Snow Monster in the Snow

[WFM]

Finally a photo of the monster in its natural habitat.

 

The car park is devoid of the other vehicles who could not make the snowy hill ascent.

[Ashaz]

Just been out for the first time in mine.

The roads were pretty good but I didn't want any nasty surprises so I put it into 4WD mode and was very disappointed at the amout of slipping and sliding just going round a roundabout slowly on nothing more than slush.

Edited 1 March, 2018 by Ashaz
added extra

[x19]

No doubt caused by standard summer tyres, oh and it is not possible to manually "put a Yeti into 4WD".  I suspect you mean you activated the OR button which is not for traversing roundabouts.  It's all in the manual.

[Ashaz]

3 minutes ago, x19 said:

No doubt caused by standard summer tyres, oh and it is not possible to manually "put a Yeti into 4WD".  I suspect you mean you activated the OR button which is not for traversing roundabouts.  It's all in the manual.

I pressed the off-road button.

[Mikek3111]

Mines only 2wd but took mine out in the snow for first time yesterday and was pleasantly surprised.  Didn’t struggle on hills and even on ungritted roads it felt really stable. ABS chattered a bit braking on ice to avoid a pick up driver who thought he could pull out in front of me then couldn’t get traction so that was a little squeaky bum moment but other than that all was good.

 

only thing I was unsure about is no ice/snow mode on DSG?

Edited 1 March, 2018 by Mikek3111

[Llanigraham]

19 minutes ago, Ashaz said:

Just been out for the first time in mine.

The roads were pretty good but I didn't want any nasty surprises so I put it into 4WD mode and was very disappointed at the amout of slipping and sliding just going round a roundabout slowly on nothing more than slush.

 

I don't think you understand how the Yeti 4x4 system works.
You cannot "put it into 4x4 mode". The Haldex system fitted does that automatically when it senses slippage in the front wheels, gradually feeding drive to the rear axle. I suspect what you did was press the Off Road Button, and this alters some of the parameters of the braking and acceleration. It does NOT turn on the 4x4 system. There is an excellent explanation of what it does in the Handbook and I suggest you read that.

And with my (ex) 4x4 instructors hat on; 4x4 is not the miracle cure-all that many people expect it to be. A lot goes down to that little bit of rubber between you and the road.
Gravity and momentum exceeds many things!

[Llanigraham]

14 minutes ago, Ashaz said:

I pressed the off-road button.

 

See my comment above!!

[Ashaz]

I know the car is supposed to engage 4WD automatically (I have read the manual!) but it didn't seem to be too good at that.

On my way home there was a large snowy/slushy area in Sainsbury's car park so I went round normally and slipped, slithered and skidded so pushed the off-road button and it was a lot better, given the limitation of the tyres.

In theory it shouldn't be like that.

[Mikek3111]

35 minutes ago, Ashaz said:

so I went round normally and slipped, slithered and skidded

Dare I say it but it may be your driving attributes rather than the car?

 

went round normally? Given that you know it was icy and slushy. Just because car is 4wd does not mean you drive normally, driving attributes need to be adjusted for the weather given 4wd, 6wd or 2wd. 

 

Not a dig is at your driving but merely an observation from the wording of your comment.  No offence intended

[penguin17]

50 minutes ago, Llanigraham said:

 

 A lot goes down to that little bit of rubber between you and the road.
 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this (or likely you know it with your instructor credentials).

 

I posted this on another thread but I recall a magazine article a few years ago when one of the big tyre manufactures Winter tested a FWD car with Winter tyres vs a 4WD car with Summer tyres.  Needless to say the car with Winter tyres trumped the 4wd car with Summer tyres. 

[Ashaz]

10 minutes ago, Mikek3111 said:

Dare I say it but it may be your driving attributes rather than the car?

 

went round normally? Given that you know it was icy and slushy. Just because car is 4wd does not mean you drive normally, driving attributes need to be adjusted for the weather given 4wd, 6wd or 2wd. 

 

Not a dig is at your driving but merely an observation from the wording of your comment.  No offence intended

I probably worded it badly.

I was not driving with gay abandon but just enough to see the difference between pressing the off-road button or not. 

[Llanigraham]

47 minutes ago, Ashaz said:

I know the car is supposed to engage 4WD automatically (I have read the manual!) but it didn't seem to be too good at that.

On my way home there was a large snowy/slushy area in Sainsbury's car park so I went round normally and slipped, slithered and skidded so pushed the off-road button and it was a lot better, given the limitation of the tyres.

In theory it shouldn't be like that.

I suggest that is showing more your limitations as a driver, your understanding of how the system works, and the type of tyres you have fitted. I suspect what you actually noticed when pressing the ORB was the acceleration being limited.

A four wheel drive system will NOT stop you skidding, in fact in some situations it can make the situation worse, especially if you don't understand how it all works.

With a system like the Yeti's too many people ease off the accelerator as soon as they sense slippage. That is the WRONG thing to do, in fact you have to increase revs slightly.

 

 

[Mikek3111]

Graham is your yeti DSG?  With a DSG box what would be best for braking on ice? Did notice yesterday while having to brake from 10-15mph on ice that although it eventually stopped the ABS chattered like mad.  It’s my first time driving Auto on ice and although the DSG box typically tries to get into 7th gear quite fast and before it’s really needed, braking was a challenge especially not being able to engine brake either?

Edited 1 March, 2018 by Mikek3111

[kenfowler3966]

Turn off coasting in the maxidot. It is key specific so needs doing for all keys.

My car now engine brakes whenever I take my foot off the accelerator and whilst doing that uses no fuel.

I can’t see the point of coasting; if I take my foot off the accelerator I don’t want to have to flash the brake lights before engine braking starts. In the meantime I have saved two un-needed clutch actuation and whilst coasting the engine has to burn fuel to keep running at tickover speed.

I find it quite distracting with the rev counter jumping up and down as well!

[Ootohere]

Mike3111, a 7 speed Twin Dry Clutch DSG can be great for trundling around on ice without having to use the brakes, foot off the accelerator and just move the shifter back to 'S' to reduce speed sedately without having to move the shifter to Manual for down shifts.

Edited 1 March, 2018 by AwaoffSki

[kenfowler3966]

Only with coasting off?

[Ootohere]

?

Does a 2014 1.2 TSI / DSG Yeti have 'Coasting' to switch off?

[Mikek3111]

4 minutes ago, AwaoffSki said:

?

Does a 2014 1.2 TSI / DSG Yeti have 'Coasting' to switch off?

Have to check. I don’t remember seeing it in maxidot

[Mikek3111]

10 minutes ago, AwaoffSki said:

Mike3111, a 7 speed Twin Dry Clutch DSG can be great for trundling around on ice without having to use the brakes, foot off the accelerator and just move the shifter back to 'S' to reduce speed sedately without having to move the shifter to Manual for down shifts.

Yeah I’m usually very gentle on brakes anyway but what happened was I was heading down an ungritted side street which has car parked down the left side then on the right side is entrances to cul de sac’s. Just before the end of said road a bloke in a hi lux thought he could pull out before I got to him and tried to floor it then realised he had no traction and slid out into the road effectively blocking the road.  I had no choice but to either brake or T-Bone him.  I braked quite gently while in D at about 10-12mph and ABS chattered away but no engine braking so had to pretty much ride it out.  I missed him thankfully by about 10-12 inches but certainly a squeaky bottom moment. Drove rest of the way without a hitch but just found that with no engine braking on ice I’m completely reliant on brakes

[Bignij]

23 minutes ago, AwaoffSki said:

Mike3111, a 7 speed Twin Dry Clutch DSG can be great for trundling around on ice without having to use the brakes, foot off the accelerator and just move the shifter back to 'S' to reduce speed sedately without having to move the shifter to Manual for down shifts.

Genuine question. Is S mode engine braking any different to D mode? The Kodiaq in snow mode is in D. Is it just that S mode would select a lower gear?

[Mikek3111]

S mode leaves car in each gear longer not sure about engine braking I’ve not tried it yet as I’ve only had car 2 weeks

Edited 1 March, 2018 by Mikek3111

[Ootohere]

Bignij,

Yes.

just coming along easy at slow speed and it still shows D4, you could shift manually, to 3, then 2.

Or try just it is in D4 and shift the DQ200 7 speed back to 'S', it will go to S2, or what ever, 

i have driven for days in town with snow ice hardly ever touching the brakes, just 'D' and back to 'S', back to 'D;/

 

 

Mike3111,  hold the gear / rpm changing up, i am talking decelerating, 

just give it a try.

 

As to Traction, tyres are the solution, correct tyres, no traction no action, well unless it is a vehicle becoming a sledge, 

no control, as a member posted today in the Kodiaq section.

Edited 1 March, 2018 by AwaoffSki

[Mikek3111]

1 minute ago, AwaoffSki said:

Bignij,

Yes.

just coming along easy at slow speed and it still shows D4, you could shift manually, to 3, then 2.

Or try just it is in D4 and shift the DQ200 7 speed back to 'S', it will go to S2, or what ever, 

i have driven for days in town with snow ice hardly ever touching the brakes, just 'D' and back to 'S', back to 'D;/

Cool will try that next time I’m out.  One of them things. I’ve been driving 20 years and always had manuals, however, having worked as a mechanic I’ve driven plenty of autos over the years just never had to live with one in bad conditions so never bothered to ask the questions, however, after having manuals for 20 years I decided to have a change then 2 weeks in and we have 2” of snow lol

[Llanigraham]

1 hour ago, Mikek3111 said:

Graham is your yeti DSG?  With a DSG box what would be best for braking on ice? Did notice yesterday while having to brake from 10-15mph on ice that although it eventually stopped the ABS chattered like mad.  It’s my first time driving Auto on ice and although the DSG box typically tries to get into 7th gear quite fast and before it’s really needed, braking was a challenge especially not being able to engine brake either?

 

Not got any experience of a DSG on snow and ice, but I think the first thing I would do would be to put it in manual, atleast that way you can change down to get some engine braking.

[Yetiflute]

I took my 4x4 yeti out in proper snow yesterday for the first time. 11 inches here and on our uncleared drive it was actually snow ploughing. Drove 8 miles into Carlisle and back on fully snow covered roads, enjoyed a live screening of a ballet, then returned in even worse conditions. The car never missed a beat. Never any obvious evidence that the 4x4 ever came into play and I thank the winter tyres for all the action - or lack of it. We were the only car on the road except for one police car whose wide eyed occupants observed us going along. The journey included some inclines on which other vehicles had been abandoned and it just drove up them as if it was a normal snow free journey. I took sensible care and did not try to provoke any slippery action.