How to Install GTA 4 Car Mods

Last Updated: January 16, 2023

GTA 4 on PC allows users to install modifications to the game to improve the gaming experience. Car mods are great for changing the look of some of the cars in the game, which provides a refreshing new take on driving around the city.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Installing the Mod Installer

1
Download the "GTA IV Vehicle Mod Installer". You can get this from gta4-mods.com. There are several programs that allow you to install mods, but this program is the simplest way for cars.
2
Extract the installer file. See this guide for details on extracting files. In most cases, you can simply double-click the downloaded ZIP file and copy the contents to your desktop.

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3
Run the installer. In the folder that you extracted, you will find a setup program. Run it to install the mod installer. Most users can leave all the installation settings at default.
4
Open the program. Your computer may warn you that the file is unknown, but it is safe to proceed.
5
Ensure that your GTA 4 directory was detected. In the field at the top of the window, you should see the path to your GTA 4 game directory. If it was not detected, click Browse and set the path yourself.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Installing a New Vehicle

1
Backup your save file. Before installing a new vehicle, it's always a good idea to backup your save file. While you usually won't run into problems, save files can occasionally get corrupted. Make a copy of the save file in a safe location.
- You can find your save file in the game’s directory.
2
Download an archive containing the vehicle you want. You can download vehicles from a variety of locations, but you'll find the best compatibility with the mod installer if you download the vehicles from gta4-mods.com.
3
Open the mod installer if it isn't still open.
- Make sure that GTA 4 is not currently running. If GTA 4 is running, the mod installation will likely not work.
4
Select the "Vehicle install from archive" option. This will allow you to install the car mod directly from the downloaded archive file.
5
Select your new vehicle file. Click the Browse button towards the bottom of the window and navigate to the archive you just downloaded.
6
Start the replacement process. Click Next after selecting the vehicle file.
7
Review the changes. The installer will show the changes to the GTA 4 files it will be making. As long as there are green checkmarks for each entry, the file new car should install correctly. Click Next to continue.
8
Select the vehicle you want to replace. GTA 4 only supports a certain number of vehicle types. Select the vehicle in the game that you want to replace.
- Make sure that you don't select a boat to replace, or the car will appear underwater.
9
Find your new vehicle. Your newly-installed vehicle will spawn wherever the old vehicle would have. This means you usually just have to wait until you see one parked or in traffic. You can also use cheats to spawn the new vehicle, using the old vehicle's name.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Restoring Original Vehicles

1
Open the vehicle mod installer. The GTA IV Vehicle Mod Installer allows you to restore the original car back into the game.
- Make sure that GTA 4 is not currently running.
2
Select the "Original vehicle restore" option. This will revert the car mod installation.
3
Click .Next and review the changes to restore original vehicles. When you start GTA 4 again, the car will be reverted to the original.

Community Q&A

Question

After I installed the mod, I wasn't able to start my game. How can I get it running correctly?

Community Answer

The best solution would be to reinstall GTA 4. Make sure you put your saved files in a safe place. Before modding, you should always make a backup of your game in case something goes wrong.
Question

I added the mods, but my GTA IV is not running. What do I do?

Community Answer

Reinstall original cars, and if you have many cars you want to mod do it one by one. Every time you add a car run the game and check it.
Question

How do I know if the mods I installed are in GTA IV?

Community Answer

Find the car you replaced in GTA IV. If it's the mod, then you got it; if it's not, then you don't have it.