Yes, if you traveled down any dirt roads you will be responsible for any damage to the car. As for warning you that you need a 4x4, I don't know of any rental company that asks you for your itinerary so how would they know where you plan to take the car? Google maps is a wonderful tool to use to map out a road trip well in advance in order to avoid these situations.

donna

Just to be clear these are narrow roads according to the local maps and not classified as dirt tracks which is why sat navs get it so wrong here.

No damage to the car because we learned to use a real map and ignore any sat nav deviations from the main roads.

You don't need a 4x4 for dirt or gravel roads. At least not normally. You might want one for the paved roads in my neighborhood.

The problem with the GPS is the speed limit on those roads is the standard 90km/h. Yes it's impossible. Yes almost nobody even tries it but the GPS doesn't know that. They see the short distance and take you that way.

You can set the GPS to avoid dirt roads.

And who should warn you of dirt roads when you are the one that decided to go on them?