What to Do When a Wheel Falls into a Ditch?
4 Answers
You can use the jack in the trunk and find a thick, flat wooden board nearby to place under the wheel that has fallen into the ditch. Then, slowly drive the car to move the wheel out of the ditch. Use professional equipment to tow the vehicle out. This situation usually occurs when the car falls into a relatively severe ditch. For safety reasons and to minimize losses.
First, park the car steadily and don't move around. Engage the handbrake and shift to P mode, safety first. Find tools from the trunk, use a jack to lift the suspended wheel, and place stones or wooden boards under the wheel to increase friction. Push the car body together with a few people, and try gently accelerating to see if you can drive out. If there are sidewall scratches on the tire or the wheel hub is deformed, you must go to the repair shop immediately. When driving on narrow roads, be careful to keep the tires at least half a meter away from the curb to avoid falling into the ditch. At night, turn on the hazard lights and place a warning triangle 50 meters behind the car to alert other vehicles.
Get out of the car and check the surroundings to ensure safety. If the wheels aren't stuck too deep, try placing bricks, branches, or similar items in the ditch before reversing. Remember to place the jack at the designated support points on the chassis, as lifting from the wrong spot can damage the vehicle. Once the tire is off the ground, you can use a thick stick wedged in the wheel hub as a pivot point to pry it. If you can't get it out, call for rescue instead of forcing it and damaging the suspension system. Don't forget to turn off the electronic stability program, otherwise, the power output will be limited, making it harder to get out of the situation.
Turn on the hazard lights immediately and have all rear passengers exit the vehicle. When using the jack, choose a hard and level surface, and place a wooden board under the car to distribute the pressure. After freeing the tire, drive slowly for a while and listen for any unusual noises from the chassis. Last time I got stuck in a ditch, I found the steering rod was bent and had to spend 800 yuan to fix it. New drivers should slow down on narrow roads and focus on the distant lane markings to avoid veering off. Always keep gloves in the car to keep your hands clean when pushing the vehicle.
