Do you have to pay off your vehicle to get it out of impound?

My friends truck was repossessed because he was 3 payments behind. He came up with the money to catch up on his payments so he wouldn't be behind anymore. When he called the repo. company they told him he had to pay the truck off which would be 3,000 dollars. How can they make u pay the truck off if you don't have that kind of money? Is there any way to catch up on the 3 payments and pay the fines and get the truck out?