vehicles.meta Field Reference: What Each Entry Configures
vehicles.meta is the metadata file that registers a custom vehicle with GTA V. Here is what each documented field controls, sourced from the GTAMods wiki.
While handling.meta controls how a vehicle drives, vehicles.meta controls how the engine knows the vehicle exists at all - what model file to load, what handling profile to use, what game class it belongs to, what dashboard layout to show, and dozens of other registration details. The GTAMods wiki documents the full set of fields. Below are the most commonly used ones with their official purpose.
Identity fields
modelName - "Name of the model file without extension." This is what gets matched against your .yft file in stream/.
txdName - "Name of the texture dictionary without extension." Matches your .ytd file in stream/.
handlingId - "The name used in handling.meta. Any text string no more than 14 characters." This is the link between the metadata entry and the corresponding handling profile.
gameName - "Name corresponding to its GXT2 entry. Any text string no more than 11 characters." This is the in-game display name shown to players.
vehicleMakeName - "The GXT2 label of the vehicle maker's name, will display on various vehicle-related UI elements." For lore-friendly cars this is the Bravado/Vapid/etc. brand display name.
Audio and visuals
audioNameHash - "The model name of the vehicle whose sounds are inherited by the vehicle." If you do not have custom audio, this points at the stock GTA V vehicle whose sound bank you want to inherit.
ptfxAssetName - "The name of a .ypt ptfx asset file used by the vehicle." Particle effects (smoke, sparks) reference.
dashboardType - "The layout of the vehicle's dashboard gauges/lights."
plateType - which side the camera faces when viewing plates in Los Santos Customs. Options for front, back, or both.
Layout and seats
layout - "The layout defined in vehiclelayouts.meta used by the vehicle, affects the way peds enter, exit, and sit." Different vehicle classes (sedan, sport, truck) use different layouts.
coverBoundOffsets - "Sets cover boundary extents for the vehicle. Defined in vehiclelayouts.meta." Used for AI cover system.
drivers - which specific NPC peds spawn driving the vehicle.
Class and behavior
vehicleClass - "The class of the vehicle. Used for display text and race categories." Examples include Compacts, Sedans, SUVs, Coupes, Muscle, Sports, Sports Classics, Super, Motorcycles, etc.
type - "Vehicle type. Affect the vehicle's behavior." This is more granular than vehicleClass and controls AI behaviors.
swankness - "How cool the vehicle is, for AI behavior and vehicle generation. 0 to 5." Higher swankness influences which neighborhoods will spawn this vehicle.
Customization references
wheelType - "Sets the default wheel type for the vehicle." Maps to the wheel categories defined in carcols.meta.
requiredExtras - "Determines which extras on the vehicle must always spawn." Extras are the optional body bits (extra_1, extra_2, etc.) modeled on the chassis.
extraIncludes - designates which extras are included on the vehicle.
Trailers
trailers - "Trailers the vehicle can tow and spawn towed in cargen."
additionalTrailers - "Trailers the vehicle can tow but never spawn towed in cargen." For vehicles where towing is supported but does not happen in ambient traffic.
Door behavior
doorsWithCollisionWhenClosed - "Which parts of the vehicle must remain collidable when closed." For most vehicles this is left default, but vehicles with unusual door geometry sometimes need this set explicitly.
driveableDoors - controls which vehicle doors remain interactive.
bumpersNeedToCollideWithMap - "Forces the vehicle bumpers (and sideskirts) to collide with the map if there is contact." Off-road and lifted vehicles often need this.
Misc
flags - "Vehicle flags. Affects the vehicle's behavior." A bitfield with many possible values; the GTAMods wiki documents the individual flag bits.
needsRopeTexture - "If set to true the vehicle will be able to generate a rope 'model' and texture." Used for tow trucks and crane-equipped vehicles.
Sources
Browse the lot
Drag, drop, drive. Lore-friendly originals and curated real-vehicle conversions for FiveM.