Mechanical issues happen. The basics are the same every time: stop somewhere safe, decide whether it's safe to continue, document with photos, and message us. The rest depends on what broke.
First: is it safe to continue?
If anything affects braking, hitching, or visibility, don't continue. Pull over the next safe opportunity. Specifically don't continue if:
A safety chain breaks or detaches
The coupler shows visible damage
The trailer's brakes stop working (loss of resistance from the brake controller)
A tire is flat, shredding, or showing belt
The structure (frame, axles, walls, gate) shows visible damage from contact, overload, or accident
If lights are out but everything else is OK, continue if it's safe to do so during daylight only — and message us so we can route you to the fix.
Document with photos
Before you do anything else, take photos:
A wide shot of the trailer in context (where it is, what's around it)
Close-ups of what broke or appears damaged
The road, weather, and lighting conditions
These photos protect you if there's a question later about cause, location, or condition.
Contact us
Chat (fastest): midtntrailerrentals.com or help.midtntrailerrentals.com
Phone for urgent issues (broken brake, blown tire, anything safety-critical): (615) 850-3751
Email for non-urgent: [email protected]
Tell us your booking number, where you are, what broke, and whether you're stopped or still moving.
Common scenarios
A trailer light is out
Usually a bulb (LED or otherwise) or a connector issue. If you're in daylight and other lights work, you can usually continue safely to a stopping point — but message us so we can route you to a quick fix or arrange a swap if needed.
Brake issue or hitch issue
Stop now. The trailer's brakes and hitch are safety-critical. Pull over at the next safe opportunity, don't tow further, and call us. We'll come to you with a repair, a tow, or a swap depending on the situation.
Tire blowout
Pull over safely (off the road, away from traffic). Don't try to drive on a flat or shredded trailer tire — it damages the axle and the wheel. Call us. We'll arrange roadside service or tow, depending on where you are.
The trailer has 16-ply Load Range H tires with a significant safety margin, so blowouts are rare — but they can happen on poor roads or after running over road debris.
Structural damage
If the trailer's frame, axles, walls, or gate are visibly damaged (from an accident, overload, or contact with something), stop. Take photos. Call us. Don't try to keep using the trailer with structural damage — it can fail unpredictably and damage more.
If the damage occurred in an accident, also see the if you have an accident article.
Compensation for downtime
If the trailer fails through no fault of yours (manufacturer defect, wear that should have been caught at inspection, etc.), we'll work out a fair adjustment — usually a prorated refund or extended rental window. We don't charge you for time the trailer wasn't usable due to our maintenance issues.
If the failure was caused by use outside the Rental Agreement (overloading, prohibited materials, off-road use, etc.), repair charges apply per the standard damage process — see the how damage charges work article.
The dividing line is whether the trailer broke because of use or because of condition. We'll be honest about which it looks like.