18 Essentials You Need in a Car Emergency Kit (2024)

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Check Your Air Pressure Jump-Start Your Car … With Another Car Or Jump-Start Your Car With This Clean Your Hands WIRED COUPONS References

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Matt Jancer

Gear

Life is a highway. Ride it all night long with these essentials for daily commutes and road trips.

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Featured in this article

18 Essentials You Need in a Car Emergency Kit (3)

Check Your Air Pressure

Milton S-921 Pencil Tire Gauge

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18 Essentials You Need in a Car Emergency Kit (4)

Jump-Start Your Car … With Another Car

Husky 20 ft. 4-ga Jumper Cables

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18 Essentials You Need in a Car Emergency Kit (5)

Or Jump-Start Your Car With This

Noco Boost Plus GB40 Jump Starter

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18 Essentials You Need in a Car Emergency Kit (6)

Clean Your Hands

Fast Orange Textured Hand Wipes

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The tire announces the end of its existence with a dreaded pop. Or you glance steam escaping over the hood. Or you turn the ignition key far from home and nothing happens. A breakdown doesn't have to mean the end of the world. Whether it's a minor repair you can fix yourself on the side of the road, or you just need to call for help and hang tight until it arrives, keep these WIRED-tested items handy in your trunk and you'll be back on the road in no time. Everything here can be used by anyone, but it doesn't hurt to open the car's manual or look up a how-to on YouTube.

Be sure to check out our many other guides, including the Essential Home Tool Kit and the Best Emergency Gear to Keep at Home.

Updated May 2023: We’ve added new picks, such as the Anker USB-C phone charging cable, Fast Orange textured hand wipes, Element fire extinguisher, and updated pricing and availability throughout.

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Matt Jancer is a staff writer for WIRED who focuses on reviewing outdoor gear. Previously, he spent a decade as a freelance writer covering automobiles, motorcycles, and lifestyle stories for magazines. Some of his longest gigs were at Car and Driver, Outside, Esquire, Playboy, and Popular Mechanics.

Writer and Reviewer

    Topicsbuying guidesShoppingemergency

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    18 Essentials You Need in a Car Emergency Kit (2024)

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