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AGF 4x4 Resources · Field failure

When it goes wrong

Stuck, flat, cold, lost or hurt. The first few things to do, and where the full guide is.

Someone hurt or in danger? Call 911. No signal? Try texting 911.Emergency page →
A white Ford F-150 slid sideways into a snow-filled ditch on a mountain track
February 2023. Somebody always finds the ditch.

What's happening?

Stop, breathe, and pick the closest match. Each box is the short version. The button is the full guide.

Someone's hurt or lost

  1. Call 911. If a call won't connect, text 911.
  2. Get your coordinates and read them out exactly.
  3. No signal at all: use a satellite messenger or beacon SOS.
  4. Do what dispatch tells you, and stay where they can find you.
Emergency →

Stuck

  1. Stop spinning. More throttle digs you deeper.
  2. Lockers in, air down, dig out in front of the tires and under the frame.
  3. Recover only from rated points, with a damper on the line.
  4. Everyone not needed stands 1.5 times the line length away, off to the side.
Winch rigging →Winch math →

Flat or tire damage

  1. Sidewall or shoulder damage: put the spare on. It can't be plugged.
  2. Small hole in the tread: a string plug can get you home.
  3. Aired down? Slow down and air back up before pavement.
Tires & air →

Snowed in or cold

  1. Stay with the rig unless shelter is in sight.
  2. Clear the tailpipe, then run the engine 5 to 10 minutes an hour with a window cracked.
  3. Headache, dizziness or nausea in a running rig: get to fresh air now.
  4. Shivering, confusion or slurred speech: get medical help.
Winter guide →

Broke down

  1. Make the rig easy to see: hazards on, something bright on the antenna or a door.
  2. Tell your group, then your contact at home, where you are.
  3. Stay with the rig. It's shelter and easier for rescuers to spot than a person.
  4. Don't walk out unless you know exactly where you are, how far help is, and that walking makes things better.
Stuck with the rig →

No signal

  1. Try a text. It can get through when a call won't.
  2. Use the trail radio plan your group set before leaving.
  3. Satellite messenger or beacon for anything serious.
Trail comms →Satellite SOS →

This page is a quick index. The steps come from the linked AGF guides, which cite their sources. If anyone's life is at risk, call or text 911 first.

Before it goes wrong

Trip planningWeather warnings, fire and road impacts. Trip planLeave your route and return time with someone. Go / no-goWinter check before you head out. Rig checkWhich trails fit your truck. Driving skillsWhat each trail class asks of you. Bear countryStore anything with a smell.