Mobile fuel delivery means we bring fuel to your vehicle so you do not have to leave it. This post walks through what happens from your call to the car starting again, where we can come, and the cases where fuel is not the answer.
What happens when I call for fuel delivery?
You call or text (415) 712-4161, we ask for four details, and then we come to your vehicle. Here is the sequence:
- You call or text us, and we are open from 7am to 8pm, 7 days a week.
- We ask for four things: your name, your location, your vehicle’s year, make and model, and a short description of the problem.
- We confirm your location and what your car needs, and we tell you the cost for your situation. We don’t publish prices, so the call is when you hear it.
- We come to your vehicle. If you can, wait somewhere safe.
- We bring fuel to your vehicle.
- You try to start the car. After running dry, it may need a moment or a few tries.
- If it starts, you are on your way. If it does not, we check what else is going on.
Why might the car need a few tries to start after it ran out of fuel?
A car that has run dry often needs a moment for fuel to reach the engine again. The fuel system usually has to fill back up, and it can have air in it after running empty, so the first try does not always catch.
Give it a moment between tries. Try not to crank the engine for a long stretch at a time. Long cranking can wear down the battery. Having us there for this part helps, because if the car does not start, we can look at why.
What if the car still will not start after you bring fuel?
Then fuel may not be the whole story, and we check. A stopped car is not always an empty one. A weak or dead battery, for example, can look the same from the driver’s seat. We do jump starts and battery testing and replacement, so we can work through that on site.
We don’t tow. If a car truly needs a tow, we tell you. Here is how to tell whether your car needs a tow.
Where can you bring fuel to my car?
Wherever your vehicle stopped in our area: at home, at work, in a parking lot or on the roadside. If you are looking for fuel delivery near you, we serve Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Redwood City, Atherton, Woodside and Portola Valley.
Location details help us find you. Give us a street address, cross streets, the name of the parking lot, or the level of a garage. If you text us, you can also send your location from your phone’s map app.
When is fuel delivery not the right answer?
Fuel delivery is not the right answer when something other than an empty tank stopped the car, or when a free service already covers where you are. These are the cases to watch for:
- The car ran out of fuel and something else is wrong too. If a warning light was on, the engine ran rough or the car struggled before it stopped, tell us on the call. Fuel alone may not solve it.
- The gauge showed plenty of fuel. If the tank was not low, fuel is an unlikely cause, and we would rather hear that up front.
- On a freeway during peak travel hours, the free Bay Area Freeway Service Patrol may be the better first call: dial 511 and say “Freeway Assist.”
- You are in danger. Call 911 first, and call us after.
Besides fuel delivery, we do jump starts, battery testing and replacement, flat tire repair by plugging a repairable puncture, spare tire installation and car lockout service. If you are not sure what is wrong, describe what the car did and we will tell you if we can help.
If your car has stopped in Mountain View or a nearby city, call or text Axl Roadside at (415) 712-4161, 7am to 8pm daily. Tell us your name, where you are, your vehicle’s year, make and model, and what happened.
