Whether you live in the Snow Belt or will be hitting the road to colder climates for the holidays, there's a chance your car could become stuck in the snow. Here's what to do when the elements take hold - literally - of your vehicle.
First, avoid spinning the tires - you'll only dig the car into a deeper rut. Switch off the vehicle's traction control, which cuts the power to the wheels when there's zero traction. Shift into the lowest gear and slowly creep ahead as far as possible - perhaps only an inch or two - then engage the brakes, put the car into reverse and repeat the process back and forth to gradually get unstuck.
If this doesn't work, wedge your vehicle's floor mats under the tires for just enough traction to get going. Astute drivers carry flattened cardboard boxes or a bag of sand for this purpose. If there's nothing else handy, try using tree branches. If you can't get free after several minutes, call a tow truck to avoid damaging your car's transmission and other components. -
