On Friday, Peter picked me up at work with the camper van because we were going to lecture at a meeting with the Caravan Club at Husbilslandet in Kristinehamn. We were looking forward to the joint dinner that would be organised at 7 pm, but there was no dinner at Husbilslandet for us. Our Friday evening ended much more dramatically, with the towing of a motorhome.
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Motorhome journey that ended with a sudden stop
We left Karolinska Institutet, where I work, at around 15:00 and headed for Kristinehamn, Sweden. The journey went well, until we had to overtake a car midway between Karlskoga and Kristinehamn. Suddenly the motorhome stopped working. The engine light and several other warning lights came on. Smoke came out of the bonnet and Peter said that it was no longer possible to drive.
We were on a two-lane road that was about to become one lane, and Peter braked as fast as he could. If we had stopped 50 metres later, we would have stopped just about all the traffic on the E18, but now we managed to position ourselves so that the cars just could get by.
Long wait for the recovery of a motorhome
It was cold and pitch black and the cars were travelling fast - and coming close. We switched on all the lights on FREEDOM so that he could be seen from a distance and learnt where to find him. not should have the warning triangle. Of course we wanted to display the triangle, but going out into heavy traffic and opening the tailgate was not appealing. Especially since we would then have to take the key out of the motorhome and thus partially switch it off.
We just had to hope for the best, but realised that we should stay away from the car in case someone hit it. We took blankets and quilts with us and climbed onto the grass field a good distance away to wait. Then it was just sitting out in the cold and dark for two hours waiting for the tow truck ...
We froze and froze, but finally the recovery lorry arrived! The guy in the car looked down into our bonnet and realised that there was a tangle of cables there that looked very unhealthy. He tried to start the car with jumper cables, but it didn't work. So it was towed away ...
A night outside the FIAT workshop in Kristinehamn, Sweden
We had to take a tow truck to the nearest FIAT workshop, that is, the FIAT workshop in Kristinehamn. At half past ten in the evening we finally had some food and a glass of wine. Not quite as we had imagined if you say so, but it is just to take it as it is ...
Friends who save the day
Sometimes you're lucky to have friends who are there for you through thick and thin. Our friends Thore and Catta, who live in Arboga and blog on Independence2015.se, decided to show up and drive us to Husbilslandet.
And sure enough, on Saturday morning they came with their motorhome and took us to the Caravan Club meeting. Although we missed dinner on Friday evening, we made it to the most important thing: our lecture on Saturday morning. We will tell you about the lecture and the members' meeting tomorrow.
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Lena - good for the soul says:
But how useless! Such things feel so unnecessary. But how nice that you got help!
Hug Lena
30 October 2016 - 8:03
Goatfish says:
Nightmare! Luckily, there are kind souls out there who are willing to help 😀 They say that a friend is tested in times of need.
Kram, Gerd
30 October 2016 - 8:20
Eva - People in the Street says:
What a pain in the arse! It's really no fun when cars go on strike, they're supposed to just work ...
30 October 2016 - 9:02
anita wåg agrimanaki says:
Luckily it wasn't along some remote little mountain path somewhere. It's sad, of course, that you would miss something you had planned. You always ask yourself why when something so unnecessary happens....
30 October 2016 - 9:10
Matts Torebring says:
This is the second last thing you want to experience. Even worse is if personal tragedies happen by accident. I'm glad you survived the last one.
You got cold and hurt, but still managed to survive, how nice!
We ourselves celebrated Midsummer Eve at Fiat in Göttingen (Germany) one year. We had +35 degrees and were powerless, at first I almost cried when it happened.
It's good to have friends along the way and that you reached your goal.
Personally, I think the two plus one roads are unpleasant and cause accidents. Just like in your case, there would have been a stop for everyone. We have a new section of road 32 outside Tranås, with two plus one roads. Now there are accidents all the time. It wasn't like that before,
30 October 2016 - 9:11
admin says:
Lena, not fun at all, although you can be happy as long as you don't get hurt. Of course, it will cost time and money...
Geddfish, real friends are good to have and it's probably as you say, in times of need the friend is tested!
Lennart, it will be fine, but we have to leave the car in Kristinehamn, and come back to pick it up ...
Eva, not fun at all. And now we have to leave the campervan in Kristinehamn and take the train back to Stockholm...
Anita, I'm sure there are tow trucks everywhere, but you might have to wait a long time if you're remote! Everything will work out, even if it's a bit tricky...
Matts, sure, as long as there are no injuries, it's not really bad! You have to be grateful for that! I agree that the 2+1 roads are unpleasant. People also overtake very close to where the road narrows ...
30 October 2016 - 9:19
nils-åke says:
I have learnt the hard way where to put the warning triangle!
But it's just the car boring anyway but could have been worse. All good in the end anyway!
30 October 2016 - 9:20
Lennart says:
What a nightmare.
Hope everything works out!
30 October 2016 - 8:33
Solan says:
Damn, it's lucky that Peter managed to brake before it became a lane. Being in such a bad position is really dangerous. Good that you waited for help some distance from the car. It's a shame about towing and workshop costs but it seems to be part of motorhome life.
We got stuck with a gearbox failure on the M6 at rush hour once. Terrible. But like most things, everything works out in the end. 🙁
30 October 2016 - 9:41
Mr Steve says:
What a drama! It's great to have such 'saviours'.
30 October 2016 - 9:52
Across the board says:
Ugh really not fun when that happens. Nasty with the darkness, then you did the right thing leaving the car. Nice to get help later, hope Freedom can be repaired!
30 October 2016 - 10:10
Mr Lars Permelin says:
The idea of the motorhome completely switching off when overtaking sounds awful. I don't want to be part of that. You seem to have been both unlucky and lucky. Unlucky that the campervan stops when you had a time and amenities to spare. Lucky that it happened before you had driven a bit on the one-lane section. It would have been much worse, besides freezing, if you had prevented everyone else from getting through. Hopefully the motorhome can be repaired without major and further problems.
30 October 2016 - 10:30
Marianne - Glimpses of the world says:
Wow, that was a scary place to stop! Good thing you waited some distance away, and that no one hit the motorhome. It's good to have friends who are there for you when you need them 🙂.
30 October 2016 - 10:35
Ditte says:
How sad with this mishap! A lot of traffic also at the weekend but you were very lucky in the middle of the mishap. It could have been worse ...
In Spain, all cars must have "reflective vests" in the passenger compartment. Many have them hanging on the front seats and they are of some help if something happens and you have to get out of the car.
It's great that friends came to rescue you and that you finally arrived.
30 October 2016 - 11:00
Only British says:
How nice that you at least made it to the lecture. I hope the party isn't too expensive to fix.
30 October 2016 - 11:27
OnTrip.com says:
What a shame for you. Good that nothing happened to you and that you got help.
/Annette
30 October 2016 - 11:28
admin says:
Nils-Åke, well now we have also learnt the hard way ...
Solan, quite scary and unpleasant to stop in the middle of the motorway actually. But it would have been even worse if it had been one lane, so we had to be happy that we could stop ...
Steve, yes it was a bit overly dramatic ...
Criss-cross, yes scary when it's pitch black and the cars are passing so close and at such high speeds.
Lars Permelin, it was quite scary, and I agree that we were both unlucky and lucky, in a way. We have to leave the campervan at the FIAT workshop here and will talk to them on Monday ...
Marianne, it felt safer to stay away from the motorhome. If someone were to hit it, there would have been a lot of noise ...
Ditte, reflective vests are also good, of course. The rules vary from country to country, but they're good to have regardless of the rules.
Only British, let's see if you can get any help from the insurance ...
Ontripdk, it wasn't a fun experience, but you can still be grateful as long as you don't hurt yourself.
30 October 2016 - 11:34
LinizTravel says:
But poor thing 🙁 sad 🙁 🙁
Lots of hugs!!!
Writing on messenger 😉
30 October 2016 - 11:47
JoY says:
Nasty accidents in the dark, good that you left the car despite the cold weather. Hope you get the car fixed quickly.
Let's see where we have our warning triangle somewhere.
Jakob with 3 golf friends in the campervan had a breakdown and an overnight stay at a garage many years ago. They were lucky to get the car fixed the next day. They were happy that they got an extra golf day because of the workshop visit.
Hugs
30 October 2016 - 11:54
Monica says:
Ugh, so boring. Is that what's left from the long journey when you had engine and gearbox problems plus flashing lights? We ourselves have been stopped in exactly the same way. I drove ahead in a newly purchased summer car, a nice old Merca, and Bengt behind with the campervan. On the way to Stockholm from Skåne and on a miserable 2+1 road. Suddenly the Mercedes starts to boil and smoke pours out of the radiator. You just have to stop and almost drive into the ditch so as not to obstruct traffic. And what did you do before the days of mobile phones? I phoned Bengt and told him to stop behind me, which he did in no time at all. But lorries and others just roared past us and honked their horns!!!! Sometimes it is good to have a motorhome as company. We had water with us in it and could eventually fill up enough to be able to get to the nearest workshop. This was in the summer and in the middle of the day but I was terrified that we would be hit by a car and did not dare to stay in the car while we waited for it to cool down. Hope it works out with Freedom!
30 October 2016 - 12:06
admin says:
Liniztravel, thank you very much! Ok, I'll check! 🙂
JoY, you have to be lucky to be unlucky! Now it's the weekend, so the workshop can't look at the car until Monday. We have to take the train home in the meantime, I have to work ...
Monica, no it should probably not have anything to do with the long journey. We fixed this with the engine light and some other things last summer (10,000 SEK...). This seems to be cables that more or less started to burn and that there was a short circuit, if I understood the salvage company correctly. Sad that you have experienced a similar thing, but interesting to read about!
Alexandra, well we hope it's not too difficult to solve! We will call the workshop on Monday.
30 October 2016 - 12:17
Lena says:
Not fun but .... hope it works out with the rest! Continue better weekend!
30 October 2016 - 12:47
Alexandra says:
But what a pain in the arse! I hope Freedom can be repaired and that it won't be too costly. What nice people who came to your rescue and drove you! Hope
30 October 2016 - 12:15
Villa Freja says:
What bad luck. Poor you!
30 October 2016 - 13:43
Roland lindskog says:
A small question when you were going to start the trip to pick up Helena was there power in the motorhome if not you used jumper cables.
30 October 2016 - 14:11
åsa in åsele says:
So very nasty and unnecessary, cars are supposed to start and work, but luckily you were able to stop relatively safely, the risk of more accidents when there is a lot of traffic and you kind of "stand in the way", but not easy to move when the car is dead.
Kind friends are valuable, and you were lucky to get to where you were going and to be able to carry out the planned lecture.
On top of everything else, it often costs a lot when cars break down.
30 October 2016 - 14:25
Ama de casa says:
But how scary and unpleasant! Glad that it still went reasonably well there after the circumstances, it could have ended much worse.
It's also nice to have good friends who are there for you 🙂 .
I hope that the motorhome is doing well and that there won't be too deep a hole in your wallet after this unwanted adventure...
30 October 2016 - 15:05
admin says:
Lena, thank you! We hope that it will be resolved.
Roland Lindskog, there was power in the car. Nothing was strange, everything was as usual. We drove about 25 kilometres before it happened.
Åsa in Åsele, of course there is a risk of accidents, which is unpleasant. And of course there will be extra costs. First we had to pay the deductible for the salvage. Then there are the train journeys and repairs ...
Ama de casa, well, you have to be glad it didn't get worse. How it affects the wallet we will see. So far we have paid the deductible on the salvage of 1500 SEK.
30 October 2016 - 15:19
Husis blog says:
Ouch, it's never fun when we make trouble for the owners. But you will see (if possible) that you were not harmed in any way.
Freedom, be nice to your owners and maybe we'll meet one day.
Sunny greetings from one of my owners in Lanzarote!
30 October 2016 - 15:43
Motorhome Helge says:
But what bad luck to get stopped on a dark and cold evening on a 2+1 road. Luckily you had good friends who could help you in your time of need. Now we can only hope that FREEDOM will be fixed within a few days, because it is not fun to have your "friend" in the workshop. We keep our fingers crossed for you!
30 October 2016 - 16:17
Cat's Considerations says:
Ohhhh, no! Damn what a shit. To be standing there in all the traffic and it is pitch black and cold. Brr. What would be a more pleasant weekend. Hope the carriage is soon fixed and that it was not too big a problem. I keep my fingers crossed that it is quick and easy to fix and that it was not so expensive. Warm hugs
30 October 2016 - 16:49
Anja says:
Oh my God, how disgusting Helena !!!! 🙁 0
30 October 2016 - 17:20
admin says:
Husisblog, hope your owners are having a great time in Lanzarote! And of course you can still be happy as long as you don't get hurt in any way.
The motorhome Helge, it was not a fun experience. We will have to call the workshop on Monday and see how it can be fixed.
Anja, no, it wasn't fun. But we are ok, and now we are on our way back to Stockholm ... by train.
30 October 2016 - 17:49
Anki says:
Wow ... what a terrible experience. It's fortunate that you were able to stay as you did and that there was no worse accident.
It's good to have friends who are there for you - I hope you get things back on track soon.
30 October 2016 - 17:55
BP says:
OMG! Don't envy you. The poor people! However, I think the parking space outside the workshop is really nice... and free of charge;-)
It's nice to have friends who are willing to pick you up. Then you didn't have to rent a car.
Very much looking forward to your lecture and the continuation of Fate of Freedom on Monday... Fingers crossed!
30 October 2016 - 18:07
Role o Carina says:
Ugh, we don't want that to happen to our vehicles!
Preferably not on these 2+1 roads, I really dislike them 🙂.
All the best and I hope everything works out for you.......
30 October 2016 - 18:51
Motorhome internship says:
No, what a drama! Fortunately, it went well anyway. Hope that the Värmlanders take good care of the motorhome and that the invoice is not too juicy .....
30 October 2016 - 19:25
admin says:
Anki, yes it was of course lucky that nothing worse happened! Still feels a bit hard to have to leave the motorhome in the workshop so far from home ...
BP, haha, the "parking space" was quite ok actually. But it was sad not to be able to roll on with the motorhome, without having to leave it there ... The rest we will tell you about tomorrow of course!
Rolle and Carina, no it wasn't fun, especially in the dark and on that narrow road... We hope it won't be too complicated to fix, but we don't know about that.
Motorhome internship, thank you, yes we also hope that the car will be well looked after and that the costs will be reasonable ...
30 October 2016 - 19:38
Beppan says:
Sad start to that journey! I can imagine you sitting there on the side of the road in the dark....! Lucky the adventure ended happily anyway.
30 October 2016 - 23:24
Henny says:
What a horrible experience you had, luckily no one was hurt, just hope the end of the story is not too costly.
I understand that it is wise to have a warning triangle and vest inside the motorhome and not tucked away. I will remember this when it is time to spring clean my dear Pössl.
30 October 2016 - 23:41
Henny says:
What a horrible experience you had, luckily no one was hurt, just hope the end of the story is not too costly.
As I understand it, it is wise to have the warning triangle and vest inside the motorhome and not tucked away. I will remember this when it is time to spring clean my dear Pössl.
30 October 2016 - 23:45
admin says:
Beppan, no, it wasn't the most fun Friday night ... But that's what you have to go through ...
Henny, yes it would be wise to have the warning triangle and vests in a place where they are easily accessible.
31 October 2016 - 7:29
Deciree says:
How awful!!! Fortunately, you did not get hurt anyway in the dark and traffic. Hope everything works out with the motorhome... because it is you 🙂 Great with friends you can trust. Have a nice time
31 October 2016 - 7:30
Elisabeth says:
What an experience! Good to have friends!
31 October 2016 - 7:31
Lanclin-Linnea says:
No way! Engines, phones and computers should just work, that's old hat 🙁 .
31 October 2016 - 8:14
Ann-Sofie and Lennart says:
Ugh, so terrible and lucky that there was no personal injury.... it could have been really bad. Hope it is possible to fix the car. Hugs to you!
31 October 2016 - 11:04
admin says:
Deciree, yes we really hope it works out with the motorhome! We have called them today, but they haven't had time to look at it yet.
Elisabeth, yes, it's really worth its weight in gold in situations like this!
Linnea, can only agree!!!
Ann-Sofie and Lennart, yes, that is of course the most important thing, that you make it in one piece!
31 October 2016 - 23:03
Ninny says:
oojojjj ... but nice that it went so well in any case, it could have gone really bad ... and lucky that you arrived in the end!
01 November 2016 - 8:12
Emma, sun like sun? says:
As Ditte mentions above, there is a law on reflective vests in Spain and it is actually a very sensible law. So I can recommend you to get at least two, we have to buy another one because we often travel three. And as I said, at least one vest in the front easily accessible.
I have had to use it twice in the last year and have once also had the pleasure of a car crossing a two-lane motorway, I was in the left-hand lane. The first time, however, the car died at a roundabout, was obviously in a bad position but the traffic could flow. But even though we set up a warning triangle, warning lights and stand next to it with vests, people stand and honk and think we should drive sometime then!
People are not very observant while driving, preferring to sit and chat with each other or talk on their mobile phones (which is illegal in Spain). Creepy.
Glad that nothing (more) happened to you and that you got help!
01 November 2016 - 16:37
admin says:
Ninnie, you can still be happy as long as it's only material things that break.
Emma sun as sun, if we had reflective vests we would have definitely put them on, so I understand the idea of the law. So good that you had the stuff when you needed it! But it's unbelievable that people will honk anyway...!
03 November 2016 - 8:30