How do you get a car out of the mud?

Answer 1

There are multiple methods to get a car out of the mud. The important thing to remember is that the tires need traction in order to move out of where it is stuck. If the ground is very soft, spinning the tires will do nothing more than dig your vehicle down deeper into the mud.

*Always be aware of people around the vehicle, particularly those helping. A stuck vehicle is difficult to control because it does not have traction and helpers and bystanders can easily be injured.

Professional Wrecker Service

If your vehicle is in a dangerous location or if you carry a roadside assistance policy (such as AAA), call for a tow truck to pull your vehicle out of the mud.

Provide Traction

Kitty litter

In many situations, kitty litter will be all you need to get enough traction. Do not use clumping litter. The cheap non-clumping litter is your friend. Simply place kitty litter on the ground at, in front of, and behind the tires that turn (rear tires unless you have a front wheel drive - the tires that are spinning in the mud are the ones you want to give traction). Do not gun the engine; too much speed does not allow the tires to grip the litter. It may be necessary to rock the vehicle by shifting from drive to reverse quickly several times. If somebody is helping by pushing, rocking will be dangerous. Only try one direction so that you do not accidentally run over the person pushing.

Branches, gravel

If you do not have any kitty litter on hand, use gravel or tree branches and twigs instead. Try to shove some of these under the tire or they will simply slip out of the way when the tire spins. It may be necessary to dig some mud away from the tires before placing these items on the ground in order to give the vehicle adequate traction.

Traction products

There are products made for providing traction to stuck vehicles. My personal favorite is called Portable Tow Truck. There is another one called Tow Truck in a Box that is a bit more expensive (each box comes with materials for only one tire, whereas the Portable Tow Truck comes with traction mats for two tires), but is also effective. I highly recommend that anybody who travels through snowy or muddy locations keep one of these products and a small shovel in their car or truck. Check your local auto parts stores or hardware stores for these. Some Walmart stores carry them, as well, and you can always purchase them online from various dealers.

Hoist it Out

If you have a 4x4 or tractor or know somebody who has either, attach a tow chain to both vehicles and use that vehicle to drag the stuck vehicle out. This method is not recommended as it causes a great deal of stress on the vehicles, can cause damage, or can easily result in an accident or both vehicles being stuck.