Gameplay
How to Recover a Vehicle in Over the Hill
Recover a flipped, stuck or flooded vehicle in Over the Hill. Learn when to use the Jack, winch, portable anchor, co-op towing or a cabin respawn.
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Choose a recovery method for your situation
Use the Jack to right a flipped vehicle, the winch to escape mud or slopes, and a discovered cabin on the map to respawn when recovery fails. For a flooded engine, winch the vehicle toward shallower ground and keep the air intake above water for 12 seconds so the engine can recover.
Right a flipped vehicle with the Jack
- Open Tools through the radial menu to find your equipped recovery gear. The default radial-menu input is Q on keyboard, right-stick press on an Xbox controller, or R3 on a PlayStation controller.
- Use the Jack if it is available. It flips the vehicle upright and repositions it nearby, letting you recover locally instead of immediately returning to a cabin.
Check your new position before driving away. Look for an easier line around the obstacle that overturned you, and avoid immediately repeating the same approach. If the Jack is unavailable or the vehicle remains trapped, use the cabin respawn procedure below.
Winch out of mud or a steep slope
Try Low Range when the vehicle struggles on rough terrain or uphill; it provides more traction. For a quick winch connection, aim the camera toward a suitable nearby object, such as a tree, because the winch targets the object closest to the camera's center. Use the manual winch when you want to choose the vehicle attachment point and target yourself.
- Select an attachment point on your vehicle with the manual winch. This establishes where the recovery line connects to your vehicle.
- Select the suitable anchor you want to attach to. This completes the connection between your vehicle and the chosen object.
- Use Pull Winch to pull toward the anchor: the default Quick Winch/Pull Winch input is O on keyboard, Y on an Xbox controller, or Triangle on a PlayStation controller.
- Release the winch once you are clear and ready to continue. Release Winch defaults to P on keyboard, B on an Xbox controller, or Circle on a PlayStation controller.
If a pull is taking you toward another awkward position, reassess the route before continuing. Planks are another option where a gap or rough ground prevents progress: they can help bridge gaps and provide traction. Choose the tool that addresses the obstacle rather than repeatedly forcing the same line.
Recover when there are no nearby trees
- Place an equipped Portable winch anchor from Tools. It gives your winch a portable attachment target when there is no suitable nearby tree.
- Connect your winch to the portable anchor so you can attempt a pull using the target you placed.
- Ask a co-op partner to tow or winch your vehicle if you need another recovery option. Use that assistance to attempt recovery before falling back to a cabin respawn.
If a portable anchor cannot be selected despite being within winch range, update the game before troubleshooting its placement. The October 19 update fixed cases where portable anchors could not be winched inside the radius. If local recovery still fails, return through a discovered cabin on the map.
Recover a flooded engine
- Winch the vehicle toward shallower ground until its engine air intake is above water. The winch can pull a fully submerged vehicle out of the water.
- Keep the air intake out of the water for 12 seconds. A flooded engine recovers after that interval with its intake clear.
- Use an equipped Repair kit if the vehicle also needs damage repaired. The kit fully repairs the vehicle.
Flooding depends on how long the engine's air intake stays underwater. The engine floods after 8 seconds normally, 10 seconds with Water Resistance 2, or 12 seconds with Water Resistance 3. Before another crossing, consider those upgrades and choose a route that keeps the intake clear.
Respawn at a discovered cabin or the Mechanic
- Open the map to access recovery destinations. The default map input is M on keyboard, View on an Xbox controller, or Create on a PlayStation controller.
- Choose a cabin you have already discovered as your respawn destination. You can also select the Mechanic's icon on the area map to use the Mechanic as a respawn point.
- Activate the map's Respawn action to return your vehicle. Its default input is the left mouse button, A on an Xbox controller, or Cross on a PlayStation controller.
Moving from the map to a cabin or the Mechanic fully repairs the vehicle. Cabins also restore equipped tools, giving you a chance to prepare before attempting the route again. In co-op, wait until your friends finish camping if the game prevents you from respawning while they rest.
Pack recovery gear before heading out again
Choose carried tools in the Mechanic's Tools menu before leaving. A vehicle starts with capacity for 1 tool, and Tool Slot upgrades increase that capacity up to 4. Prioritize the Jack for rollover trouble or a Portable winch anchor when your route leaves you without natural anchors.
