How to Turn Off Car Damage in Forza Horizon 6

TL;DR

• Go to Pause Menu → Campaign → Settings → Difficulty → Damage & Tire Wear.
• Set it to None to turn off all car damage completely.
• There are three options: None, Cosmetic, and Simulation.
• To instantly reset cosmetic damage in Photo Mode, press D-pad Up then LB / L1.
• Simulation damage gives a +10% Credit bonus — but it affects your car’s performance.
• You can change this setting at any time, even mid-session.

Where to Find the Car Damage Setting in Forza Horizon 6

Turning off car damage in Forza Horizon 6 takes about ten seconds. The setting is buried slightly in the menus, but once you know where it is, you can change it any time you want.

Here is exactly where to go:

1. Press the pause button to open the pause menu.
2. Tab over to the Campaign section.
3. Select Settings.
4. Open Difficulty.
5. Scroll down until you see Damage & Tire Wear.
6. Change it to None.

That is all it takes. Once you set it to None, your car will take zero visible damage no matter how hard you crash it. You can drive into walls, roll down a mountain, and ram barriers — the body stays completely clean.

This setting can be changed at any point during your playthrough. You are not locked in. If you want to flip back to Simulation for a challenge later, it is just as easy to switch back.

All Three Damage Settings Explained

Forza Horizon 6 gives you three options for Damage & Tire Wear. Here is what each one actually does.

None — No Damage At All

This is the option you want if you just want to drive without worrying about your car. No dents, no scratches, no cracked windows. No matter how badly you crash, the car looks exactly the same as it did when you pulled out of the garage.

Your car can still get dirty or covered in snow from the environment, but there is no structural or cosmetic crash damage at all. This is the most relaxed setting and the best choice for new players, casual drives, or anyone who plays for the freedom of exploration rather than simulation.

Cosmetic — Visual Damage Only, No Performance Impact

With Cosmetic damage on, your car will show real signs of wear after a crash. Dents, scratches, cracked windows, detached mirrors — it all appears visually. But none of it affects how the car performs. Your top speed, handling, brakes, and engine all stay exactly the same no matter how banged up the car looks.

This is a good middle-ground setting. It adds a bit of realism and immersion without punishing you mid-race. If you care about how your car looks in screenshots but do not want performance consequences, go Cosmetic. Note that there is no Credit bonus attached to this setting.

Simulation — Full Damage, Performance Affected

Simulation is the hardcore option. Your car takes both cosmetic and mechanical damage. If you crash hard enough, you can damage your suspension, brakes, transmission, engine, or downforce. That means a bad collision can genuinely slow you down or make the car harder to handle mid-race.

The trade-off is that Simulation gives you a +10% Credit bonus on everything you earn. If you are grinding credits and you are a confident driver, this setting pays off over time. But it requires much cleaner driving — especially in public multiplayer lobbies where other players tend to be reckless. To see how this stacks with other credit-boosting methods, check out our guide on how to earn credits fast in Forza Horizon 6.

Quick Reference: Damage Settings Comparison

How to Instantly Reset Cosmetic Damage Without Changing Settings

If you do not want to change your damage setting permanently but just need a quick clean-up for a photo, there is a faster way. You can reset cosmetic damage instantly right inside Photo Mode.

Here is how:

1. Press D-pad Up to open Photo Mode.
2. Press LB (Xbox) / L1 (PlayStation) to instantly reset all cosmetic damage.

Your car will look brand new. No dents, no scratches, no dirt. Just keep in mind that this repair sticks even after you exit Photo Mode — so your car stays clean until you crash again or turn damage back on. It is a handy trick when you want a clean shot without diving into the settings menu.

For everything else Photo Mode can do — including character poses, weather changes, and the best photography spots across Japan — see our full Forza Horizon 6 Photo Mode guide.

Should You Turn Car Damage Off or Keep It On?

It depends entirely on how you play. There is no wrong answer here.

Turn damage off (None) if:

• You are new to the game and still learning the roads.
• You enjoy free roaming and exploring Japan without consequences.
• You care about how your car looks at all times.
• You are doing off-road events with lots of contact and tight terrain. For the best off-road builds, check out our best off-road and dirt cars guide.
• You plan to do touge battles where the roads are narrow and walls are close. Our best cars for touge battles guide can help you pick the right build.

Keep Simulation on if:

• You are a returning Forza player who wants more realism.
• You want that permanent +10% Credit bonus on every event.
• You are comfortable with clean, controlled driving.
• You want the Goliath or Colossus races to feel genuinely high stakes. See our Goliath race guide for how to approach those long endurance events.

If you are unsure, start on Cosmetic. You get the visual feedback of real damage without any performance consequences. It keeps things looking authentic without punishing you for minor mistakes.

Does Damage Setting Affect Multiplayer?

Your personal damage setting applies to your own car in free roam and solo events. In public multiplayer lobbies, the session’s damage rules are determined by the host or the event type. If you join a Simulation-damage race online, those rules override your personal setting for that session.

Also worth knowing — Drivatar opponents in races are not affected by your personal damage settings. They can still take cosmetic and mechanical damage from their own crashes regardless of what you have set for yourself.

Does Turning Off Damage Affect Rivals Events?

Yes, there is one exception to watch out for. In Rivals events, cosmetic damage is always enabled regardless of your personal setting. Even if you have it set to None elsewhere, you will still see cosmetic damage appear during a Rivals run. It does not affect performance, but it is worth knowing if you are chasing a clean lap for a leaderboard time.

Tips for Playing on Simulation Damage

If you want to keep Simulation on for the credit bonus but avoid wrecking your car every race, here are a few practical tips:

• Use Rewind. Keep the Rewind feature turned on while you are learning. It lets you undo a bad crash before the damage sets in.
• Be extra careful in multiplayer. Other players drive unpredictably. One shunt from behind can damage your suspension mid-race.
• Fast travel to reset damage. In Forza Horizon games, fast travelling to a location or entering a Horizon Festival site repairs your mechanical damage. Use this between events if you have taken a bad hit.
• Avoid rolling the car. Landing upside down is one of the fastest ways to cause severe mechanical damage on Simulation. Drive carefully through rough terrain.
• Pick the right car for the event. Mechanical damage hurts more when your car is already near its limit. See our best cars for every class guide to make sure you are entering events with the right build.

How Car Damage Works in Seasonal Events and the Festival Playlist

Damage settings generally carry over into most event types, but some festival playlist events may have their own fixed rules. If you are working through the seasonal content and notice your car getting damaged even on None, the specific event may have its own damage parameters. This is uncommon, but worth knowing if you are grinding the Forza Horizon 6 seasonal events and Festival Playlist.

Can You Repair Your Car Mid-Race in FH6?

There are no pit stops or repair stations mid-race in Forza Horizon 6 the way there are in some motorsport games. If you are on Simulation damage and take a heavy hit during a race, you are driving the rest of it with that damage.

Between events, your car is repaired when you fast travel to a house or Horizon Festival site. This makes player houses even more useful as base points — not just for their perks, but as quick reset points after a rough session. If you haven’t bought your houses yet, our Forza Horizon 6 all houses guide — locations and perks covers all eight properties across Japan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to get out on the road without the worry? Pick up Forza Horizon 6 on PC via Steam, Xbox, or PlayStation and drive Japan on your terms — damage free if you want it.

And if you are curious about everything else you can do in FH6 that does not involve driving, check out our guide on whether you can get out of your car and walk around in Forza Horizon 6.