Car towing in Ottawa is available 24 hours a day from Gloucester Towing. Whether your car broke down on the Queensway, was involved in a collision in Vanier, or simply stopped running in a Gloucester parking lot, call (613) 662-6262 and we dispatch a truck to your location. As part of our full towing service in Ottawa, we tow cars of all makes and models across the city and surrounding area, day and night, every day of the year.
Gloucester Towing has been operating out of 1980 Ogilvie Road in Ottawa since the beginning. The Ogilvie Road location puts us in the middle of the east end, which means fast response times for Gloucester, Vanier, Orleans, and St Laurent. We cover the full city. Calls from Centretown, Riverside, South Keys, and Westboro are reached in under 30 minutes under normal conditions.
When You Need Car Towing in Ottawa
A car tow in Ottawa is needed in more situations than most people realize. A breakdown is the obvious one. But towing also covers accident recovery when a car is no longer safe to drive, a car that will not start and cannot be repaired on site, a vehicle being moved to a mechanic or storage location, and a vehicle involved in a parking or impound situation. We handle all of these across Ottawa every day.
Situations where you need car towing in Ottawa
Breakdown on a road or highwayEngine failure, transmission loss, overheating, or any mechanical issue that makes the car unsafe to drive. We tow the vehicle from where it stopped to a garage of your choice anywhere in Ottawa.
Car involved in a collisionA car that has been in an accident and cannot be driven away needs to be towed. We work with drivers and insurance companies across Ottawa to move collision vehicles safely and quickly.
Car that will not start and cannot be repaired roadsideDead battery that cannot be jumped, seized engine, or a mechanical failure that roadside service cannot fix on the spot. The vehicle needs to go to a garage. We tow it there.
Moving a non-running car to a new locationA car being sold, donated, moved to a new address, or transferred to a garage across Ottawa or to another city. The car does not need to run for us to move it.
How Car Towing Works in Ottawa
When you call Gloucester Towing for car towing in Ottawa, a real person answers. We get your location, the make and model of your car, and a brief description of the situation. We dispatch the appropriate truck and give you an arrival window before the call ends. There is no automated system, no call queue, and no voicemail.
On arrival, the driver assesses the vehicle. The hook-up method depends on the car and its condition. Most passenger cars in Ottawa are towed with a wheel-lift or flatbed depending on the drivetrain and the situation. All-wheel drive and four-wheel drive vehicles require a flatbed to avoid drivetrain damage. If you are unsure which method applies to your car, the driver will determine that on site and explain the reasoning before loading the vehicle.
We tow to any destination you choose in Ottawa. A specific mechanic, a dealership, your home, or a body shop. If you do not have a destination in mind, we can tow to the nearest appropriate garage for the issue. We do not have preferred shops we push customers toward. You decide where the car goes.
Do not attempt to tow a car with a tow strap or rope between two vehicles. This method is dangerous on Ottawa roads, illegal on Ontario highways, and causes serious damage to both vehicles if something goes wrong. Call us instead. We arrive fast and move the vehicle properly with the right equipment.
What to expect when you call for car towing in Ottawa
1
Call (613) 662-6262Tell us your location in Ottawa and describe the situation. Make and model of the car helps us bring the right truck. We dispatch immediately.
2
We confirm arrival timeYou get an estimated arrival window before the call ends. Most Ottawa locations are reached in under 30 minutes. Highway calls are prioritized.
3
Driver hooks up the vehicleOn arrival the driver assesses the car, confirms the tow destination with you, and hooks up using the right method for your vehicle. We check for personal belongings before loading.
4
Car is delivered to your chosen destinationWe deliver the vehicle to the garage, home, or location you specified. The driver confirms delivery with you before leaving. Payment is handled at drop-off.
Car Towing Coverage Across Ottawa
Gloucester Towing covers the full Ottawa area for car towing. Our fastest response times are in the east end of the city given our Ogilvie Road base. Gloucester, Vanier, Orleans, and St Laurent are typically reached in under 20 minutes. Centretown, Riverside South, South Keys, and Westboro are reached in under 30 minutes under normal traffic.
We also handle long distance towing from Ottawa when a car needs to go further than the city limits. If your destination is outside Ottawa, tell us when you call and we will give you a quote for the full trip. See our long distance towing page for details.
Frequently asked questions about car towing in Ottawa
Car towing rates in Ottawa depend on the distance from pickup to drop-off, the type of vehicle, and the tow method required. We give you a clear quote before the truck is dispatched. There are no hidden fees added at delivery. Call us with your location and destination and we quote the job on the spot.
Yes. All-wheel drive and four-wheel drive vehicles require a flatbed tow to avoid damage to the drivetrain and transfer case. Towing an AWD car on a wheel-lift with two wheels on the ground can cause serious mechanical damage. We use a flatbed for these vehicles. Tell us your car's drivetrain when you call so we bring the right truck.
In most cases yes. A flatbed tow does not require the vehicle to be in neutral or to roll under its own power, which means keys are not always needed. Some situations require the wheels to roll, in which case access to the interior is needed. Describe your situation when you call and the driver will confirm the right approach before arriving.
You decide where the car goes. We tow to any garage, dealership, body shop, or address in Ottawa that you choose. If you do not have a preferred destination, tell us the issue with the car and we can suggest the nearest appropriate type of shop. We do not steer customers toward specific businesses.
If you are on a road or highway, turn on your hazard lights immediately. If it is safe to do so, move the car as far off the travel lane as possible. Stay in the vehicle with your seatbelt on if you are on a highway shoulder. If you are in a parking lot or residential street, you can wait outside but stay away from traffic. We give you an arrival window when you call so you know exactly how long to wait.
Yes. We tow cars from driveways, underground parking garages, private lots, and other private property locations across Ottawa. Some underground parking garages have height restrictions that limit which truck we can bring in. Let us know the location details when you call so we can confirm the right equipment for your specific situation.
Need a Car Towed in Ottawa?
Gloucester Towing dispatches 24 hours a day. We come to you and take the car where you need it to go.
