The Westfjords are one of Iceland's most remote regions. Between major towns you can drive for 60-100 km without passing a single petrol station, workshop or town. If your car breaks down out there, knowing what to do — and in what order — can make the difference between a short delay and a very long, expensive night.

Step 1: Get safe immediately

The moment something goes wrong with your car — strange noise, warning light, loss of power — pull over as soon as it is safely possible. Do not try to make it to the next town. Continuing to drive on a bad engine, flat tyre or overheating car almost always makes things worse and more expensive.

• Signal and slow gradually — do not brake hard
• Pull as far off the road as you can safely get
• Turn on your hazard lights immediately
• If you have a warning triangle, place it behind the car
• Stay inside the car if it is cold or windy

Step 2: Call for help before you lose signal

Mobile signal in the Westfjords fjords can be very patchy. Make your call the moment you stop — do not wait until you have fully assessed the problem. You may drive into a dead zone while moving to a better spot.

Step 3: Assess but do not try to fix what you don't know

It is fine to look under the bonnet if you feel safe doing so — but do not open a hot radiator cap and do not try to fix things you are not sure about. A flat tyre with a spare you know how to change is a different situation from an engine warning light you have never seen before.

Step 4: Stay warm — Iceland weather changes fast

Even in summer, the Westfjords can get cold quickly — especially if wind picks up or cloud comes in. Keep warm clothing accessible. If you are stranded and it is getting cold, run the engine briefly for heat (make sure the exhaust is not blocked by snow).

What about towing — how long will it take?

From our base in Reykjanes, we can reach most Westfjords roads within 30-90 minutes. More remote locations (Hornstrandir access, deep in Arnarfjörður) may take longer. We will always give you a real, honest time when you call — not a vague "as soon as possible."

What if I have no signal?

Try moving to higher ground — even 200m uphill in the Westfjords often restores enough signal for a call. iPhone 14+ and many modern Android phones support Emergency SOS via satellite which works without any mobile signal at all.

This is one of the most stressful situations tourists face in Iceland — and most people don't know the right order to call people in. Getting it wrong can mean long waits, unexpected costs, or arguments about who pays for what. Here is the right sequence.

Call order: Rental car breakdown in Iceland

1. Call your rental company's emergency line first. Every rental company in Iceland has a 24/7 breakdown number — it is usually on a sticker inside the car or in the rental agreement. They may dispatch help directly or authorise a local provider to assist you.
2. If you cannot reach your rental company — or they tell you to find local assistance — call us directly: +354 783-1783. We work with all major rental companies in Iceland and can coordinate with them on your behalf.
3. Do not call a workshop yourself unless your rental company specifically tells you to. Arranging your own recovery without authorisation may mean you pay for it personally.

What about insurance — will my rental cover this?

Most standard rental packages include some form of breakdown assistance. However, coverage for off-road incidents, F-road accidents, or cases where you have driven into water is usually excluded. Check your rental agreement before you drive.

What happens to the rental car after towing?

We tow the vehicle to the nearest appropriate workshop or to the rental company's designated facility. We stay in communication with both you and the rental company throughout. In many cases, the rental company will arrange a replacement vehicle for you.

No. You cannot legally drive F-roads in Iceland in a 2WD vehicle — and you should not try. This is not a grey area, a guideline, or a suggestion. It is the law, and the consequences of ignoring it are severe.

Why do people try it anyway?

F-roads often look passable at the entrance. The first few hundred metres may be fine gravel. But further in you will encounter river crossings, deep mud, steep rocky terrain and conditions that will ground a 2WD vehicle and potentially damage it severely.

We rescue tourists from F-roads regularly. The recovery cost alone typically ranges from 100,000-500,000 kr depending on location and difficulty — and every penny of that comes out of the tourist's pocket because their insurance is void.

How do I know if a road is an F-road?

• The road number starts with "F" (e.g. F60, F210, F35)
• There is a sign at the start of the road showing "F" and often the 4WD symbol
• The road is shown on maps as a dotted line rather than a solid line
• Check vegagerdin.is or our live road conditions page before driving

What if I'm already stuck on an F-road in a 2WD?

Call us immediately on +354 783-1783. Do not try to drive further — every additional metre makes recovery harder and more expensive. Stay with the vehicle. We will come and recover you, but you should understand that the costs will be yours to cover.

Nobody publishes real towing prices in Iceland. We will. You deserve to know what things cost before you need them — not when you are stranded and have no choice.

Typical towing costs in the Westfjords

Prices vary based on time of day, distance, road conditions and complexity. These are honest typical ranges:

• Short tow (under 20 km): 20,000–35,000 kr
• Medium tow (20–60 km): 35,000–70,000 kr
• Long tow (60+ km): priced per km, typically 800–1,200 kr/km
• Night call-out surcharge: applies outside normal hours
• Snow/off-road recovery: additional cost depending on difficulty

Does my rental car insurance cover towing?

Standard rental insurance in Iceland typically covers basic mechanical breakdowns if the vehicle is driven on paved roads as intended. It does not cover towing if you drove onto an F-road in a 2WD, drove into water, ran out of fuel, or damaged the vehicle through misuse.

How to avoid paying for towing at all

1. Take the rental company's full breakdown waiver if offered
2. Never drive F-roads in a 2WD vehicle
3. Fill up with fuel every time you pass a petrol station
4. Drive slowly on gravel to avoid tyre damage
5. Take the Iceland Road Ready Quiz before you drive

A car that won't start in the morning is the single most common breakdown we deal with in the Westfjords. It happens to rental cars, personal cars, and everything in between. Here is why it happens and what to do.

Why do cars refuse to start in Iceland?

Cold overnight temperatures are the most common cause, especially in autumn, winter and spring. Iceland's temperatures can drop below freezing even in May. A battery that works fine in a warm country may fail completely after a cold Icelandic night. Rental car fleets often have older batteries that are more susceptible.

Before you call for help — try this

1. Wait 5 minutes and try again. If the starter motor is turning slowly, sometimes letting the engine rest and trying again once works.
2. Check if another car is nearby. Jump leads are common in Iceland and Icelanders are almost always willing to help. Connect red (+) to positive terminals, black (-) to negative — let it run for 10 minutes then try starting.
3. Check you haven't accidentally left a light or charger on overnight. This drains batteries faster than cold weather alone.

Can you fix it on the spot?

In many cases yes — we can jump-start the vehicle and confirm the battery is charging correctly. If the battery is dead beyond recovery, we can tow you to the nearest workshop in Ísafjörður, Patreksfjörður or Hólmavík where a replacement can usually be fitted the same day.

Getting stuck in snow or ice in the Westfjords happens more often than people expect — even in May. Before you call for help, try these steps. They work surprisingly often and could save you a significant call-out fee.

Step 1: Stop spinning immediately

The instinct is to press the accelerator harder. Do not do this. Spinning wheels dig you deeper into snow or ice, melts the surface and creates an ice bowl your tyres cannot grip. Stop, breathe, think.

Step 2: Rock the car

Put the car in the lowest gear available. Gently alternate between driving forward a few centimetres and reversing a few centimetres. Build a rocking motion. This sometimes creates enough momentum to break free. Do it gently — if it is not working after 5 attempts, stop.

Step 3: Create traction under the wheels

Place anything with grip under the drive wheels — floor mats, sand, gravel, branches, rocks. Press them as far under the tyre as they will go. Then try the rocking technique again.

Step 4: Clear snow from around the wheels

Use anything available — a shovel (many Icelandic hire cars have one), a stick, your hands. Clear at least 1 metre in front of and behind each drive wheel. The goal is to give the car a flat surface to drive onto.

When to call immediately without trying yourself

• The car is on a steep slope or near a drop
• Any part of the car is in water
• It is dark and the weather is worsening
• The car has tipped significantly to one side

This is the question everyone wants answered honestly. Here are real typical response times from our base in Reykjanes, based on the actual roads and distances involved.

Typical response times by location

• Ísafjörður area: 30-50 minutes
• Bolungarvík: 40-60 minutes (via tunnel)
• Þingeyri / Flateyri: 35-55 minutes
• Patreksfjörður: 60-90 minutes
• Hólmavík: 60-80 minutes
• Drangsnes / Strandir coast: 70-100 minutes
• Látrabjarg area: 90-120 minutes
• Dynjandi: 50-70 minutes
• Remote mountain passes / F-roads: 90+ minutes, case by case

What affects response time?

• Weather conditions — storms can slow progress significantly
• Road closures — check live road conditions
• Time of day — night call-outs take the same time but have a surcharge
• Ongoing jobs — we will tell you honestly if we are already on a job

What should I do while waiting?

Stay in the car if it is cold or windy. Keep hazard lights on. Save battery on your phone. If you have food or water in the car, use it. If it is getting dark, note your exact GPS coordinates (your phone's Maps app shows this) and send them to someone.

Running out of fuel in the Westfjords is easily the most avoidable of all breakdowns — and yet we get at least one call a week about it. Here is where to find fuel, and what to do if you are already empty.

Fuel stations in the Westfjords

All stations below have 24-hour automated card pumps accepting Visa and Mastercard:

• Ísafjörður — N1 and Orkan (largest selection)
• Bolungarvík — small station near harbour
• Flateyri — Hafnarstræti 1
• Þingeyri — check winter hours
• Patreksfjörður — N1 station
• Tálknafjörður — Strandgata 36
• Bíldudalur — small station
• Hólmavík — N1 at town entrance
• Drangsnes — small card pump
• Reykhólar — near ferry terminal
• Flókalundur — key junction stop on Route 60
• Bjarkarlundur — Reykhólahreppur 380
• Reykjanes — local station

I've already run out — what do I do?

1. Pull off the road safely, hazard lights on
2. Do NOT keep driving on fumes — running the fuel pump dry can damage it
3. Call us on +354 783-1783 — we can either bring fuel to you or tow you to the nearest station
4. If you have signal, check Google Maps for the nearest station and distance