Hey folks.

Just wanted your opinions on this one please.

I remember reading in the manual for my car that when it is icy or snowy etc the TCS should be switched off.

Do you agree with this?

While leaving my road this morning the entire surface was covered in black ice which was decieving as it wasn't that cold and the car wasn't even frozen at all. The car was sliding a bit and becuase I hadn't noticed at first the TCS light was flashing on the dash but it never felt like it was affecting the stability of the car and if anything had it not have been on the wheels would have just spun a lot!

Phil

I find its the just about the only condition when the traction control comes in useful, rest of the time i find it a hinderance

I just left it on in my Leon last year and will probably do the same in the Fabia this year (although depends how the diff affects driving in snow). Since I was driving in a manner to avoid spinning the wheels, I found that whether the TCS was on or off made no difference as it'll only cut in when the wheels spin anyway. It's not like I was hitting snow and then planting my right foot and just hoping the TCS would get me through.

Maybe in snow it might be better to turn it off and get a little spin to help dig in? But I never had a problem before and don't envisage one this year.

Usually off for me in the snow. You won't get anywhere without spinning the wheels a bit. but only when I need the car to do what I want, not what it wants and only at low speeds <10mph

I got up an untreated snowy 1:5 slope yesterday on half worn summer tyres with the TC off.

Edited 6 December, 201114 yr by Aspman

Yes it should. We have these threads every year!

The traction control is simple, it just senses the wheels slipping and cuts the power. With it off you can at least make some progress!

Ooops. Sorry. First year I have had a car with TCS so wasn't sure if it was just another of those things that the handbook advises you to/not to do.

Will make sure I switch it off then. And seriously consider gettting some winter rubber if I can actually find some decent priced ones that are the right size!

Defo switch all eletronic aids OFF when moving off in snow/ice......

Practical example:

Was parked in a big layby (gone mountaineering....car on standard tyres as just got it) in winter with 6 inches of good snow all around and tried to reverse along the tracks I had made in the morning when I drove into the layby. The car stood still and the front wheels just kept spinning/locking etc with all the ASR lights etc on the dash and a nice smell of hot brake pads (brakes are used by the ASR system).........The ASR was trying to stop the wheels from spinning.....but the wheels could only spin due to lack of traction. (second and even third gears, both with varing amounts of throttle were used to no avail)

SO I turned OFF the ASR and then I could keep the wheels spinning and use this to dig down to get traction and thus motion.....so got out of the layby!

SO do as the handbook says "turn OFF when moving away and at low speeds"... .....and fit winter tyres!!

Edited to add more info

And perhaps you might have done the same thing by leaving it switched on and engaging second gear instead.

In the example I tried second and even third...and all with vairing ammounts of throttle!!!.....ASR OFF was the best!!!...

Even tried it on my winter tyres and ASR OFF is still best when moving off and at low speeds as I can use the throttle and brakes without the ASR interfeering at low speeds!

I left my car at work last time it snowed. No amount of ASR on or off was getting me moving, just ended up with a huge amount of snow under the car beaching me.

Will switch it off then.

Have managed up to now without it... although had a lot less power before (70hp/88lb.ft). You had to really try to get the wheels to spin in the Pug even on slippery stuff.

Need to really consider getting winter rubber. Just shelled out for a set of normal tyres though so not sure. Will see how we get on.

Under extreme conditions you could switch it off to get going or to keep going. But that is mostly at a bit more than walking speed.

Under all other conditions, ie driving on the road it might be better to leave the electronic helpers on.

Maybe not so much for just traction control, but more for the ESP fraction. Here it is very helpfull to get out of an

unexpected situation (spots of ice).

See how you go before buying winter tyres IMO. I'm not bothering, I've managed the last two bad winters perfectly safely on summer tyres in my old Leon. Winter tyres will help, but they don't do anything about the biggest risk on the roads, which I find is other people who can't drive...

the biggest risk on the roads, which I find is other people who can't drive.......and/or are on "summer" tyres

Post re edited to reflect how I see things in winter......

Been through this on several forums so can't really be bothered again. Some peoples' driving will warrant winter tyres (self-employed so can't miss a days work, several hundred miles a day through the countryside, etc). For me, work is 13 miles away down the M1 and dual carriageways virtually all the way. If I can't make it in, I won't go in, and I'll still get paid. Over the last two winters which are the worst I can remember since I've started driving, there was only one journey which I failed to make, I stopped right at the end of my road and decided it was too dangerous to bother for what it was and just went home. So I'm pretty sure I'll do fine driving sensibly on my summer tyres, thank you very much

My ESP saved my butt in the last lot of snow.

Stopped me from spinning out as I came off the roundabout

to join the M1. Wasn't going fast at all but the rear wheels

found some ice and the back end went. ESP sorted it all out

and I got away with it. Mine will be on if it snows :yes:

I also have winter tyres now so I should find the whole thing

a bit easier.

Think what you like fabdav, but I managed to get to work every shift last winter on the tyres the Yeti came on. That is a 48 mile cross country journey at stupid times of the day, often before the gritters came out, plus I spent 2 days driving the District Nurses around their calls out in the counttryside, including up uncleared farm tracks. It may have been easier on winter tyres, but with care anything is possible.

I know I'd prefer to meet a careful person on normal tyres than some knobhead on winter tyres!

Been through this on several forums so can't really be bothered again. Some peoples' driving will warrant winter tyres (self-employed so can't miss a days work, several hundred miles a day through the countryside, etc). For me, work is 13 miles away down the M1 and dual carriageways virtually all the way. If I can't make it in, I won't go in, and I'll still get paid. Over the last two winters which are the worst I can remember since I've started driving, there was only one journey which I failed to make, I stopped right at the end of my road and decided it was too dangerous to bother for what it was and just went home. So I'm pretty sure I'll do fine driving sensibly on my summer tyres, thank you very much

+1! I only failed to make one journey, and that's because the car was too low to get over the snow that had formed around it, it just got the bumpers stuck!

I didn't get stuck at all other than that on my summer tyres, but I only drove when I needed to go in for exams, or when it was quiet at night. The only place I can see my not having winter tyres being an issue is if the car in front stops quicker than I can - but that's solved by leaving a big enough gap. . .

It's just not worth the expense for me - given I only need to drive for uni, and most things are tying up by the time it starts snowing, so I wouldn't be missing too much.

Think what you like fabdav, but I managed to get to work every shift last winter on the tyres the Yeti came on. That is a 48 mile cross country journey at stupid times of the day, often before the gritters came out, plus I spent 2 days driving the District Nurses around their calls out in the counttryside, including up uncleared farm tracks. It may have been easier on winter tyres, but with care anything is possible.

I know I'd prefer to meet a careful person on normal tyres than some knobhead on winter tyres!

I've spent 14yrs driving up here in total blizzards etc (worse than you get down there)....and I have "made do" in winter on good quality all round tyres (or "summers" if you prefer to call them)........so I know how to drive carefully in cars without any ABS, PAS, ESP, ASR, ETC on deep snow......

The OP was realy wanting to know whether it is better to follow the handbook advice and turn TCS OFF when moving off from a standstill on snow and ice.........I was just comfirming that having tried all the various options of which gear, how much throttle, etc to have that the handbook is correct!

Also your car compared to mine has 4x4!!! so it will be very good on standard tyres........BUT as we all know (there are way too many threads on this) that at temps bellow +7C "winter" tyres outperform standard "summer" tyres...fact!!!

And on a sheet ice road if I had to suddenly stop....I'd hate to have you behind me with your "summers" on...as you will not be able to stop in time as your tyres will just slide....right into the back of me even with all your 4x4 etc!

Having had my "winters" (this is their third winter season on the car)...I highly recommend them.....I don't have to crawl around at 20mph....now I can do 40mph (in a 60)..........anyway in certain parts of scandanavia and europe they are a legal requirement and they all know how to drive properly on snow (ever seen them do 60mph+ like it's a summers day in the snow?....and be able to control the car!)

QUOTE " I know I'd prefer to meet a careful person on normal tyres than some knobhead on winter tyres!"

I hope you are not implying me???? :wonder:

I think it just comes down to personal preference. I mean if by "managed fine" you mean that you didn't mate your car with someone elses or park it in a ditch then I managed fine too. Problem was that while doing so I had too many bum clenching moments so decided to invest in a set of winter rubber on some uber sexy steel rims for the slippy season.

My GF's car on the other hand seemed to perform really well in all conditions. I personally wouldn't have bothered with winter tyres on that one but my GF said that she would be happier having them which was fair enough so I bought a set for that one too.

I'll fully admit that it probably is overkill and I will NOT be thinking that I am invincible all of a sudden. I'll continue to be as cautious as I was before but hopefully feel that I'm connected to the road a little better than last year.

As for TCS, I leave it on and if need be pull away at idle in second treating the clutch like a bomb waiting to go off with any sudden movements :p

No I wasn't, so you don't need to get all uppity. :'(

No I wasn't, so you don't need to get all uppity. :'(

Sorry.........

I think it just comes down to personal preference. I mean if by "managed fine" you mean that you didn't mate your car with someone elses or park it in a ditch then I managed fine too. Problem was that while doing so I had too many bum clenching moments so decided to invest in a set of winter rubber on some uber sexy steel rims for the slippy season.

EXACTLY..^^^^^^^^^^^

I got fed up with just having to do so much "advanced survival" style driving to just get around...no fun at all if you arn't feeling 100%!!!....and ####ing scary when the tyres suddenly "let go" at 30mph (when traveling in a 60)!!!! and all the twirling of the steering wheel, etc etc does sweet FA as you've just hit a big patch of slidy snow/ice or even black ice!! :S

Mind you I just used my standard OEM alloys for my winters then got a bigger size of TD ProRace alloys for my summers...... :p

Mind you I just used my standard OEM alloys for my winters then got a bigger size of TD ProRace alloys for my summers...... :p

I think I missed a trick somewhere :p