Yes, you can call AAA without being a member, but you pay a fee plus the cost of a membership. AAA’s site lists current prices. You also have other ways to get help without joining, and which one fits depends on where you are, what happened and what you already pay for.
Axl Roadside Assistance is a mobile emergency roadside assistance service based in Mountain View, California, that comes to your car for jump starts, battery replacement, flat tires, lockouts and fuel delivery, 7am to 8pm daily. We are one of the options below, so we will say plainly when someone else is the better first call.
Can I call AAA if I am not a member?
The part to know is timing. AAA says that if you join by phone the help can start right away, but if you buy a membership online the roadside benefits begin 48 hours later. So if you are already stuck, joining online will not solve today’s problem.
AAA’s plans include lockout help and jump starts, and AAA says its fees vary by club. AAA’s lowest-priced plan, Classic, covers five miles of towing. AAA also says mobile battery replacement is not available in all areas and not for electric or hybrid vehicles. A membership can be worth having if you want towing included.
If you are already a AAA member, call AAA first, because you have already paid for that help. AAA’s Northern California club has a branch on Miramonte Avenue in Mountain View.
How do I get roadside assistance right away?
If anyone is hurt or you are in danger, call 911 first. For emergency roadside assistance after that, call the option that fits where you are and what you already have:
- On a Bay Area freeway on a weekday between 5:30am and 7:30pm, call 511 and say “Freeway Assist.”
- If you are a AAA member, call AAA.
- If you have a roadside add-on through your insurer or a benefit on your credit card, call the number on your policy or card.
- If you have none of those, or you are not on a freeway, call a local service that comes to you.
Arrival times depend on where you are and how busy the provider is, so ask for an estimate when you call.
What is the cheapest roadside assistance?
It depends on what you already have and how often you need help. Here are the four common routes, without prices, because prices change.
A membership
You pay for a membership whether or not you ever call. AAA members get up to four service calls a year, and calls after that cost extra.
An insurance add-on or card benefit
Some car insurers sell roadside assistance as an add-on to your policy. Progressive calls it an extra coverage you can add, and State Farm says it may be added to an existing policy. Add-ons can include lockout help, for example State Farm lists up to one hour of locksmith labor and GEICO lists lockout services for covered causes. Progressive says added coverage may not take effect the same day, so check before you need it. Some credit cards may include roadside help, so check your card’s own terms.
The free Freeway Service Patrol
It costs you nothing, but it only covers Bay Area freeways, Monday through Friday from 5:30am to 7:30pm.
Paying for one job
You don’t need a membership or a subscription to call us, and you pay for the job you need. Whether that costs less than a membership over a year depends on how often you need help. We don’t post prices online because every call is different, so we quote you on the phone and tell you about any extra cost before we do the work. Our rates are fair and affordable, with no hidden fees. If you find a lower quote from another provider for the same service, we’ll match it.
Who can jump start my car for free?
A few routes cost nothing, and each has limits.
- The Freeway Service Patrol offers free jump-starts, tire changes and tows off the freeway, Monday through Friday from 5:30am to 7:30pm. To reach it, call 511 and say “Freeway Assist.”
- AutoZone says it will charge a battery for free at its stores. AutoZone’s service pages describe bringing your car or battery to the store. They do not describe a jump-start service or a driver who comes to you.
- A friend or neighbor with jumper cables and a running car can jump your battery for free.
A drained battery usually starts after a jump, while a failed one does not. If you try it yourself, your owner’s manual shows the right order for connecting the cables on your car.
When does a local pay-per-call service like Axl make sense?
A local service makes sense when you have no membership or add-on to call, or when you are not on a freeway. If you need emergency roadside assistance and have no membership to call, we are open 7am to 8pm, seven days a week, including weekends. We come to your vehicle, whether it is at home, at work, in a parking lot, in a garage or on the roadside. Our average response time is about 18 minutes, depending on where you are and where we are when you call, and we head your way fast.
Here is what we do:
- Jump starts: we check the battery and try a jump start. If it has failed, we install a matching battery on site.
- Flat tires: we plug a repairable puncture or put on your spare. If the tire can’t be repaired and you have no spare, we can install a new tire on site.
- Lockouts: we open the car without damage, using proper lockout tools. Newer cars with keyless entry can be different, so we tell you on the phone what to expect for your car.
- Fuel: we bring gas or diesel, enough to get you to a station.
We don’t tow, and if a car truly needs a tow, we tell you so you can arrange one. Not sure whether yours does? Start with our page on whether you need a tow.
You can see everything we do on our roadside assistance page. We serve Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Redwood City, Atherton, Woodside and Portola Valley. When you call, have your name, where you are, your vehicle’s year, make and model, and what happened ready.
Call or text Axl Roadside at (415) 712-4161, 7am to 8pm daily.
