When you need it
This site offers information based on guidance from rental car companies, JAF and others, as a starting point when something goes wrong on your trip (as of September 2026). What road service covers differs by company and plan, and it can change. When you actually run into trouble, follow the guidance of the help line at the company you rented from.
A flat tire, the battery, the key, running out of gas.
The problems are different, but the first two steps are the same.
Stop somewhere safe → call the number on the paper you got when you rented (the rental car company’s help line).
At Toyota Rent a Car, if a breakdown or other problem happens, you stop using the car, contact the company and follow its instructions. At ORIX Rent a Car, even for a flat tire or a strange noise, you stop somewhere safe and contact the help line on the paper you got when you rented.
Even if you can’t tell what the problem is, the first call is the same one.
Then, here’s what to know for each problem.
A flat tire
Don’t keep driving on a flat tire.
If the car has no spare tire, it will be taken to a nearby repair shop or similar (Toyota Rent a Car, Nippon Rent-A-Car, ORIX Rent a Car).
At some companies, if you use the tire repair kit in the car, you pay the costs yourself (Toyota Rent a Car, ORIX Rent a Car). Ask the help line before you use it.
The battery is dead
Jump-starting the engine with cables is on the list of road services at Toyota Rent a Car, Times Car Rental and Nippon Rent-A-Car.
Call the help line and wait for instructions.
The key is locked inside the car
When they unlock the car for you, they check the rental agreement to make sure you’re the renter (Toyota Rent a Car).
For cars with an electronic key or an anti-theft device, it may not be possible to open the car on the spot, or you may have to pay for it yourself (Toyota Rent a Car, Nippon Rent-A-Car).
First, call the help line and tell them what kind of car it is.
You ran out of gas
Bringing fuel to you on the spot is on the list of road services at Toyota Rent a Car, Times Car Rental and Nippon Rent-A-Car. At Times Car Rental, you pay for the fuel yourself.
The best move is to fill up before it runs out. When to fill up is summed up in “Driving in Rural Japan and at Night — Gas Station Opening Hours and the Half-Tank Rule.”
Stuck in snow or a ditch
If snow buries the area around the muffler (tailpipe), exhaust fumes can flow into the car, creating a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. While the engine is running, clear the snow from around the muffler from time to time.
Here, it depends on the company.
At ORIX Rent a Car, if your tires spin on a snowy or muddy road and you can’t move, that isn’t covered by road service.
Times Car Rental’s service includes pulling a car out of a ditch, for people with its coverage package (Super Safety Package). Nippon Rent-A-Car’s includes lifting a wheel that has slipped off the edge of the road.
On snowy days, it also helps not to stop at the side of the road. Times Car Rental says that snow can hide ditches and gutters, and a tire can drop into one. If you really have to stop, keep your hazard lights on.
According to Times Car Rental, you also use fuel faster on snowy roads. On days you’re driving far, fill up often.
If your car stops on the road at night
Turn on your hazard lights to let the cars behind you know.
You may be rear-ended by a car behind you, so don’t stay in the car; wait somewhere safe, such as on the other side of the guardrail (JAF).
On the expressway, follow the steps in “If Your Car Stops on the Expressway — Don’t Wait Inside.”
Ask whether road service is included when you rent
At ORIX Rent a Car, insurance, coverage and road service are included in the price.
Times Car Rental describes its road service as being for customers who’ve added its coverage package. Nippon Rent-A-Car includes road service in the plan it recommends.
Ask what your plan lets you request when you rent the car.
For now, just this
Stop somewhere safe → the number on your rental paper. From there, the help line will tell you what to do.
※ How things are handled differs by company and plan, and it can change.
