Yeti on gravel

[gcp]

This past weekend I was yet again out and about in the countryside, and decided with SWMBO to take a rural route from our house in the mountains to a well-known lake which was -according to the signposting- about 70km away. I was prepared for a twisty drive as it was clear that the whole route would be on poorly-maintained mountain roads (and was not the established route to said lake), but little did I know that the drive would end up entailing driving on wide forest roads with loose gravel, and even some relatively serious narrow off-road bits (with deep transverse water ruts and everything).

I was very suprised by how well the Yeti took everything in its stride, even on a couple of occasions when SWMBO was clearly worried that we would not make it through (and quite unhappy with the choice of route all the way through). What was relatively annoying, though, was driving on gravel due to all the electronic nannying by the car. I was driving on loose gravel at speeds up to 60-65kph, with ASR switched off and the off road button engaged. Default behaviour on turn-in was mild understeer, but no matter what I tried (albeit within the constraints of my passenger's comfort level) I could not get the car to slide. Flicking with throttle lift-off didn't work, flicking and left-foot braking was even worse (if I understand correctly the electronics kill the power as soon as you press the brake) and mild use of the handbrake had similar results.

Has anyone tried and had better results on gravel? I can't help but feel that if the ESP could be turned off things would have been much better... Of course I realize that I am describing extremely rare circumstances for which the car was not designed, but I would have enjoyed having the option! Also, I'm afraid I don't have any photographic evidence, as I'm sure that stopping the car and getting out to take pictures of the grossly unpopular route would have created significant domestic problems!

[ejstubbs]

I'm not sure that the off-road button would be expected help you get what you seem to be trying to achieve. Firstly, most of the things it does are aimed at improving traction and/or grip on loose surfaces, and thus maintaining the kind of control that an ordinary driver expects - ie not sliding. Secondly, most of what it does, it only does at lowish speeds (eg off-road ABS only operates up to 50kph, and downhill drive support won't engage about 30kph). I'd suggest you have another read of the manual to try to understand what the off-road button is supposed to do (I say "try" because the manual is notoriously opaque at times).

It's definitely possible to get a Yeti to slide on a slippery enough surface, eg see Johann's video clip here. May be the you were on surface just wasn't loose enough - or you weren't trying hard enough!

[Llanigraham]

You can get a Yeti to slide on gravel, but it does need quite a bit of speed to do it, and you certainly don't want the Off-road button pressed to do it. (Mine doesn't have it!!)

You can provoke the back-end with the handbrake.

[gcp]

Thank you for the suggestions - I may have to go back and re-read the manual, it's been a while... I thought that having the off-road button engaged also indicated to the electronics that the car is indeed off road and a higher amount of slip should be expected - and allowed - than on tarmac.

I did try the handbrake on a couple of occasions but it didn't help that much, but I have to admit that I was indeed not trying as hard as I could have, as the passengers were not too appreciative of my efforts. Perhaps I need to have another go on my own...

[Yeti_Man]

The most challenging off road situation Ive ever had in the Yeti (by quite a margin actually!) was trying to make it across a pebble beach in Spain. It was like driving on Marbles and the electronic trickery was only making things worse by cutting the power. I felt that it wasnt allowing the Haldex to do its thing as I was trying to keep my foot in so it was a catch 22; bit more power to keep the rear wheels helping push me along but electronic trickery cutting the power back continuously!

[900000]

It's definitely possible to get a Yeti to slide on a slippery enough surface, eg see Johann's video clip here. May be the you were on surface just wasn't loose enough - or you weren't trying hard enough!

Yup. Off road button was not pressed making this video but traction control was firmly switched off.

[900000]

I did try the handbrake on a couple of occasions but it didn't help that much, but I have to admit that I was indeed not trying as hard as I could have, as the passengers were not too appreciative of my efforts. Perhaps I need to have another go on my own...

These things are mostly best done on your own. SWMBO brains don't appreciate what boys can get up to for some reason. Unless her name is Vicky Butler Henderson of course.