A flat tyre on a Greek island, a minor collision, a lost key, the wrong fuel or even an animal suddenly running into the road — rental car problems can happen when you least expect them. If something goes wrong while driving in Greece, don’t panic. Here is what tourists should do in 10 common rental car emergencies, who to call and which mistakes to avoid.
1You End Up on a Road That Is Too Narrow, Steep or Remote
This may not sound like an emergency — until Google Maps sends you down a tiny village lane in a rental car.
Greece has thousands of narrow village roads, mountain routes and tracks leading towards beaches. A navigation app may recognise them as roads without understanding whether they are comfortable for an unfamiliar driver.
If the road ahead looks unsafe, extremely narrow, badly surfaced or too steep, do not continue simply because Google Maps tells you to.
Stop somewhere safe, check an alternative route and return to a larger road if necessary.
If you become stuck, do not repeatedly spin the wheels or attempt risky manoeuvres close to a cliff, wall or ditch. Call the rental company’s roadside assistance.
Before exploring unfamiliar parts of Greece, download the surrounding area in Google Maps for offline use. Mobile reception can become weaker in mountainous and remote locations.
I also recommend keeping a car charger or power bank with you, because GPS navigation still uses battery even when the map itself is available offline.
Whenever possible, explore unfamiliar rural and mountain roads during daylight. Small roads in Greece may have very limited lighting after dark.
And before leaving the rental office, take a slow video around the entire vehicle, photograph existing damage, save the rental company’s emergency number and check what safety equipment, spare tyre or puncture kit is provided.
One final rule: when something goes wrong with a rental car in Greece, do not improvise repairs or try to hide the problem. Get yourself somewhere safe, document what happened and contact the rental company. For a genuine emergency involving injury or immediate danger, call 112.
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