How to Install Vehicle Mods in GTA V – Beginner’s Guide

Installing custom vehicles in GTA V is relatively simple once the basic modding tools are set up correctly. This guide explains the process step by step and focuses on the two most common types of vehicle mods: Add-On vehicles, which are added as completely new vehicles, and Replace vehicles, which replace an existing GTA V vehicle.

The instructions are intended for GTA V Story Mode on PC.

1. GTA V Legacy or GTA V Enhanced?

Before installing any mods, check which PC version of GTA V you are using.

GTA V Legacy
The original PC version. Most GTA V vehicle mods and older tutorials were created for this version.

GTA V Enhanced
The newer PC version. It uses a different modding setup and some older vehicle files are not compatible with it.

Always check the vehicle mod's description before installing it. If the mod says Legacy, use it only with GTA V Legacy. If it says Enhanced, use it with GTA V Enhanced. If the author does not mention Enhanced compatibility, an older vehicle mod should generally be considered a Legacy mod.

This guide mainly describes the Legacy installation process, because it is still the most common setup for traditional GTA V vehicle modding. Enhanced users should also read the short Enhanced section near the end of this guide.

2. Tools You Need

OpenIV

OpenIV is the main tool used to access and modify GTA V's game archives. You will use it to access .rpf archives, install replacement vehicle files, edit dlclist.xml and manage the GTA V mods folder.

Script Hook V

Script Hook V allows GTA V to load script-based .asi plugins. You do not technically need it simply to replace a vehicle model, but you will normally need it for trainers such as Menyoo.

Menyoo

Menyoo is a trainer that allows you to spawn vehicles by their internal model name. This is especially useful for Add-On vehicles, because newly installed vehicles usually do not automatically appear in normal traffic.

3. Find Your GTA V Installation Folder

The GTA V root folder is the main GTA V installation directory.

For GTA V Legacy, this is the folder containing:

GTA5.exe

It may also contain files and folders such as:

update
x64
common.rpf

The exact location depends on whether you installed GTA V through Steam, Epic Games or the Rockstar Games Launcher.

4. Set Up OpenIV

Start OpenIV and select:

Grand Theft Auto V → Windows

The first time OpenIV starts, select your GTA V installation folder.

Next, select:

Tools → ASI Manager

For GTA V Legacy, install:

  • ASI Loader
  • OpenIV.ASI

The ASI Loader allows GTA V to load .asi plugins. OpenIV.ASI allows the game to use modified archives from the special mods folder.

5. Use the Mods Folder

You should avoid modifying GTA V's original game archives whenever possible.

Instead, modifications should be stored inside:

Grand Theft Auto V\mods\

The folder structure inside mods mirrors the original GTA V directory.

For example:

Grand Theft Auto V\update\update.rpf

becomes:

Grand Theft Auto V\mods\update\update.rpf

When OpenIV.ASI is active, GTA V loads the modified archive from the mods folder instead of the original one. This means that the original Rockstar files remain unchanged.

When you open an archive in OpenIV that is not yet available inside the mods folder, OpenIV may display Copy to "mods" folder. Use this option before modifying the archive.

6. Enable Edit Mode

OpenIV normally opens game archives in read-only mode. Before replacing or editing files, click Edit mode at the top of the OpenIV window.

Before making changes, always check the current path. It should preferably begin with:

mods\

For example:

mods\update\update.rpf

7. Install Script Hook V

Open the Script Hook V download and locate the files inside its bin folder.

Copy:

ScriptHookV.dll

into your GTA V root folder.

The Script Hook V package also includes:

dinput8.dll

This is an ASI Loader. If you already installed the ASI Loader through OpenIV, you normally already have the required loader.

The optional NativeTrainer.asi is not required if you intend to use Menyoo.

After a major GTA V update, Script Hook V may temporarily stop working until a compatible version is released. If your game suddenly stops launching after an update, Script Hook V is one of the first things to check.

8. Install Menyoo

Install the current version of Menyoo by copying its files into the GTA V root folder according to the instructions included with the download.

After installation, start GTA V in Story Mode and press F8 to open Menyoo.

If Menyoo opens correctly, Script Hook V and your ASI Loader are working. You are now ready to install vehicle mods.

9. Add-On vs. Replace Vehicles

Add-On

An Add-On vehicle is installed as a completely new vehicle. The original GTA V vehicles remain unchanged. Add-On vehicles are usually the preferred method if you want to install several custom cars.

Replace

A Replace mod replaces an existing GTA V vehicle. For example, a custom Ferrari might replace the original adder. The game still considers the vehicle to be an Adder, but the model and textures have been replaced.

10. How to Install an Add-On Vehicle

Add-On vehicles normally contain a folder with a dlc.rpf file inside it.

For example:

supercarx
└── dlc.rpf

The folder name will be different for every mod. Always check the README or description supplied by the vehicle author.

Step 1: Copy the Vehicle DLC

Copy the complete vehicle folder to:

Grand Theft Auto V\mods\update\x64\dlcpacks\

For example:

Grand Theft Auto V\mods\update\x64\dlcpacks\supercarx\dlc.rpf

Do not copy only the files from inside dlc.rpf. The complete DLC folder should remain intact.

Step 2: Open dlclist.xml

Open OpenIV and navigate to:

mods\update\update.rpf\common\data\

If update.rpf is not yet inside your mods folder, use OpenIV's Copy to "mods" folder option first.

Enable Edit mode, find dlclist.xml, right-click it and select Edit.

Step 3: Add the DLC Entry

Inside dlclist.xml, you will see entries similar to:

<Item>dlcpacks:/mpheist/</Item>
<Item>dlcpacks:/mpluxe/</Item>

Add a new line for your vehicle before </Paths>:

<Item>dlcpacks:/supercarx/</Item>

The name must match the folder you copied into dlcpacks.

You should therefore have:

mods\update\x64\dlcpacks\supercarx\dlc.rpf

and:

<Item>dlcpacks:/supercarx/</Item>

Save dlclist.xml. The vehicle DLC is now registered.

11. Find the Vehicle Spawn Name

The DLC folder name and the vehicle's spawn name do not always have to be identical.

For example:

DLC folder: supercarx
Spawn name: scx

Check the mod description or README for information such as:

Spawn name: scx

You will need this name to spawn the vehicle.

12. Spawn the Add-On Vehicle

Start GTA V Story Mode and press F8 to open Menyoo.

Navigate to:

Vehicle Options → Vehicle Spawner → Input Model

Enter the spawn name supplied by the mod author, for example:

scx

Confirm the entry. The vehicle should now appear in the game.

13. How to Install a Replace Vehicle

A typical replacement vehicle contains files such as:

adder.yft
adder_hi.yft
adder.ytd

These files replace the existing GTA V vehicle with the same model name.

14. Open the Correct Vehicle Archive

A common location for original GTA V vehicles is:

x64e.rpf\levels\gta5\vehicles.rpf

When using the mods folder, this becomes:

mods\x64e.rpf\levels\gta5\vehicles.rpf

If OpenIV tells you that x64e.rpf has not yet been copied into the mods folder, use Copy to "mods" folder. Then navigate to the modified archive and enable Edit mode.

15. Replace the Vehicle Files

Find the original vehicle files, for example:

adder.yft
adder_hi.yft
adder.ytd

Drag the replacement files into the OpenIV window. OpenIV will replace the existing files with the new versions.

Make sure you install all files supplied by the mod author.

The most common vehicle files are:

  • .yft – vehicle model
  • _hi.yft – high-detail vehicle model
  • .ytd – vehicle textures

16. Some Vehicles Use Patchday Archives

Some GTA V vehicles are stored or updated inside Rockstar DLC archives such as:

update\x64\dlcpacks\patchdayXXng\

A mod author may therefore specify a path similar to:

mods\update\x64\dlcpacks\patchdayXXng\dlc.rpf\x64\levels\gta5\vehicles.rpf

Use the path supplied by the mod author whenever possible. If you replace a vehicle but the original model still appears, GTA V may be loading a newer version from a patchday archive.

17. Spawn a Replacement Vehicle

Replacement vehicles keep the original GTA V model name.

If your custom vehicle replaced:

adder

then enter:

adder

in Menyoo under:

F8 → Vehicle Options → Vehicle Spawner → Input Model

18. What About META Files?

Some vehicle mods also contain files such as:

vehicles.meta
handling.meta
carvariations.meta
carcols.meta

These files control vehicle properties such as handling, colors, lights, tuning parts and vehicle behaviour.

Do not automatically replace META files unless the vehicle author tells you to do so. These files can contain information for many different vehicles, so replacing an entire META file can overwrite changes made by other mods.

For beginners, simply follow the exact META installation instructions supplied with the vehicle.

19. GTA V Enhanced

GTA V Enhanced uses a different modding foundation than GTA V Legacy.

Instead of the traditional OpenIV.ASI setup, Enhanced users generally use OpenRPF to load modified archives from the mods folder.

Enhanced users should also make sure that the vehicle itself is explicitly compatible with GTA V Enhanced. Do not simply install old Legacy vehicle files into Enhanced, because some older vehicle assets are not directly compatible and may cause crashes.

If a vehicle author provides separate Legacy and Enhanced files, always use the correct version.

The basic Add-On concept remains similar: use mods\update\x64\dlcpacks\ and register the DLC in dlclist.xml, but the underlying mod-loading setup is different.

For beginners, the safest approach is to install vehicles that are already specifically prepared for GTA V Enhanced instead of trying to convert older Legacy mods.

20. Common Problems

The Add-On Vehicle Does Not Spawn

Check that the DLC folder exists:

mods\update\x64\dlcpacks\supercarx\dlc.rpf

Check that the DLC is registered in dlclist.xml:

<Item>dlcpacks:/supercarx/</Item>

Also make sure the spawn name is correct. The spawn name can be different from the DLC folder name.

Menyoo Does Not Open

Check that:

  • Script Hook V is installed.
  • An ASI Loader is installed.
  • Menyoo is installed in the correct location.
  • Your Script Hook V version is compatible with your current GTA V version.

The Game Crashes When Spawning One Vehicle

Possible causes include:

  • missing files
  • an incorrectly installed DLC
  • missing dependencies
  • incompatible META files
  • using a Legacy vehicle in GTA V Enhanced

Test another vehicle to determine whether the problem affects the entire modding setup or only one mod.

The Replacement Vehicle Does Not Appear

Check the installation path. The vehicle may have a newer copy inside a Rockstar patchday archive. Always use the path specified by the vehicle author whenever one is available.

21. Recommended Installation Method for Beginners

  1. Install OpenIV.
  2. Set up the mods folder.
  3. Install ASI Loader and OpenIV.ASI if you use GTA V Legacy.
  4. Install Script Hook V.
  5. Install Menyoo.
  6. Test whether Menyoo opens.
  7. Install one vehicle.
  8. Start GTA V and test it.
  9. Only install additional vehicles after the first one works.

Do not install many different mods at the same time. If something stops working, it is much easier to identify the problem when you only changed one thing.

22. Quick Add-On Example

Assume the downloaded vehicle contains:

lambo\dlc.rpf

and the README says:

Spawn name: huracanx

Copy:

lambo

to:

mods\update\x64\dlcpacks\

The result should be:

mods\update\x64\dlcpacks\lambo\dlc.rpf

Open:

mods\update\update.rpf\common\data\dlclist.xml

and add:

<Item>dlcpacks:/lambo/</Item>

Save the file, start GTA V, open Menyoo with F8 and enter:

huracanx

The vehicle should now spawn.

23. Quick Replace Example

Assume a vehicle mod contains:

comet2.yft
comet2_hi.yft
comet2.ytd

and the author says to install them into:

x64e.rpf\levels\gta5\vehicles.rpf

Open OpenIV and copy x64e.rpf into the mods folder if necessary.

Navigate to:

mods\x64e.rpf\levels\gta5\vehicles.rpf

Enable Edit mode and replace:

comet2.yft
comet2_hi.yft
comet2.ytd

with the files from the mod.

Start GTA V, open Menyoo and spawn:

comet2

The replacement vehicle should now appear.

Final Advice

Use the mods folder instead of modifying GTA V's original archives and always check whether the vehicle is an Add-On or Replace mod.

For Add-On vehicles, copy the DLC folder into mods\update\x64\dlcpacks\ and register it in dlclist.xml.

For Replace vehicles, use the exact OpenIV path specified by the mod author and replace the corresponding .yft and .ytd files.

Finally, always make sure that the vehicle is compatible with your version of GTA V. Once the basic tools are configured, installing additional vehicle mods usually only takes a few minutes.