Station and town-centre car parks
Commuters who park near Reading station or in the Oracle and Broad Street Mall car parks often come back late to a car that will not turn over. Tell us the car park, level and bay number and we will meet you there.
Our home base · open 24/7
Jump Start in Reading: 24/7 Mobile Car Jump Start
Reading is where FastBreakdown is based. If your car will not start on a driveway in Caversham, a side street off the Oxford Road or a multi-storey in the town centre, call us and a technician will come out with a professional jump pack.
- Available 24/7
- Price confirmed before work starts
- No membership needed
Flat battery in Reading? Here is how we help
Our base at Emmanuel House on Kendrick Road (RG1 5DN) sits a short drive from the town centre, which makes Reading the area we know best. We know the IDR, the A33 relief road and the residential streets either side of the Thames, so when you tell us "the car park behind the station" or "the big Tesco at Calcot", we can usually picture where you are.
A car that will not start in Reading is most often a simple flat battery: a car that sat in the cold overnight, an interior light left on, or a battery worn down by short school runs. A jump start sorts most of these in one visit. When the battery is clearly at the end of its life, we tell you straight away rather than leaving you to find out at the next set of traffic lights.
Where cars let people down
Common no-start situations in Reading
Business parks off the M4
Green Park and Thames Valley Park are full of cars that sit untouched from morning to evening. If yours clicks but will not start at the end of a shift, we can come to the staff car park rather than you waiting for a colleague with jump leads.
Terraced streets with tight parking
In Newtown, Katesgrove and the roads off the Oxford Road, cars are parked nose to tail and a second car cannot get alongside for jump leads. Our jump packs connect straight to your battery, so we only need access to your bonnet.
Cold mornings and short trips
A battery that only ever does short runs between Tilehurst, Earley or Caversham rarely gets fully recharged. On the first properly cold morning of winter, it gives up. We restart the car and test the battery so you know whether it will last.
Stop-start, hybrid and electric cars
Cars with stop-start use AGM or EFB batteries that behave differently when they fail, and hybrids and EVs still rely on a small 12V battery to switch on. Where the manufacturer allows it, we boost the 12V battery through the correct jump points.
Services
What we do in Reading
Jump Start
Our main job in Reading. We restart cars, vans and light commercial vehicles at homes, workplaces, car parks and safe roadside spots, then check the battery and charging voltage before we leave.
More about jump start serviceBattery Replacement
If the battery will not hold a charge, we explain the options and, where we have a suitable battery for your vehicle, fit it on the spot so you are not booking a garage visit across town.
More about car battery replacementBreakdown Recovery
If the car still will not run after a restart, or the fault is not the battery, we can arrange recovery to a Reading garage, your home or another address you choose.
More about breakdown recoveryRoadside Assistance
Not sure what is wrong? Describe what the car is doing, any warning lights and any noises, and we will tell you honestly whether it sounds like a battery problem, something we can help with, or a job for recovery.
More about roadside assistanceHow it works
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01
Call us
Tell us where you are, the vehicle and what happens when you try to start it.
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02
Price and arrival estimate
We confirm the price and give you a realistic arrival estimate before anyone sets off.
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03
Safe restart
The technician connects a professional jump pack to the correct points and starts the engine.
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04
Battery check
We test the battery and charging voltage and tell you whether it needs replacing.
Coverage
Areas and postcodes we cover in Reading
From Kendrick Road we cover the whole of Reading and the neighbourhoods that run into it: Caversham and Emmer Green north of the river, Earley, Lower Earley and Woodley to the east, Whitley and Shinfield to the south, and Southcote, Tilehurst, Calcot and Purley on Thames to the west.
We also regularly drive the main routes in and out of town, including M4 junctions 10, 11 and 12, the A33 past Reading Gate and Green Park, and the A4 Bath Road and London Road. If you are just outside these areas, call with your postcode and we will tell you honestly whether we can reach you.
Postcode areas
- RG1
- Town centre, Katesgrove, Redlands, Newtown, Coley
- RG2
- Whitley, Shinfield, Spencers Wood, Three Mile Cross
- RG4
- Caversham, Emmer Green
- RG5
- Woodley
- RG6
- Earley, Lower Earley
- RG30
- Southcote, West Reading, parts of Tilehurst
- RG31
- Tilehurst, Calcot, Purley on Thames
Main roads
- M4 junctions 10, 11 and 12
- A33 relief road
- A329 Oxford Road and IDR
- A4 Bath Road and London Road
- A327 Shinfield Road
- Caversham and Reading bridges
No surprises
Price and arrival in Reading
The price depends on where you are, the time of day and your vehicle. We tell you the price on the phone and confirm it before any work starts.
Because Reading is our base, it is usually the area we can reach soonest, but we will not promise a time we cannot keep. Traffic on the IDR and A33 at rush hour, your exact location and how many calls we already have all make a difference, so we give you a realistic arrival estimate on the phone before anyone sets off.
Call Now +44 7480 800352Common questions
Jump start in Reading: questions
Answers for drivers who need help in and around Reading.
01 Do you cover Caversham, Woodley and Tilehurst as well as central Reading?
Yes. Caversham (RG4), Woodley (RG5), Earley (RG6) and Tilehurst and Calcot (RG30 and RG31) are all part of our everyday Reading area, along with the town centre and Whitley. Give us your postcode when you call so we can find you quickly.
02 Can you jump start a car inside a multi-storey car park in Reading?
Usually, yes. Tell us the car park, the level and your bay. Some town-centre car parks have low height barriers, so if our van cannot get in, the technician can carry a portable jump pack to your car where it is safe to do so.
03 I have broken down on the M4 near Reading. What should I do?
Put your safety first. Leave the car by the passenger side, stand behind the barrier and call 999 if you are in a live lane or feel unsafe. Once you are safe, call us with the junction number or the nearest marker post and we will tell you whether we can attend or arrange recovery.
04 How much does a jump start in Reading cost?
It depends on the time of day, where you are and the vehicle, so we do not publish a single fixed price. We tell you the price on the phone and confirm it before any work starts, so there are no surprises when the technician arrives.
05 My car started after the jump. Do I need a new battery?
Not always. A battery drained by a light left on often recovers after a good drive. If it is several years old, struggled on a mild day or has needed jump starts before, it is probably failing. We test it after the restart and give you a straight answer.
Still unsure? Call and we will talk you through it.
Call Now · +44 7480 800352Related services
Available right now
Need a Jump Start Now?
Flat battery or a car that will not start? Call FastBreakdown for a 24/7 mobile jump start, battery replacement or recovery.
- 24/7 jump start
- Price before work starts
- No membership needed
24/7 line
+44 7480 800352We confirm the price and give you an arrival estimate before anyone sets off.