Roadside Services

Roadside services guide.

With a network of over 35,000 independently contracted road service vehicles throughout Canada and the United States, CAA is there for you whenever you need it. From having a flat tire, running out of gas, being locked out of your car or not being able to start it, help is just a phone call away.

1-800-CAA-HELP (1-800-222-4357) throughout Canada and the U.S.

*CAA (*222) toll free from a cell phone or request assistance online at caasco.com/roadservice.

When calling for service, you will be asked for the following information:

Your membership number and expiry date
Your name and address
The exact location of the disabled vehicle
The vehicle’s make, model, year, colour and licence number
The nature of the trouble
A phone number where you can be contacted

You must remain at or near the vehicle to receive service. (CAA will accommodate you in extenuating circumstances.)

Remember, your CAA Membership covers you, not your vehicle. So whether you’re the driver or passenger of your own car, a friend’s car or a rental, CAA has you covered with up to four¹ service calls each year when you show your valid membership card. Should you exceed these calls per year, you will be charged for the service at prevailing regional CAA contractor rates.

Please note that your membership card is not transferable. To ensure family members are covered, consider a CAA Associate Membership. For pennies a day, you can extend the benefits of your membership to other members of your household.

Accident tows.

Your CAA Membership covers you for service in the event you are in an accident. CAA will make an effort to accommodate the towing of the vehicle. Under certain circumstances police may require that the vehicle be removed immediately by an independent towing company. In these situations, the Member may submit for a refund. As a Member, you must be present for service. An original official receipt and a legible copy of the accident report must be submitted with any requests for a refund along with the name of your insurance company and applicable coverage. To be eligible for reimbursement, a receipt and/or accident report must bear the Member’s name.

Vehicles eligible for coverage include:

Valid licensed, 4-wheeled, motor-driven vehicles (cars, pickups, vans, campers and motorhomes)
Motorcycles with or without sidecars (with Plus Membership)
Dual wheel trucks are eligible for all services except tire service with Basic and Plus Membership. (Tire service is only available with a Plus RV Membership.)
Rented passenger vehicles (excluding taxis and limousines). Certain limitations may apply and will be determined at the time of service.
Dual wheel licensed motorhomes, campers, fifth-wheel trailers, and the following types of trailers: travel, unloaded horse, snowmobile, utility and boat (eligible for towing, extrication and tire service with Plus RV Membership; light service can be provided with Basic Membership)

Membership coverage and roadside assistance provisions.

CAA Membership covers the following services to place your vehicle in a drivable condition. If, after a reasonable effort by the service provider, these attempts are unsuccessful, the towing service provisions will apply.

Battery service.

Battery Service can come to you to help you get on your way. If you are experiencing problems with your battery, our mobile Battery Service will test, boost, or replace your battery.² Plus, Members enjoy exclusive pricing on CAA Premium Batteries with a 6-year warranty.³

For more information, call us at 1-866-740-6420 or visit caasco.com/batteryservice.

Lockout service.

If your keys are locked in the vehicle, service will be sent to gain entry. If your keys are lost, broken, or we cannot gain entry into your vehicle, CAA provides up to $50 for locksmith service (where available) for Basic Members and up to $100 for Plus Members. In cases where the vehicle cannot be made operable, towing services will be provided (manufacturer restrictions may prevent completion of service). Locksmith service refund is comprised of ignition work and/or the making of one ignition key. Please note: the registered owner must be present while their vehicle is being serviced by a locksmith.

Emergency gas delivery.

When you run out of gas, a limited supply of gasoline will be delivered to your disabled vehicle to enable you to reach the nearest open service station, or in accordance with towing service provisions, a tow will be provided to a facility where fuel is available. Specific brands or octane ratings cannot be promised. Basic Members will be charged the current pump price for the gasoline. For Plus and Premier Members, there is no charge.

Flat tire service.⁴

If you get a flat tire, your vehicle’s spare tire will be installed, as long as it’s inflated and serviceable. Before calling CAA, please ensure that any specialty key to remove the lug nuts is available. Service does not include repairs, additional trips to deliver a repaired tire, installation or removal of tire chains, mounting, dismounting or shifting of tires and seasonal tire changeovers. To avoid damage, certain vehicles will require a tow to a garage as proper installation requires that the wheel lug torque be set to the recommended specification for your vehicle. Proper maintenance of a vehicle is paramount to ensure our service providers can provide efficient, seamless service. In the event that the service cannot be rendered safely due to poor conditions or maintenance, the driver reserves the option of towing the vehicle to safety to avoid possible damage.

Extrication service.

Your vehicle will be extricated when it can be safely reached from a normally travelled or established thoroughfare. If special equipment, additional manpower or vehicles are required, the associated costs may be at your expense. Plus Members are automatically covered for an additional vehicle and operator for up to 1 hour at the scene. The service vehicle must have clear and safe access to the disabled vehicle; service cannot be rendered in plowed-in, snowbound or ice-covered alleys, streets, lanes or driveways.

Mechanical first aid.

Minor/temporary adjustments or emergency repairs not requiring parts or supplies will be made in an attempt to enable your vehicle to operate safely under its own power. If the vehicle cannot be placed in safe driving condition, the towing provision will apply.

Emergency repair cheque acceptance.

CAA Roadside Assistance contractors will accept your personal cheque of up to $400 CAD per occurrence for emergency auto repairs when no other means of payment is available. This service is limited to emergency repairs that must be carried out in order to make the vehicle operable. A valid membership card must be presented at the time of payment.

Towing service.

Towing will be provided if attempts to make your vehicle safely operable at the roadside have been unsuccessful. Flatbeds or dollies will be used when required. Basic Membership includes towing within a 10 km radius of the point of breakdown, or any point of your choice along the direct return route. Plus Membership includes towing up to 200 km. A charge per kilometre will be applied by the service facility to any additional mileage that exceeds your coverage. (Service coverage varies by territory.)

Extreme weather conditions.

During extreme weather conditions, CAA responds to calls on a priority basis, providing service first to those Members whose vehicles are blocking roadways or posing a threat to public or personal safety. Under severe conditions, we reserve the right to suspend service to Members whose vehicles are in a place of safety. Your patience and understanding under these circumstances is appreciated.

Bike Assist⁵.

As people make a shift towards a greener lifestyle by using their bicycles more, we have CAA Bike Assist – Roadside Assistance for your bicycle. If you run into a problem that cannot be fixed on the spot, CAA will transport you and your bicycle to wherever⁶ you need to go. It’s included as part of your membership 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For more details, download our CAA Ontario Bike Assist App or visit caasco.com/bikeassist.

Roadside assistance “maximums”.

Primary and Associate Members are entitled to four (4) road service calls⁶ each during a membership year. Service calls cannot be shared or carried over to the next membership year. Once the number of calls has been exceeded, CAA will continue to provide services at a preferred rate; however, the Member must pay the contractor at the time of service on a cash-on-demand basis. Where there are questions regarding additional charges from the driver on scene, please call our Member Care Centre for clarification before accepting service.

Liability.

Certain types of North American and foreign-made cars (especially those with fibreglass bodies) and vehicles with owner-made modifications are difficult to tow without causing damage. In such cases, or when lockout services are rendered, you may be asked to sign a release assuming responsibility for any damage that may occur. Should your vehicle be damaged during service please review with the operator and document the damage. You must contact CAA directly within 48 hours to report any damage. CAA and its contractors reserve the right to inspect and assess any damage claims.

CAA does not have supervision or control over the operation or management of an official contract facility. In the event of a dispute between the official service contractor for Roadside Assistance and/or charges by the contractor, we may appoint an arbitrator whose ruling shall be final and binding on both parties.

Membership does not cover the following:

Service to a vehicle already in a place of repair
Service to vehicles used in competition at races or drag races
Service to loaded or altered vehicles where the provision of the service cannot be performed safely and may jeopardize the load or damage the vehicle
Service to unattended vehicles unless pre-authorized by CAA
Delivery service – CAA does not provide you with taxi service, however, at your request and with approval for any additional cost, CAA will arrange for you to be transported to or from the disabled vehicle
Accident towing, where the policy of an insurance company pre-empts CAA service
Towing service to a salvage yard
Police-ordered service for a legal infraction or failed safety check
Services and costs associated with legal infractions or failed safety checks
Vehicles that are unlicensed/un-plated or have invalid plate stickers
Second or additional trips, or trips from one facility to another by service staff on one call
Service to vehicles driven into an area not normally travelled, such as open fields, beaches, private logging roads, river banks, floodway, muddy or “plowed in” or “snowbound” streets, filled driveways or alleys (service persons will not shovel snow), construction sites or other locations which cannot be reached safely
Reimbursement of expenses incurred as a result of a mechanical breakdown including lost wages, alternate transportation, accommodations, etc.
Service to school buses, cube vans, taxis, limousines, dump trucks or transport trucks
Unattended tow to a dealer for basic car maintenance
Basic Member service for a motorcycle
Refund on promotional card for non-CAA service
Non-member service
Battery “recharging” (charging is very different from boosting; a boost is a temporary measure and a charge is considered a repair involving labour charges)
Transporting an RV for winter storage or moving an RV within a trailer park
Cost of parts, labour or repair
Any charges relating to impound and storage fees (these costs are the responsibility of the Member)
Animal transportation to safety (Members must unload the animals for their safety before we can service a vehicle)

Non-CAA contractor services.

If you have followed the procedures outlined to obtain Roadside Assistance and CAA service is not available, you may obtain your own service, pay for it and submit the original invoice to CAA South Central Ontario within 30 days. Reimbursement will be based on the prevailing commercial rate for the region where the vehicle was disabled.

If the CAA service was available but not used, reimbursement will be made at the local contract station rate, subject to approval by CAA. We will reimburse you for any service normally provided under your membership. In instances where the CAA contractor’s access is legally restricted (toll roads, limited-access highways), full reimbursement will be provided for towing back to the service facility or the nearest exit.

Reimbursement will be processed after submission of an original and official itemized invoice for services rendered by a qualified and registered auto service or towing facility. Please ensure the invoice bears the name and signature of the Member.

REMEMBER: If CAA service is available but not used, reimbursement will be made at the CAA contractor rate. So be sure to call CAA first!

Eligibility and disclaimers.

Roadside Service is provided when you present your valid membership card. (Other identification such as driver's license may also be required). A spouse or dependant living in your household is eligible for an Associate membership at a reduced price.

Remember your membership - including your eligibility for Roadside Service - applies only to you. It is not transferable, which means you cannot lend your membership card to someone else.

Eligibility: Your CAA membership covers you, not the vehicle.

Eligible vehicles

Your CAA Membership covers you, not your vehicle. Whether you are the driver or the passenger of your car, a friend’s car or a rental, CAA covers up to four¹ service calls each year when you show your valid membership card. Should you exceed the four¹ calls per year, you will be charged for the service at the current regional CAA contractor rates.

Service will be provided to valid licensed, 4-wheeled, motor-driven vehicles (cars, pickups, vans, campers and motor homes) if the service can be safely performed.
Motorcycles with or without side cars are eligible (with Plus Membership).
Dual wheel, unloaded pickup trucks are eligible for all services except tire service (with Basic and Plus Membership). Tire service is only available with a Plus RV Membership.
Rented passenger vehicles are eligible (excluding taxis and limousines).
With the Plus RV Membership, the following cars are eligible for towing, extrication and tire service: Dual wheel licensed motorhomes, loaded dual wheel pick up trucks, campers, fifth-wheel trailers, travel trailers, unloaded horse trailers, snowmobile trailers, utility trailers and boat trailers. Light service can be provided with Basic Membership.

Disclaimers: What your membership covers.

Your membership covers all emergency services listed under Roadside Service Benefits. Service is available to the Member whose name appears on a valid membership card. To provide Roadside Service to individuals who live in the same household - even if they drive a Member's car - they must have a valid Associate membership card.

Roadside service maximums

Primary and Associate Members who exceed four Roadside Service calls during a membership year may have their Roadside Service benefits suspended, at which time service can be provided at a preferred rate. You will be required to pay the contractor for each additional service call on a C.O.D. basis.

Severe weather conditions

Heavy service demands during severe weather may cause delays. In such circumstances, CAA reserves the right to limit towing to the nearest available place of safety. If your vehicle is already in a safe place, such as a private or public garage or driveway, CAA reserves the right to service the vehicle only after the heavy demand and/or weather condition has passed.

Motorcycles

Service for motorcycles under Plus or Premier coverage will be delivered without cost in Canada. However, due to differences in service terms in the U.S., Members should expect to pay for service provided to motorcycles while travelling in the U.S, and may submit original receipts to CAA South Central Ontario for reimbursement.

Towing

As collision towing is a covered CAA Member service, additional fees at the scene of disablement or collision for waiting time, towing preparation and site clean-up, are not to be paid for by CAA Members.

Service providers

A supply of gasoline will be delivered to your disabled vehicle to enable you to reach the nearest open service station. (Specific brands or octane cannot be promised.) Basic Members will be charged the current pump price for the gasoline. Plus Members will receive the gasoline at no charge.