6 Signs You Need to Pull Your Car Over

Overview of this article

This article will cover the following so you can be safe while driving alone or with your family or friends.

• Serious vehicle issues that require immediate attention: Warning signs like tire blowouts, white smoke or flashing dashboard lights may indicate serious problems requiring immediate action—pull over safely and call for help.
• Observe sensory clues from the vehicle: Smoke under the hood or loud, sudden noises are strong indicators that something is wrong—don’t risk driving further until your car has been checked.
• Operational changes to your car: Handling or leaks can be less urgent but should still be addressed quickly to avoid bigger, more expensive problems.

A sudden noise, jolt or smoky odor coming from your car can be unsettling when you’re en route. Worst-case scenarios run through your head as you decide what to do next. Most of the time, it’s safe to continue driving—if only long enough to make it to the mechanic—but sometimes you need to pull over as soon as possible. The question is, how do you know what’s urgent vs. what can wait?

Here, we provide a quick car-symptom guide that will help you know when to pull over and take immediate inventory of your car’s health and when it’s safe to keep driving.

How to know when your car isn’t running right

1. Tire blowout

Tire ruptures are dangerous because they happen suddenly and without warning. In best-case scenarios, your car may quickly slow and begin to pull to the left or right, depending on which tire gives out.

If you feel extra force near the steering wheel after a loud pop, that’s a likely indicator of a front tire blowout; a rear tire blowout is more apt to reverberate throughout the car's body.

Driving on a blown-out tire is never advisable, so remain calm, keep a steady grip on the wheel and stop gradually, pulling to the side of the road if possible. Don’t slam the brakes, because that could cause you to lose control.

2. Smoke from under the hood

Smoke coming from under the hood is almost always a bad sign—typically, the result of overheating. In less serious instances, fluids like oil or coolant may have spilled onto the engine, where, when combined with heat, they begin to smoke.

In either case, pull over as soon as it’s safe. Look to your dashboard lights to see if the engine temperature warning light is red, and if it is, turn the car off, exit and call for assistance.

Do not attempt to open your hood if overheating is suspected, as the hood will be extremely hot and may cause burns. 

3. Flashing dashboard engine lights

Quick attention should be given whenever your dashboard engine lights come on. But if a check engine light, temperature warning light, or oil pressure light comes on or is flashing, you should stop driving immediately and get help.

In these cases, continuing to drive could lead to costly repairs or even irreversible engine damage, even if the car is handling properly. Some other dashboard lights that can signal issues include:

• Battery warning light: This light signifies an issue with your car’s charging system (e.g. battery, alternator or wiring.) To prevent being stranded with a dead battery, have your car checked as soon as possible. 

• ABS warning light: The ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) warning light indicates that your car’s system for preventing wheel lockup during braking is either disabled or not working properly. In many cases, the system gets turned off by accident; check to ensure you haven’t accidentally bumped the ABS switch in your car. Some other reasons for a glowing ABS warning light include broken wheel sensors, low fluid in the brake system or a malfunctioning ABS module. In any of these cases, your brakes may still work, but your ability to prevent skidding may be compromised. 

• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) light: This indicates low tire pressure on one or more of your tires. Under-inflation can lead to poor fuel efficiency, uneven tire wear or even tire blowouts. Check your tire pressure and inflate the tires to the recommended level.

• Brake warning light: This can mean your brake fluid is low or there’s a malfunction in the braking system, but don’t panic. Cars have more than one hydraulic braking system, so while your ability to come to a full stop may take longer than usual, you generally will have enough time to find a safe place to pull over and have your vehicle towed to a repair shop for inspection. 

4. White smoke from the tailpipe

Smoke from the tailpipe can be black, blue, white or gray, each indicating a different issue. While each color means something needs attention, thick white smoke is usually the most serious.

If thick white smoke comes from your tailpipe, your engine is likely dangerously overheated, perhaps from a blown gasket, cracked engine block or damaged cylinder. Continuing to drive will do serious damage. Pull over immediately and have your vehicle towed to a repair shop. 

5. Abrupt change in handling

If your car’s handling changes suddenly while in route, it’s best to play it safe and pull over to inspect. Several factors can cause any drastic change in handling, including issues with the steering system, suspension, brakes or tires.

Depending on the severity of the issue and your ability to retain safe control of your car, you may be able to drive to a repair shop for further assessment or discover something at the roadside (e.g. tire sidewall blowout) that would require more immediate assistance or towing.  

6. Loud, sudden noise

Sudden, unusual noises like grinding, popping or growling are a good indicator that something has gone wrong with your car that requires immediate attention.

The problem could be a faulty catalytic converter, clogged air filter or any one of a dozen other problems depending on the source, volume and tone of the sound. If you cannot identify the cause of a noise, exercise caution and call for assistance once you’re safely pulled off the road.  

What about leaks? Should I keep driving or stop?

If you step out to your car to find that it’s leaking a mystery fluid, take a few moments to assess the nature of the fluid before you get in your car and continue driving.

Depending on the fluid and source, you may have nothing to worry about; for example, clear, odorless condensation from the air conditioning system commonly drips when it’s hot out and is nothing to be alarmed by. 

But if the fluid is green, orange, pink, light yellow to dark brown or light brown to black, this may signify issues with your transmission, power steering, brakes, cooling system or engine oil, and your car should be looked over by a mechanic as soon as possible. 

While it’s easy to shrug off unusual car symptoms and hope they resolve on their own, doing so can lead to dangerous situations or costly repairs. Recognizing the signs that your car needs immediate attention can help you avoid breakdowns and keep you and your passengers safe on the road.

Whether it’s a loud pop, strange smell or an alarming dashboard light, don’t ignore the warning—pull over, stay calm and call for help if needed. Your safety is always worth the extra caution.

FAQs regarding car issues while driving

Q: Is it safe to drive with a check engine light on?

A: If the check engine light is solid and the car is running normally, driving a short distance to a mechanic is usually safe. If it’s flashing, pull over immediately and seek help.

Q: What should I do if smoke comes under the hood?

A: Pull over safely, turn off the car and do not open the hood until the engine cools. Smoke could indicate overheating or leaking fluids.

Q: Can I keep driving with white smoke from the tailpipe?

A: No. Thick white smoke, like a blown head gasket, usually indicates severe engine trouble. Pull over and call for a tow.

Q: What kind of car leaks are dangerous?

A: Leaks that are green, orange, pink, brown or black can signal problems with your brakes, power steering, engine oil or cooling system and should be checked by a mechanic.

Q: Why is my car handling differently all of a sudden?

A: Abrupt changes in steering or stability can be caused by tire, brake or suspension issues. Pull over and inspect before continuing.