How to start the Forza Horizon 5 Hot Wheels DLC

Forza Horizon 5 Hot Wheels DLC orange Chevrolet car racing
(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

If you need to know how to start Forza Horizon 5 Hot Wheels, make sure you’ve got the update installed then look for the in-game marker near the Caldera in Mexico! The game should do a pretty good job of pointing out exactly where you need to go to be transported via a jumbo Hot Wheels launcher up into the floating Hot Wheels Park expansion area of Forza Horizon 5. However, if you’re having some trouble – perhaps Hot Wheels isn’t working for you, or you can’t find the map icon – we’ve got all the guidance you need here to get you going in the Forza Horizon 5 Hot Wheels DLC.

Where to start the Hot Wheels DLC for Forza Horizon 5

Forza Horizon 5 Hot Wheels expedition map marker

(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

After downloading all the updates for Forza Horizon 5 and loading up the game, you should be almost immediately shown where the Hot Wheels Expedition is. This is the mission you need to complete which serves as the introduction to the new Hot Wheels world, and it’s clearly marked on the map between the Caldera and Guanajuato, both of which are in the northern half of Mexico in Forza Horizon 5 – check out the above map.

Set a route on your map by clicking the Hot Wheels Expedition icon and then drive over. Stop your car when you get to the right area and follow the button prompt to begin the high-octane intro mission to the Hot Wheels Park, which sees you racing across the giant, orange roads at ridiculous speeds. Once the intro is over, you’ll unlock the open world of Hot Wheels Park and can start working your way through the adventure, starting with B-Class Cars, new Hazard Sprints, and more.

What to do if Forza Horizon 5 Hot Wheels isn't working

Forza Horizon 5 Hot Wheels expedition mission driving with purple jet flying overhead

(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

First things first, make sure your Forza Horizon 5 game is fully installed and up to date. If the Hot Wheels DLC isn’t working for you, it might be that you’ve not properly installed it as it appears to have launched in a two-part update for Forza Horizon 5. Make sure you’ve got both updates installed and you should be good to go once you boot up the game.

Obviously, you should also make sure you actually own the expansion. You can buy it separately for £14.99/$19.99, but if you own the Forza Horizon 5 Expansion Bundle, Premium Add-Ons Bundle, or Forza Horizon 5 Premium Edition, you will already have the Hot Wheels expansion. If you’re still having issues, we recommend fully restarting your Xbox console or PC, and if that fails, you might have to reinstall Forza Horizon 5.

If you’re a new Forza Horizon 5 player, you won’t be able to access the Hot Wheels DLC right away. You’ll need to play through the introduction of the base game to unlock the open world, but luckily this intro isn’t very long and should only take you around 15 minutes. Once you’re able to freely drive around Mexico, follow the above steps to get to the Hot Wheels Park.

Will Sawyer
Guides Writer

Will Sawyer is a guides writer at 12DOVE who works with the rest of the guides team to give readers great information and advice on the best items, how to complete a particular challenge, or where to go in some of the biggest video games. Will joined the GameRadar+ team in August 2021 and has written about service titles, including Fortnite, Destiny 2, and Warzone, as well as some of the biggest releases like Halo Infinite, Elden Ring, and God of War Ragnarok.