Winch-outs
Winch-Out Service When You're Stuck in Snow, Mud or a Ditch
Wheels spinning and going nowhere? Stop spinning. Call, and a local partner pulls your car back onto solid ground with a winch.
Do this first
Stop Spinning Your Wheels
Flooring it feels like it should work. It usually digs you in deeper. It can also overheat parts of your car and polish snow into ice.
- Ease off the gas. One or two gentle tries is fine. After that, stop.
- Check your tailpipe in snow. If snow blocks the exhaust and you run the engine for heat, fumes can build up inside the car. Clear it, or turn the engine off.
- Stay in the car if you're in a ditch next to a busy road, unless you can get well away from traffic.
- Call 911 first if anyone is hurt or the car rolled.
What we can't winch
- Cars deep off-road, on trails or far into a field
- Cars on their side or roof
- Cars in water
- Heavy trucks, RVs and loaded trailers
Those need a heavy recovery company. If we can't help, we'll tell you right away.
Help your driver find you
What to Tell Us on the Call
A winch-out works when the truck can park on solid ground and reach your car with its cable. So your driver needs to picture the spot before they arrive:
- How far off the road you are. A car length? More?
- What you're stuck in. Snow, mud, sand, or a ditch, and how deep.
- Which side of the road. And which way you were driving.
- Anything nearby. A mailbox, a fence line, a business sign or a mile marker.
- Any damage. If the car hit something, it may need a tow after the pull.
After the Pull
Once you're back on the road, walk around the car. Look for anything hanging down or leaking. If it drives fine, you're on your way. If it doesn't, we text you a tow price and you decide. Your driver's card and check-ins come with it, as part of the Stay-With-You Promise.
The Stay-With-You Promise
Stuck in a Ditch, Still in the Loop
Winter ditches get busy. You'll know your price, who's coming and roughly when, and we'll check on you by text until they arrive.
We stay with you. From your call until the truck arrives, we check on you by text.
See your driver before they arrive. You get their name, photo and truck by text, and you can track your truck on a map.
Your family knows too. Give us one number, and we text them your location and arrival time.
Photo-protected tow. Before hookup, your driver photographs all 4 sides of your vehicle. We text you the photos.
Price locked by text. You get your price by text before we dispatch. That price is the most you pay for the job. If the job changes, we text a new price first and you decide.
Never stranded after. Ride along in the truck when it's safe and allowed, or we help you get a ride. We also point you to a good repair shop.
Free Sentinel Circle. After your first job, your vehicle is on file. Next time, just text "TOW" for priority dispatch.
Questions
Winch-Out Questions
Will winching damage my car?
A good winch-out hooks to your car's proper recovery points and uses straps where it can. Your driver will also look for damage before the pull. Every partner carries insurance.
My car is stuck in my own driveway. Can you help?
Yes, if the truck can park on solid ground within reach. Tell us how the driveway is laid out and where the car is sitting.
Is a winch-out the same as a tow?
No. A winch-out pulls your car back onto solid ground so you can drive away. A tow carries it somewhere else. If your car can't drive after the pull, we can switch you to a tow with a new price by text.
Got a flat from the curb you slid into? See flat tire changes or all roadside services.
Winch-outs
Stuck? Stop Spinning and Call.
Tell us where you are. We'll text your price, send the nearest available partner and check on you while you wait.