Rocking the Stuck Vehicle Back and Forth

If the vehicle is stuck in snow, mud or other soft ground, perform the following steps.

1. Turn the steering wheel fully to the right, then fully to the left.

This will clear the ruts near the front wheels.

2. Shift alternately from reverse to forward gear.

3. Try to keep wheel spin to a minimum.

4. Release the accelerator pedal while shifting gears.

5. When a gear is engaged, lightly depress the accelerator pedal.

If the above actions do not free the vehicle, it may be necessary to tow it. Refer to the "TOWING THE VEHICLE" section earlier in this chapter.

When rocking the vehicle back and forth to free it:

• Make sure there are no people, buildings or other objects near the vehicle.

When rocking, the vehicle may suddenly move, which may cause damage to nearby objects or injury to people nearby.

When trying to free the vehicle by rocking it back and forth, observe certain precautions to avoid damage to the transmission or other vehicle components.

• Do not depress the accelerator pedal while shifting gears or before the required gear is fully engaged.
• Do not run the engine at high speed and do not spin the wheels.
• If the vehicle cannot be freed on its own, it may be necessary to tow it.