If The Vehicle Is Stuck - GMC CHEVROLET Silverado 1500 2021 Owner's Manual

Warning (Continued)
Fully open the air outlets on or under
the instrument panel.
Adjust the climate control system to
circulate the air inside the vehicle and
set the fan speed to the highest
setting. See Climate Control Systems.
For more information about CO, see
Engine Exhaust 0 237.
To save fuel, run the engine for short
periods to warm the vehicle and then shut
the engine off and partially close the
window. Moving about to keep warm also
helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive, when
running the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs faster than
the idle speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to signal
for help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible, to save fuel.

If the Vehicle Is Stuck

Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to
free the vehicle when stuck in sand, mud,
ice, or snow. See Rocking the Vehicle to Get
It Out later in this section.
The Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control can often help to free a stuck
vehicle. See Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0 248. If TC/ESC cannot free
the vehicle, see Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out following.
Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high speed,
they can explode, and you or others
could be injured. The vehicle can
overheat, causing an engine compartment
fire or other damage. Spin the wheels as
little as possible and avoid going above
56 km/h (35 mph).
For information about using tire chains on
the vehicle, see Tire Chains 0 379.
Rocking the Vehicle to Get It Out
Caution
Do not hold the steering wheel at full
rotation for more than 15 seconds and/or
at an elevated RPM. Damage may occur
to the power steering system and there
may be loss of power steering assist.
Driving and Operating
Turn the steering wheel left and right to
clear the area around the front wheels. Then
make sure the wheels are pointed straight
ahead. For four-wheel-drive vehicles, shift
into Four-Wheel Drive High. Turn the TCS
off. Shift back and forth between R (Reverse)
and a forward gear, spinning the wheels as
little as possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop spinning
before shifting gears. Slowly spinning the
wheels in the forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could free the
vehicle. If that does not get the vehicle out
after a few tries, it might need to be towed
out. See Towing the Vehicle 0 394. Recovery
hooks can be used, if the vehicle has them.
Recovery Hooks
Warning
Never pull on recovery hooks from the
side. The hooks could break and you and
others could be injured. When using
recovery hooks, always pull the vehicle
from the front.
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