It’s code for ‘We have your back’!
With a push of a button, help is surely on the way thanks to BMW and its E Call feature. A facet of BMW Roadside Assistance, it is just one of the many ways the carmaker ensures you and your passenger’s safety each and every time you hit the open road. It links you immediately to specialists who offer expert assistance both in the event of a minor issue all the way to an outright emergency. This assistance comes in the form of non-stop support, accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year —essentially no matter when you need it!
BMW offers its Driver Assistance program in the first four years from the original in-service date of your vehicle, with no mileage limitations and no separate costs to you. BMW Roadside Assistance encompasses a vast area of vital services that not only come in handy when far from home, but are essential to your overall safety as a motorist.
Here’s more….
E Call — quickly
This vital service works by sending your location along with any and all relevant information to the BMW Assist response center. There, a response specialist can contact police and emergency medical technician services, thus saving critical time and shaving off minutes when time is of the essence. To activate, all you need to do is locate the SOS button above the rear view mirror and press the cover to open. At that point, press the SOS button and a green LED light illuminates. signaling you that a response specialist is on the other end, waiting to speak to you to determine what type of help is needed.
The specialist can perform a number of vital tasks, including requesting dispatch for emergency services to the location, notifying the emergency contacts on file, linking to BMW Assist and, if appropriate, providing directions to the nearest police station or hospital. In the event of a severe accident, something no one wants to imagine, the system automatically calls BMW Assist, where a response specialist will assess the situation on your behalf and take the necessary steps to get you help.
It is important to note that BMW Assist E Call requires an active subscription to BMW Assist.
More background
A telematic roadside assistance service presented by BMW and similar to GM’s OnStar or Mercedes-Benz mbrace services, BMW Assist provides a plethora of services and better yet, is included free in most BMWs. Those services include turn-by-turn directions, remote unlocking, vehicle diagnostics, airbag deployment notification, theft recovery and towing or flat tire repair. In short, all that drivers need — and may encounter — on any given day.
The service works by being expertly integrated into the car’s communication and audio systems. The BMW Roadside Assistance program works in conjunction with your vehicle’s navigation system or uses its own GPS equipment. The service is available for the first four years from the original in-service date of your vehicle with no mileage restrictions and for those BMW Certified owners, they are covered up to six years from original in-service date with no mileage restrictions.
This service offers support around the clock, giving expert advice 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, as well as protection in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Services galore….
Services as part of the BMW Roadside Assistance program are vast. They include, but are not limited to, such vital things as Towing service to the nearest authorized BMW center resulting from mechanical disablement, road hazard damage or accident. It also provides Battery jump starts, fuel or operating fluids delivery (with driver paying the cost of those fluids), Tire Change assistance and lock-out services if keys get locked in the vehicle. These types of services are often necessary and occur most times when you least expect it!
One of the greatest aspects of BMW Roadside Assistance is clear when you are far from home, with Trip Interruption benefits that help when your journey is unexpectedly interrupted, which can in fact happen. This program will provide help in arranging a ride, securing short-term transportation and even assisting with hotel accommodations.
The advanced technology of this system is also made clear in the support given through the Advanced Mobility Group, which works in conjunction with BMW Roadside Assistance in helping drivers via phone with disablement or emergency roadside situations. They aid the driver by using telematics technology that reads vehicle data and warning messages and calls. Information dispatched to AMG is used to guide and advise drivers. This is technology at its finest! It even provides expert advice over the phone as well as recommendations for service visits to the nearest BMW Center. The program does all this while ensuring the driver can travel safely without the need for a tow.
Connecting to the program
There are several ways to contact BMW Roadside Assistance, even in the event of a disablement or emergency. Pressing the SOS button is one way, with other options being simply selecting BMW Roadside Assistance from the iDrive menu or accessing the BMW ConnectedDrive app. This program can also be accessed by calling (800) 332-4BMW(4269) 24 hours a day/365 days a year.
Added assistance
An additional subscription service BMW Assist offers is in the area of Theft Recovery, a scary scenario for any motorist. This service has the capability of tracking the location of your car via the car’s computer and GPS system. The advantages of this system is that most devices are small ad can be placed virtually anywhere inside the vehicle. Difficult for thieves to detect, some of these devices also contain small power sources. With an excellent track record to recover your vehicle as quickly as possible, the BMW Assist system provides that priceless peace of mind.
Mobility assistance, roadside assistance, E Call — the list goes on and on when it comes to all the security you need, whenever you need it. Whether it is in the form of support, expert advice or just that extra sense of security, these programs bring forth numerous benefits at very little cost. Visit BMW of Akron and allow us to explain any or all of these services further. What’s the SOS button? It’s code for ‘We Have Your Back.”
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