If your car gets stuck in sand, mud or snow
If a car gets stuck in sand, mud or snow, rocking it can often free it. Alternately engage first and reverse gear in a manual transmission or move the automatic transmission selector lever from the "sport mode" position to the R position and back, lightly pressing the accelerator pedal. Avoid excessive engine speed and wheel spin. Prolonged and incorrect attempts to free a stuck vehicle can lead to overheating and failure of the gearbox. Between attempts to rock the car, allow the transmission to cool by leaving the engine idling.
If after several attempts you are unable to free the car, look for another way.
Caution: When trying to rock a stuck vehicle, make sure there are no people or objects around the vehicle. When rocking, the vehicle may suddenly move forward or backward, which may result in injury to people and damage to objects.
On a flooded road
Avoid driving on flooded roads. Water may get on the brake discs, causing temporary loss of braking performance. In such cases, lightly press the brake pedal to check the effectiveness of the brakes. If the brake pedal is not effective enough while driving, press the brake pedal several times to dry the brake pads.
When driving in the rain or on a road covered with puddles, a layer of water may form between the tires and the road surface. At the same time, the tire's grip on the road decreases, which leads to poor handling and reduced braking efficiency.
To maintain control, follow these rules:
- Drive at low speed.
- Do not use tires with worn tread. Maintain the recommended air pressure in your tires.
On a snowy or icy road
When driving on snowy and icy roads, it is recommended to use winter tires or snow chains.
Avoid driving at high speed, sudden acceleration and braking, and sharp turns.
When braking on such a road, the wheels may skid and the car may start to skid. When the tire's grip on the road decreases, the wheels may begin to skid, making it difficult to stop the car using normal braking techniques. Braking is done differently depending on whether the vehicle has an anti-lock braking system (ABS). If the vehicle has ABS, you should press the brake pedal firmly and hold it down. If the vehicle is not equipped with ABS, brake by quickly pressing the brake pedal intermittently; to achieve greater effect, press and release the pedal completely.
Keep a greater distance from the vehicle in front and avoid sudden braking.