drive layout if you know it, along with the model, so the operator has those details to check against the vehicle-specific towing instructions. Don’t assume one method works for every car.

For example, Subaru’s quick guide says improper towing can severely damage the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system in the vehicle covered by that guide. It identifies a flatbed as the only recommended way to transport that vehicle and advises using a Subaru retailer or commercial towing service. This is Subaru-specific guidance, not a rule for every all-wheel-drive vehicle or every car. [S1]

Say you don’t know. Give the year, make, and model as accurately as you can, and ask the towing company to check the vehicle-specific towing instructions before choosing a method. If you have the owner’s manual available, mention it; don’t guess about the drive layout.

The supplied Subaru guide establishes a recommendation only for the Subaru vehicle it covers. It does not determine the correct method for other vehicles. [S1]

Be plain and specific. Say whether the vehicle can roll and steer, and describe its condition without trying to diagnose the cause. Give the pickup location and explain access limits that the operator should know before dispatch. If a detail is uncertain, label it as uncertain instead of presenting it as fact.

You can read this copyable request, filling in only what you know:

“Please arrange a tow for a [year] [make] [model]. Drive layout: [known layout / not sure]. It can [roll / not roll / not sure] and can [steer / not steer / not sure]. Condition: [brief factual description]. Pickup location: [location]. Access limits: [none known / describe]. I [have / do not have] the owner’s manual. Please check the vehicle-specific towing instructions and confirm the proposed method before dispatch.”

The Subaru guide specifically calls out the exact year, model, drive layout, ability to roll or steer, condition, and access constraints as information to tell the operator. [S1]

Don’t request a flatbed as a universal rule. Ask the operator to confirm a method that matches your vehicle’s own towing instructions. If your vehicle is the Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicle covered by the supplied guide, the guide identifies a flatbed as the only recommended transport method. For other vehicles, that source does not establish what method is appropriate. [S1]

A good closing question is: “Have you checked the towing instructions for this exact vehicle, and can you confirm the method you plan to use?”