How to Get Car Out of Mud – Follow These 7 Steps
June 24th, 2020 by Fix Auto USA
Ever had your car stuck in the mud? Let’s just say, it’s not fun. How to get unstuck from mud is part art, part science, and it’s all about your vehicle’s ability to gain traction. If it ever happens to you, here are 7 steps on how to get car out of mud:
1. Get out of the car
If you have passengers in your car, everyone should get out of the vehicle, thereby reducing the amount of weight. This might at least stop your car from sinking deeper into the mud.
Be calm, assess the situation, and decide on a strategy to get the car out of the mud. Try to determine how deeply embedded your wheels are in the mud. Is it just one, or are more wheels stuck? If it doesn’t appear to be a difficult situation, you might be lucky and get out quickly.
2. Time to get dirty!
Get on your knees and try to scoop the mud from the area directly in front of your tires; if you have a shovel, even better. The idea is to make the mud rut less steep so your car can climb out.
3. Best case scenario approach
Turn your steering wheel to make sure your front wheels are pointing straight. Slowly press down on the accelerator, using the weight of the vehicle to get some traction. If your car is an automatic, put it into its lowest gear; if it’s a stick shift, use 2nd or 3rd gear and release the clutch.
4. Whatever you do, don’t spin your wheels
If that doesn’t work, your instinct might be to press your foot down hard on the accelerator. Avoid doing that all costs as that would make the matter worse. Not only will spinning your wheels not help you get out of the mud, but it could force your rapidly spinning wheels to lose traction and slide even deeper into the mud.
There’s another benefit of not spinning your wheels – you can avoid having mud splatter all over your car.
5. Try to get traction
It may be that your wheels and axles are buried too far into the mud. Assuming you have a jack, use it to lift the tires just a little bit, enough to slide a foot mat or piece of cardboard under and in front of the wheels. The top edge of the mat should be placed directly under the stuck tire, with the rest of it in front of the tire.
If you don’t have either of those items, check for a blanket in the back of your car, use your jacket, or find a stick or piece of wood in the surrounding area. Your goal is to find something to create traction so your car can pull forward out and over the muddy puddle. It may sound a bit odd, but this is how to get truck out of mud, or any vehicle for that matter.
Now, get back in the car, and try to gradually and slowly accelerate. If that works, don’t forget about your mat before driving away!
6. Release a little air from your tires
If that didn’t work, try step #5 again, but this time, let out a little air from your tires first. That should have the effect of increasing the surface area of your tires.
Then dig out an area around the tires and place the floor mat.
Get back into your car and push gently on the accelerator until you get traction and are able to move forward.
Don’t forget to re-inflate your tires before you get back on the road.
7. Tow Strap
If our tips on how to get unstuck from mud didn’t do the job, a tow strap will save the day. Do you know how to pull a car with a tow strap?
If you are an off-road enthusiast, you probably do. If you’re not, it is an excellent skill to learn, and in the event you get your car stuck in the mud, it could save you time and money. Learning how to pull a car with a tow strap is not that difficult, as long as you have a tow strap, a second vehicle, and a driver who is willing to help pull you out.
Tow straps are made up of long strands of strong nylon with hooks hard-sewn into each end. Because they are small and lightweight (even with the hooks), they should be part of your vehicle’s emergency kit.
First, attach the hook to the rear of the towing vehicle, either to a mount on the rear bumper or to a trailer hitch.
Ensure that the hook is securely attached to the mount before proceeding.
Next, attach the other end of the strap to your car’s tow hook. Confirm that you have both ends hooked correctly and that there’s a driver in both vehicles. Put your car, the one being towed, in drive or first gear, with the parking brake off.
The individual driving the towing vehicle should take baby steps forward to ensure the tow strap is fully tightened. At that point, you’re ready to go.
Essentially, that’s how to pull a car with a tow strap. Once you have been freed, drive cautiously and give your tires a chance to rid themselves of the excess mud before reaching full speed. Next, take your car to get cleaned and be sure to have your brakes inspected.
Now that you know how to get truck out of mud, be sure to share these tips with your friends and family.
This blog post was contributed by Fix Auto Post Falls a leading industry expert and collision repair shop servicing the Kootenai County as well as neighborhoods between Coeur d’Alene and Spokane, Washington.
