Overheating, or the brakes feel wrong?
Pull over somewhere safe and switch off. Don't open the bonnet or the radiator cap while it's hot: RACQ says cooling can take several hours. If the car is in a dangerous spot, get everyone away from the traffic, hazard lights on, and call roadside assistance if you have it. If anyone is hurt or in danger, call 000.
The Queensland way to handle a repair
Describe it, don't diagnose it
Tell the mechanic what the car does and when: the noise, the smell, the light, the speed. Queensland's advice is to describe symptoms, because if you ask for a specific repair and it doesn't fix the problem, you can't hold the repairer liable.
Get the quote in writing
Estimates are often verbal and rough, while a quote itemises the work. The Queensland Government suggests getting at least two written quotes for any repair.
Say yes to each piece of work
Authorise the repairs at the first inspection, and again for anything beyond the original quote. If you want the old parts back, say so before the work starts.
Agree how you'll pay
If you can't pay and haven't made an arrangement, the repairer can keep the car until you do. Sort out the terms before the job begins.
Ask for an itemised account
Before you pay, ask for the work, labour, parts and any warranty to be listed. Keep it with the car's records.
Repairs that come up because it's Townsville
Cars that have been in floodwater
Townsville flooded badly in 2019 and again in early 2025. RACQ says don't start a car that's been in floodwater: water drawn into the engine can bend rods and valves, and water in the brakes means they may not work. Call the insurer before roadside assistance. If the car isn't insured, have a mechanic inspect it before anyone turns the key.
Cooling systems in the heat
RACQ says cooling systems with even minor leaks are more likely to fail under the extra pressure of hot weather. A sweet coolant smell, a puddle under the front or a gauge sitting higher than it used to are worth a look before summer, not after.
A breakdown out west
Charters Towers is 133 km down the Flinders Highway, and the towns get further apart beyond it. RACQ says roadside assistance can include a tow to a nearby mechanic, depending on the cover, so check what yours includes before a long trip.
If the repair isn't right
Repair work comes with consumer guarantees: it must be done with due care and skill. If something isn't right, put it to the business's manager in writing first. If that doesn't sort it out, Queensland's Office of Fair Trading takes formal complaints, and you may be able to lodge a claim with the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).
What we'd do
We'd write down what the car is doing, when it started and what makes it worse, and send that rather than a guess at the part. Then we'd get the quote in writing and ask the mechanic to ring before going past it.