Benefits Of Snow Mode (when Can It Be Used?)

[japthree]

Apart from the obvious use of SNOW mode in the snow... when is it advisable to use it and what are the benefits please?

What are the consequences of using SNOW mode in the wrong situation (which are...?) ?

Similarly ECT PWR mode - when can you use it + benefits and when shouldn't you - what are the consequences?

For quick acceleration can't you just use kickdown in normal mode rather than ECT PWR?

Thanks

[sparkystav]

Lee_iceman advised me to use the snow button on the motorway, it cuts your throttle response so saving petrol. works as well.

Stav

[WylieCoyote]

In my car the SNOW button makes an already slow car even slower and the ECT PWR button as far as I can tell makes absolutely no difference to anything.

[tHomBleached]

In my car the SNOW button makes an already slow car even slower and the ECT PWR button as far as I can tell makes absolutely no difference to anything.

+1

Ultimately, the snow button is (I guess) great at lowering your revs thus making your IS a touch more economical. But did you really purchase your IS with the intention of being economical?? Have a bit of fun FFS!!

[kritzresn]

In my car the SNOW button makes an already slow car even slower and the ECT PWR button as far as I can tell makes absolutely no difference to anything.

The ECT PWR makes the throttle more sensitive, and if u floor it will shift only at top rpm.

The experience compared to without ECT PWR depends a bit on how u taught the ECU to work.

[yemgi]

The only use I know for the snow button is fuel economy. It does work well on the motorway as stav says.

I tried to use it on snow and found it to be worth than with snow mode off but that may just be because of my wheels

[Mark W]

I put mine in snow mode when the wife drives it - and she prefers it - normally driving a 1.6 focus she tends to be a little heavy footed in mine and dont want to end up in a ditch.

Power I tend to use when doing stop/start driving as makes it a little more responsive and stops it changing down too quick.

Other than that - In "normal" mode all the time.

[KnightUnit]

I use snow mode in traffic, makes the pull away smoother if your stopping and starting alot.

Manual Box.

[Dave-Ellen]

power mode will rev slightly higher

[swfcdan]

ive started to drive with mine on all the time now. noticed quite an improvement in economy

[Parthiban]

I wouldn't worry about using them, there are no adverse consequences to either of them :)

Snow mode makes the throttle much less sensitive, so in icy conditions you can easily apply very little power, or alternatively in normal use can make your driving more economical by making it harder to rev high - although if you plant the throttle it will still rev to the red line.

ECT PWR has the opposite effect, makes the throttle a bit more sensitive (but not really a noticeable amount). What I find more noticeable is that under circumstances like braking and then accelerating again, if the PWR button is on it will downshift instantly, whereas without it the car will wait to see how much power you want before downshifting.

I actually find the drive more comfortable with the PWR button on as it feels like you're in the right gear more of the time, but I also tend to end up using more fuel............

[janet]

Thanks Parthiban, just been having a play this morning with snow mode on the motorway, but i was surprised that the revs did not drop when i put it on, but, there is a definite feeling of 'regression'....just like there's something wrong with the car...so it's to do with throttle response rather than revs then. I'm shortly on a flyer Calais to La Rochelle and back, and so it might be 'snowy' all the way.... mind you ### it......it may well be PWR all the way instead !! Oh...decisions decisions...economy or fun ???

[Kiriyama]

But did you really purchase your IS with the intention of being economical?? Have a bit of fun FFS!!

Hahaha!

tHomBleached for Prime Minister! :D

I do a lot of motorway / dual carriageway driving but don't like the feel of the 'Snow' mode. As Janet said, it feels like there's something wrong with my car. Sod economy, I'll get a cheaper girlfriend.

[WylieCoyote]

Sod economy, I'll get a cheaper girlfriend.

Don't exist I'm afraid. They're all expensive, just in different ways. Some of them are expensive immediately and then nothing really changes. Some of them don't look expensive on the outside but then they want presents, and others you think are just right, don't cost you much, and then 10 years down the line, they screw you for everything you've got!

PS I'm not bitter, I'm just speaking from experience lol

[Kiriyama]

others you think are just right, don't cost you much, and then 10 years down the line, they screw you for everything you've got!

Was barely 6 years for me <_<

Sorry.... back to the topic