How to Communicate Vehicle Symptoms Clearly for Faster RSA Triage | MyMechanic

Start with the golden order

• Location: Highway name, KM marker with decimal, and direction (e.g., “PLUS KM 213.8 southbound”), plus one landmark (exit/R&R/toll/petrol).
• Vehicle: SG plate, make/model, colour.
• Problem: One line that matches a symptom set below.
• Safety: “Passengers safe. Triangle placed.” Mention narrow shoulder, darkness, or rain.

Choose the closest symptom set

No-start symptoms

• “Press start: one click, lights dim.” (weak battery)
• “Rapid clicking, dash flickers.” (deep discharge/terminal issue)
• “No sound or lights.” (dead battery/main connection)
• “Cranks but doesn’t fire.” (fuel/ignition—say if low fuel on)

Loss of power while driving

• “Hesitates under throttle, no warnings.” (fuel/air restriction)
• “Sudden power loss with temp rising.” (cooling/overheat)
• “RPM surges, speed doesn’t rise.” (transmission slip—state type)

Overheating or hot smell

• “Temp climbing, A/C weak, hot smell—no steam seen yet.”
• “Steam from bonnet edge.” (say if visible)
• “After a climb, power dropped and temp rose.” (heat stress)

Steering and braking feel

• “Steering suddenly heavy, battery light came on earlier.”
• “Brake pedal feels long/soft.” (stop driving)

Tyre and wheel issues

• “Loud thump, car pulls, tyre looks low/flat.”
• “Vibration increases with speed, worse after pothole.”

Electrical and dashboard behaviour

• “Lights pulsing, screens resetting at idle with A/C on.”
• “Battery/charging icon on while driving.”

Noises that help triage

• “High‑pitched squeal with speed, changes when braking.”
• “Grinding only when braking.”
• “Knock/metallic clunk over bumps, low speed.”
• “Whine that rises with speed, not with revs.”
• “Rattle at idle, smooths out with revs.”

Smells that matter

• “Burning rubber.”
• “Sweet smell.” (coolant)
• “Fuel smell near rear/side.”
• “Rotten egg.” (battery venting—do not jump)

Photo checklist for faster triage

• Scene/location: wide shot with triangle; close-up of nearest KM marker or landmark sign.
• Dashboard: warning lights, temperature, fuel.
• Issue area: tyre damage, fluid leak, engine bay overview (only if safe), or a broken/loose part close-up.
• Extras: tow truck job card and plate if a tow is underway.

Copy‑ready scripts

• “PLUS KM [].[], [northbound/southbound], near [Exit/R&R/Toll]. SG plate [___], [make/model], [colour]. Passengers safe, triangle placed.”
• “Symptom: [one clear line from sets above].”
• “Shoulder is [wide/narrow], lighting [good/poor], weather [clear/rain].”

What not to say

• Avoid “The car spoilt.” Say “Press start—one click, lights dim.”
• Avoid “Something wrong with engine.” Say “Hesitates when accelerating, no warning lights.”
• Avoid “Very noisy.” Say “Grinding only when braking, front left.”

When to stop DIY and request a tow

• Overheating with steam.
• Battery swollen, strong sulfur smell, or fluid leak.
• Transmission slipping under light throttle.
• Brake pedal long/soft or steering suddenly heavy.
• Shoulder narrow, dark, or near a blind bend.

How MyMechanic turns clear info into faster help

• Symptom mapping: short phrases route the right responder.
• Location precision: prompts for KM marker, direction, and a landmark cut search time.
• End‑to‑end updates: from dispatch to arrival to workshop handover.

Frequently Asked Questions