Muddy Mishaps: How to Handle a Car Stuck In Mud

No matter how hard you try to avoid muddy roads and terrains, there will be instances when you really can’t. If your ride isn’t equipped with mud tires, the risk of getting stuck on the road increases significantly.

Although there are a lot of towing services you can call, it helps to know how to get your car unstuck by yourself.

What Not to Do When Your Car Gets Stuck In Mud

Here are the things you shouldn’t do in the event your vehicle gets stuck in mud:

Don’t Panic

Once you notice that you’re stuck, stay calm and assess your surroundings. Ask your passengers to exit the vehicle and find a safe spot where they can wait. This can significantly reduce the weight of your vehicle.

Don’t Hit the Gas Pedal Harder

Although it’s tempting to hit the gas pedal aggressively once you’re stuck, it might not help. If you continue to spin your wheel without traction, it will only cause your tires to go deeper into the mud. Revving your engine may also damage your car’s axles, driveline, and transmission.

What to Do to Get Your Car Out of the Mud

Now that you know what you shouldn’t do, let’s focus on how to get your car out of mud:

Assess the Severity of the Situation

Get out of the vehicle and assess how deep your wheels are buried. Check how many wheels are stuck in the mud.

Use the Rocking Method

If your car is not severely stuck, you can try to use the rocking method, where you just try to move your car back and forth to gain momentum.

If you’re driving an automatic, set it to the lowest gear. For manual transmissions, set it to the second or third gear.

After moving to the right gear, try accelerating forward. After that, put the car in reverse and drive backward. Keep on doing this until your vehicle gains momentum.

Turn Your Wheels from Left to Right Continuously

If your car is still stuck, you can try to turn your wheels from left to right to give your tires some room to maneuver. If you happen to have a shovel (or any tool that can be used for digging), try to dig around your tires to remove the mud. By doing this, you’ll help your tires gain momentum.

Try to Gain Traction

The key to getting out of this situation is gaining enough traction. But how do you do that? Luckily, you’re only going to need a jack and your vehicle’s floor mats.

Lift your tires slightly using a jack, and place a floor mat under the wheels. You can also place a floor mat in front of the wheels.

The exact placement of your floor mats will depend on what drivetrain your ride uses. For example, in a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, the floor mat should be placed under the rear passenger side wheel. Meanwhile, you should put the floor mat on the front driver’s side wheel if you own a front-wheel-drive vehicle.

If you don’t have floor mats, you can use jackets, blankets, or anything similar. After placing the items where they should be, try to accelerate your vehicle forward slowly.

Put Extra Weight On the Drive Wheels

Try to put extra weight on your drive wheel if you’re carrying heavy cargo on your trip.

Place the heavy object near the back seat or trunk if you own a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. For front-wheel-drive vehicles, try to position the object near the passenger seat or footwell. The extra weight will push down the tires, increasing grip and traction.

Decrease Tire Pressure

If your car is still stuck at this point, you can try to decrease tire pressure. This will increase your tire’s contact area with the mud so you can gain more traction when trying to accelerate.

Do this only if you have no other choice. Also, make sure that you have a compressor or a tire pump. You’ll have to inflate your tires again to the right pressure afterward.

Contact Roadside Assistance

If none of the tricks above worked, it’s time to ask for help. Don’t think twice about calling roadside assistance. Towing companies usually offer their services to help you get out of mud, snow, sand, or anything similar.

How to Drive In Mud

If you find yourself on a muddy terrain, and you still have the choice to go back and find another route, don’t hesitate to do so.

You can look for recent tire tracks. If you can see tread imprints of boots or tires, it will give you a clue that it’ll be easy to maneuver your car. However, if you think the mud is too thick or gooey, it’s best to just turn around.

If you choose to push through, try to drive slowly and at a steady pace. It’s also best to drive in a straight line to avoid creating ruts.

As much as possible, try to avoid stepping on the brakes too much, as this can create ruts in front of your tires. This can make it difficult for you to get out of the mud.

What to Do Once You’ve Survived Your Muddy Mishap

Once your car is out of the mud, don’t forget to inspect your vehicle for any signs of damage. Drive slowly to get rid of excess mud. This will prevent mud from splattering on other vehicles. Lastly, have your vehicle professionally cleaned as soon as possible.

Should I Get Mud Tires?

The answer will depend on the driving conditions in your area. How often do you really drive through muddy terrain? It’s important to note that mud tires may be good in off-road conditions, but they won’t exactly provide you with the same level of comfort and performance on regular roads.

You can check out our important pointers for choosing a set of tires to help you decide.