Getting trapped in snow - whether you've gone off the road or parked during a heavy snowfall - can be very frustrating. The next time you find yourself frozen in, follow these tips.
Steps
Step 1. Check that the muffler exhaust is clear before starting the engine
If it is covered in snow, free it to prevent exhaust gas from entering the passenger compartment.
Step 2. Remove the snow and ice
Break the ice that surrounds the tires. Of course, if you have a shovel, you can use it to clear snow, but let's assume you don't have one available, otherwise what would you need to read these instructions? If you don't have a shovel, you just have to improvise. A trowel or camping shovel are useful and inexpensive tools that can be kept in the car and work as a shovel when needed - if you buy a plastic one you won't run the risk of it rusting. Use a screwdriver or other pointed object to break the ice that has formed under the tread, a rougher surface ensures better traction to the wheels. Also remove the snow in the direction in which the vehicle will move, until it is leveled below the height of the vehicle. Also, remove any snow that has accumulated and compacted, which can stop the wheels and cause them to skid.
Step 3. Fit snow chains, or deposit items that provide traction to the wheels, such as metal panels, in front of the vehicle (although you may not be stuck if you had these items available)
Step 4. On vehicles that do not have special devices for distributing traction between the wheels, the differential applies equal force to the wheels providing traction (either front or rear, depending on the model), but these do not necessarily have to turn at the same speed., to prevent the tires from ruining when cornering
This means that if one wheel slips, the other, which perhaps has a better grip, does not receive force from the transmission. You need to get equal traction on both driving wheels.
Step 5. Use the brakes
Usually, one wheel turns more than the other because it encounters no resistance. Pressing gently on the brakes can decrease slip and give more traction to the wheel that has grip. Braking while accelerating can overheat the brakes and make them less effective until they have cooled down. If you can't get free, try other ways.
Step 6. Use the car mats as a last resort
Arrange them in front of the wheels that provide traction. Be aware that the mats will likely be destroyed. You can also get some weeds or twigs and place them in front of the vehicle, but be careful to accelerate moderately and to move any other people nearby, in fact it is easy for objects placed in front of the wheels to be thrown forcefully upon departure. If that doesn't work either, try one or both of the following tips.
Step 7. Sprinkle salt or gravel (such as cat litter) in front of the wheels
The salt promotes the melting of the ice that forms when you melt the snow by spinning the wheels, which is probably the main reason you get stuck. Coarse salt is preferable, but fine salt also serves the purpose. Gravel or cat litter helps the wheels have better traction. If you have antifreeze liquid, you can use it to melt snow or ice, with the caution not to leave puddles of antifreeze liquid in residential areas, where it can be drunk by pets with lethal consequences.
Step 8. Straighten the steering
Turn the steering wheel until the wheels line up forwards. The straight wheels guarantee the best chance of freeing the car that got stuck in the ice.
Step 9. Use a low gear to break free
Gently accelerate until the wheels slip, then roll back until the wheels slip again, and continue doing this back and forth motion until you have enough room to roll again.
Step 10. Let some air out of the tires
The wheels may have a better grip if the tires are a little flat. Stop immediately if the tires appear visibly deflated and especially if you have no way to re-inflate them on the spot.
Step 11. Drive the car forward and back
By rapidly switching from forward to opposite movement, you will create more space. This maneuver should be used as a last resort, as it can easily ruin the transmission.
Step 12. Try to take advantage of front-wheel drive
If your car has front-wheel drive, and the wheels are spinning, try turning the steering wheel so the wheels can get better grip. Accelerate in moderation otherwise you will be stuck again.
Advice
- If you have bleach on hand, pour some on the tires that give traction, get into the vehicle and drive away. The bleach makes the rubber softer and therefore improves the grip of the tires. The effect is temporary, so don't waste time starting the engine and trying to restart.
- Always keep some items close at hand (in the trunk) that could be useful in winter, such as a small shovel, gravel, salt, chains. One or more of these items can be of great help and greatly reduce the time and effort it takes to clear a snow-stuck car. A blanket and food are useful supplies in cases where the wait becomes longer.
- If you are driving through an area where winter is severe (as opposed to, for example, areas where it can snow occasionally), consider fitting snow tires in the colder months. Generic tires do not cope well with snow (or even mud).
- If you can free yourself as you go forward, continue at a steady speed, and head to a spot that is clearer of snow, where you can safely stop. If you free yourself while driving backwards, continue for a few meters and then release the accelerator so that the snow stops the vehicle. It then accelerates forward, following the tracks you just left, and gaining enough speed to pass where you originally stopped.
- Collect twigs or rocks to tuck under the wheels to improve grip on the ground.
- When you are free, check that there is no accumulation of snow in front of the radiator air intake. If there are any, clear the grill to prevent the engine from overheating.
- After you free yourself, you may notice a vibration or wobble in the steering as you increase your speed. This is usually due to snow having lodged in the tires and causing an imbalance. You should stop in a safe place and remove snow from the wheels by hand.
- Know what kind of car you are driving. An easy way to figure out what the driving wheels are is by looking at how the engine is mounted under the hood. If you look from the front, and the engine takes up all the space transversely, your vehicle is likely to have front-wheel drive. On the other hand, if the engine seems to divide the compartment in which it is mounted in two, it is likely that your vehicle has rear-wheel drive. Keep in mind that some SUVs and trucks may have four-wheel drive.
Warnings
- Spinning the wheels at high speed can cause the tires to overheat and damage them, as well as causing a deeper hole in the ice.
- Moving the machine back and forth several times can damage the transmission. If you can't get the car free in just a few tries and without straining the engine, call a tow truck. The cost of an emergency response policy is many times less than the cost of replacing the transmission.
- If you happen to get stuck on the edge of a busy road, don't get out of your car, as you risk being hit by other vehicles.
