You're on I-5 somewhere between Red Bluff and the Oregon border and something went wrong. Don't panic. Here's the exact sequence — from pulling over safely to getting back on the road without getting ripped off.
You're on I-5 somewhere between Red Bluff and the Oregon border — or maybe on Hwy 299 heading toward the coast, or Hwy 44 coming down from Lassen — and something went wrong. Engine light, slide-out that won't move, a tire that sounded like a gunshot. Whatever it is, the next 10 minutes matter more than the next 10 hours. Here's exactly what to do.
Step 1 — Get Off the Road Immediately
This sounds obvious until you're in it. The instinct is to figure out what happened before pulling over. Fight that instinct.
- Hazard lights on the moment something feels wrong — before you even know what it is.
- Get as far right as possible. Past the white line. Past the rumble strip. Into the dirt if you have to.
- If an exit is within a quarter mile, take it — even if it's a nowhere exit with nothing on it. Off the highway is infinitely safer than the shoulder.
- Never stop in a travel lane unless the rig is physically incapable of moving. A broken-down RV in a lane on I-5 is a fatality waiting to happen.
Step 2 — Secure the Scene Before You Do Anything Else
Get everyone away from traffic
If you're on the shoulder, the safe zone is behind the guardrail or as far from the road as possible. The shoulder is not a safe place to stand — trucks pass at 70mph and the wind blast alone is dangerous.
Put out your triangles
Emergency reflective triangles go 100–200 feet behind the rig. If you don't have them, you should — add them to the rig before your next trip. Flares work too but keep them away from any propane smell.
Shut off the propane at the tank
Do this as a default whenever the rig is disabled on the road, not just if you smell something. A subsequent impact while you're waiting for help is a real possibility on a busy highway.
If you smell gas or propane — get out and stay out
Don't grab things. Don't go back in. Don't operate any electrical switches. Get everyone out, move upwind, and call 911 first.
Step 3 — Assess the Situation Before You Call Anyone
Knowing the answers to these questions before you make the first call saves significant time and often money:
- Is the rig driveable to the nearest exit or town — even slowly? A driveable breakdown changes your options dramatically.
- Is it a safety issue that means nothing moves until it's fixed — blown tire, smoke, structural, propane?
- Is it something you can fix roadside in 20 minutes? A blown fuse, a tripped breaker, a propane issue that resolves once you reset the regulator?
- What exactly are the symptoms? Not your diagnosis — the actual symptoms. "The slide won't retract" is useful. "I think it's the motor" is a guess that may send the tech down the wrong path.
Information to have ready when you call for help
The faster you give the tech this information, the faster they can give you an accurate response — and quote.
- — Your exact location: mile marker, nearest exit number, nearest cross street or landmark
- — Make, model, and year of the RV (and if it's a motorhome, the chassis — Ford, Freightliner, etc.)
- — The symptom as specifically as possible
- — Whether the rig is driveable
- — Whether you have roadside assistance coverage and who it's through
Step 4 — Who to Call, and in What Order
- 911 first — if there's a safety issue, injury, or active hazard. Always. Don't skip this to avoid "making a big deal out of it."
- Mobile RV repair second — if the rig is fixable on-site, a mobile tech coming to you is almost always faster and cheaper than towing. A tow for a Class A or fifth wheel is expensive. A shop backlog on top of that is worse.
- Roadside assistance third — Good Sam, Coach-Net, or your insurance's roadside coverage. Good for tow coverage if the rig truly can't be fixed on-site. Some policies also include on-site labor — check before you assume you have to pay out of pocket.
- Tow truck last — if nothing else works. Know where you're towing to before you commit. A tow to a shop with a 3-week backlog just adds three weeks to your breakdown.
If You Break Down Near Redding or Anywhere on I-5 in NorCal
The stretch of I-5 between Sacramento and the Oregon border is our coverage area. If you break down near Redding, Anderson, Red Bluff, Mount Shasta, or anywhere in between — give us a call. We come to you. We don't require a tow to a shop. We diagnose and fix on-site when it's possible, and we'll tell you honestly when it's not.
The same goes for Hwy 299, Hwy 44, and the roads out to Shasta Lake and Whiskeytown. We know the area. We've made those calls before.
Common Question
Does my roadside assistance cover mobile repair at the breakdown site, or only towing?
It depends on the policy. Good Sam and Coach-Net both offer on-site labor coverage as part of certain plan tiers — if a tech comes to you and fixes it roadside, the labor may be covered. Check your card or app before you assume you're paying out of pocket. If your policy only covers towing, mobile repair is still often the better call financially — compare the tow cost plus shop rate versus a mobile tech coming to you and fixing it in the field.
Broken down in Northern California? We cover the I-5 corridor and surrounding NorCal highways. One call and we come to you — no shop backlog, no tow fees, no waiting three weeks for an appointment. See how our mobile repair service works.
BossBros RV Team
Redding, CA