Driving In Snow In An Automatic

[japthree]

I know on the IS200 you have the SNOW button which is supposed to help in wintry conditions, however if you are driving an automatic without any such button how do you force a higher gear than in normal conditions.

As you know, you are supposed to drive a manual by starting off in 2nd (or even 3rd?) slipping the clutch if you need to and then drive in a higher (less powerful) gear than normally?

Is your traction control supposed to be on or off? Or it depends if you are stuck in the snow or what?

Thanks!

[steve2006]

Sounds like we're all having problems in the snow.

As far as I know the "snow mode" means the car sets off in 2nd gear instead of 1st but if you don't have this facility there is nothing that can be done to "force" the box into a higher gear at setoff.

Traction control on mine makes no difference as far as I can tell I just get the bumping noise when it's operating and the trac light flashing to tell me it is.

Other members have suggested getting some additional weight in the boot,reducing tyre pressures slightly and using as little throttle as possible.

If you do get stuck it is OK apparently according to the LS manual ( check yours 1st) to "rock" the car by going from reverse to drive repeatedly to try and get out of trouble.

[Parthiban]

You can't force a higher gear in the IS200 auto, it starts in 1st even if snow mode is on. And as I discovered yesterday, without the right tyres it's useless in snow.

[LexusForever]

all the snow button does is reduce the throttle automatically. if you drive along and turn it on then off you will feel the difference as the car reduces the throttle.

i find snow driving is really about smooth gentle input, and trying to keep your momentum as much as possible without making sudden movements. but there comes a point where you just aren;t going to get anywhere no matter what you do lol. i managed to go out today, and had no problems till i got back home, and about 10 feet from my house i stupidly tried to stop and reverse back onto the drive, thinking it would then make it easier to get back out again. of course once i stopped to put it in reverse - nothing! my neighbour who was walking past just had to give a gentle push on the front and i shot up my drive without much hassle lol!

oh for the old 007 tires with the spikes that shoot out on demand lol!!!

Merry Christmas everyone

[garethr]

The old four-speed auto (as in the Soarer) did not have a Snow option, but it could be locked in second gear by selecting "PWR" and "2".

[japthree]

If your automatic car is parked in your drive and it's icy - like an ice rink what do you do to get it out safely then?

Could / would you de-ice the drive - how?

- Do you use loads and loads of aerosols of de-icer?

- Buy road salt - where from? B&Q?

- Pour buckets of hot / boiling water on the drive?

- Something else?

Help please! :(

P.S. How come in America and Canada automatic cars are the norm when they have such terrible wintry conditions compared to us? How do they drive automatics if you can't force the gear in a higher gear than normal?????

[dave1]

If your automatic car is parked in your drive and it's icy - like an ice rink what do you do to get it out safely then?

Could / would you de-ice the drive - how?

- Do you use loads and loads of aerosols of de-icer?

- Buy road salt - where from? B&Q?

- Pour buckets of hot / boiling water on the drive?

- Something else?

Help please! :(

P.S. How come in America and Canada automatic cars are the norm when they have such terrible wintry conditions compared to us? How do they drive automatics if you can't force the gear in a higher gear than normal?????

Maybe your right foot is not light enough.

[Mike_B]

If your automatic car is parked in your drive and it's icy - like an ice rink what do you do to get it out safely then?

Could / would you de-ice the drive - how?

- Do you use loads and loads of aerosols of de-icer?

- Buy road salt - where from? B&Q?

- Pour buckets of hot / boiling water on the drive?

- Something else?

Help please! :(

P.S. How come in America and Canada automatic cars are the norm when they have such terrible wintry conditions compared to us? How do they drive automatics if you can't force the gear in a higher gear than normal?????

You can buy salt from B&Q, yes - I saw it there a couple of months ago, though unsurprisingly they seem to have sold out now!

I wouldn't put hot water on the drive - the driveway will be able to absorb the heat from a tremendous amount of hot water, and will simply cool it down and then freeze it solid. Unless you want to put kettle after kettle after kettle down on it, you will make the problem worse. Realistically salt is your only option, maybe order some online ready for next year? And also remember you need to put it down *before* it gets cold, otherwise it's much less effective.

One thing you could try is sand, which is cheap and doesn't spoil. It will give more grip than nothing, anyway...

I don't think it's the automatic gearbox that's the problem - it's too much throttle and unsuitable tyres, coupled with RWD. If either of those changed (especially the tyres) then you will find life much easier.

Most US cars are FWD, which makes life a lot easier in snow, as we all know only too well!

[Monster-Mat]

P.S. How come in America and Canada automatic cars are the norm when they have such terrible wintry conditions compared to us? How do they drive automatics if you can't force the gear in a higher gear than normal?????

its very simple, the correct tyres for the conditions, you will find that in the US, as with Canada and most of Europe that owners have a set of winter wheels

infact, in Germany it is law to fit the winter wheels soon as the temp drops

i lived in Germany for 15 years, and on the whole never had any issues with driving over there in the snow, it was even easier when i obtained winter tyres.

the Germans DONT salt there roads, the roads in the Uk are better cleared than they are over there, but, over there they fit winter rubber, you will be surprised, an IS200/GS300 with decent winter tyres drives perfectly fine in the snow.

its all about education, its easy to blame the Authority's, but its down to the person behind the wheel.....

it is possible to drive in the snow, even with summer tyres.....

Germany Circa 2004, just after a drive back from Hamburg....ice was the real problem, i used to live at the top of a small hill

[Mike_B]

Well, I've just ordered some winter tyres. Will let you know how I get on with them, once they've arrived and I've had them fitted...

Of course, I will be hoping for more snow and ice once they are here, but knowing my luck it will warm right up immediately!

[ManicMark]

If your automatic car is parked in your drive and it's icy - like an ice rink what do you do to get it out safely then?

Could / would you de-ice the drive - how?

- Do you use loads and loads of aerosols of de-icer?

- Buy road salt - where from? B&Q?

- Pour buckets of hot / boiling water on the drive?

- Something else?

Help please! :(

P.S. How come in America and Canada automatic cars are the norm when they have such terrible wintry conditions compared to us? How do they drive automatics if you can't force the gear in a higher gear than normal?????

Hi cat litter or scinders from a coal fire for the driveway, winter tyres or snow socks for the wheels.

my pennies worth Mark

[dave1]

Hi cat litter or scinders from a coal fire for the driveway, winter tyres or snow socks for the wheels.

my pennies worth Mark

Heard someone else saying about cat litter but I can't see how it is of any use, or am I missing something here? Cat litter is designed to absorb moisture and once it has done so it is scrap. Surely it would just absorb what moisture it could, expand, go mushy and then freeze?

Sharpsand (gritsand) would be far cheaper and more effective.