Search by Title only
Home > Driving your vehicle > Special driving conditions > Rocking the vehicle

Rocking the vehicle

If it is necessary to rock the vehicle to free it from snow, sand, or mud, first turn the steering wheel right and left to clear the area around your front wheels. Then, shift back and forth between 1st (First) and R (Reverse) in vehicles equipped with a manual transmission or R (Reverse) and any forward gear in vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission. Do not race the engine, and spin the wheels as little as possible. If you are still stuck after a few tries, have the vehicle pulled out by a tow vehicle to avoid engine overheating and possible damage to the transmission.

CAUTION

Prolonged rocking may cause engine over-heating, transmission damage or failure, and tyre damage.

WARNING

Spinning tyres

Do not spin the wheels, especially at speeds more than 56 km/h (35 mph). Spinning the wheels at high speeds when the vehicle is stationary could cause a tyre to overheat which could result in tyre damage that may injure bystanders.

NOTICE

The ESC system (if equipped) should be turned OFF prior to rocking the vehicle.

WARNING

If your vehicle becomes stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc., then you may attempt to rock the vehicle free by moving it forward and backward. Do not attempt this procedure if people or objects are anywhere near the vehicle. During the rocking operation the vehicle may suddenly move forward of backward as it becomes unstuck, causing injury or damage to nearby people or objects.