Speak EV - Electric Car Forums banner

Snow !

6K views 23 replies 17 participants last post by  Markus 
#1 ·
What are they like in snow... anyone got experience ?
Also how do you turn traction control off ?
 
#4 ·
What are they like in snow... anyone got experience ?
Also how do you turn traction control off ?
“If you’ve got ESP, the stability control element will help you in a slide. But traction control can sometimes kill power too much and make it hard to get moving in heavy snow. Most cars will allow you to turn off the traction element of the stability control. If you have an auto box, check whether you have a winter mode.”
 
#8 ·
Managed to get mine out, had to use ‘Battery Charge’ to force the petrol motor to kick in as battery hold just wasn’t doing the job. Had a few wheel spins with electric then converting to engine power, but wasn’t getting anywhere!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#10 ·
Definitely didn't take mine out today, was wondering if the 17in wheels and FWD (but insane torque) would out weigh the nightmare that was my RWD BMW in the snow, but didn't fancy trying.

Guessing B mode is pretty handy though? Essentially engine breaking the whole time rather than locking up wheels?
 
#14 ·
Eco mode shifts up the gears quicker than in other modes so that might help? Turning off the traction control may also help to get you moving but probably worth putting it back on once rolling.

I drove through a load of snow and slush earlier today and it was fine with gentle acceleration without messing with any settings.
 
#16 ·
The Golf is much better than the RWD BMW in the snow, I have owned two and they where dangerous in the snow !.
If you have a RWD BMW, then you will be requiring a second car that has FWD in the winter.
We had a Polo as a second car when we owned the BMW, it was the only way to get out in the winter !.
The grip on the Bridgestone's is NOT the best when snow is down on the ground I have to say !!!.
 
#19 ·
No issues at all for me in heavy and compacted snow on the roads yesterday and this morning, but then I do have a set of Michelin cross climates on!

The feeling of traction, stability and in particular braking with a set of tyres designed for the job is great.

My wife’s car with standard Michelin Energy tyres on couldn’t even get off the driveway in comparison.

#smug :)
 
#22 ·
Interesting read below considering the snow we have had as I couldn't get the drivers windscreen wiper up only the passenger side and I thought maybe you have to lift the bonnet up.

The Windshield-Wiper “Service Position” Explained

Recently, as buckets and front-loaders full of snow were dumped onto the greater Detroit area, our long-term Volkswagen Golf test car wouldn’t allow one editor to lift its windshield wipers up after parking it outside. To Californians and hermits unfamiliar with the concept of “weather,” we often lift wipers on cars parked outside to prevent them from gathering ice or sticking to the windshield during snowstorms. Except that when you try to move the VW’s wipers into the “up” position, they’re stopped partway by the trailing edge of the hood.

This isn’t an uncommon thing—especially among luxury cars of the German persuasion—as it allows the wipers to nest below the edge of the hood and reduce wind noise. (Of course, the VW Golf isn’t a luxury car, but it does do a convincing impression of one.)

To lift the wipers on the Golf, you must first park the car, kill the ignition, then hold the wiper stalk on the steering column down for a few moments. This moves the wipers into “service position”—essentially to the top of their stroke against the windshield—at which point you can then hinge them away from the glass. Simple, especially if you note that there are instructions in the owner’s manual. Our long-term BMW 328d wagon has similar functionality, as did an Audi A5 test car we had on hand this past week. The more you—and one of our younger editors—know, right?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top