Prius FAQ: Snow and Ice vs Traction Control
#31
Re: Prius FAQ: Snow and Ice vs Traction Control
I own a 2007 Touring Model B, which I drive into the Cascade Mountains routinley, required as I teach Skiing at Crystal Mountain. Going up the last 6 miles to the ski area I can hear the engine revving up and then down as the VSC kicks in to control the traction in the snow. I've only had to put chains on once, to climb out of a valley. However, the light weight poses a problem just pulling out of an icy parking lot. I finally got a 200 lb snowboarder to sit in the front seat and the tires stopped spinning.
#32
Where did you get these items?
To: Tideland Prius: Please tell me how/where to get these items.
JDM Prius Interior Footwell Lighting? and what exactly is 'Phillips Vision Plus'? Their Cost?
I will sure appreciate your reply. Thanks, Robert
JDM Prius Interior Footwell Lighting? and what exactly is 'Phillips Vision Plus'? Their Cost?
I will sure appreciate your reply. Thanks, Robert
#33
Re: Prius FAQ: Snow and Ice vs Traction Control
Perhaps a front wheel drive car could benefit from having a bag of sand stowed in the passenger foot-well, during the worst part of the winter?
#34
Re: Prius FAQ: Snow and Ice vs Traction Control
"I have an 04 and I live in Colorado Springs. Never had this problem. In fact, my Prius is the best snow car I've ever driven in my entire life, and that's with all weather tires."
Ok genius, stop the car in the middle of a snow covered hill, like we have in Iowa, and then try to make it up the hill. Maybe the snow in Colorado is different from the snow in Iowa? We live on a hill and if it's snowing the car will not make it up the hill. It's like fighting Mike Tyson with my hands tied behind my back. Beside this death-trap feature, I love the car.
Traction control and anti-lock brakes were designed for people too stupid to actually drive a car.
Ok genius, stop the car in the middle of a snow covered hill, like we have in Iowa, and then try to make it up the hill. Maybe the snow in Colorado is different from the snow in Iowa? We live on a hill and if it's snowing the car will not make it up the hill. It's like fighting Mike Tyson with my hands tied behind my back. Beside this death-trap feature, I love the car.
Traction control and anti-lock brakes were designed for people too stupid to actually drive a car.
I am actually more scared of potholes with my car than ice or snow.
#35
Re: Prius FAQ: Snow and Ice vs Traction Control
I have a late 2006 Prius that does the severe cut-power thing. In a recent storm I had a car slide out into the road ahead of me on a hill, requiring an almost complete stop on my part. Getting up the rest of the hill was agonizing at ~2 mph. I would much rather have had some tire spinning to get down to asphault.
Here's the rub -- I ordered package #2, which does NOT include traction control. So why does my car do this? And how can I make it stop?
Here's the rub -- I ordered package #2, which does NOT include traction control. So why does my car do this? And how can I make it stop?
#36
Re: Prius FAQ: Snow and Ice vs Traction Control
No modern day FWD or F/awd vehicle is likely to get shipped without TC, the insurance companies have prevailed again. It may be VSC that you didn't get, not TC.
#37
Re: Prius FAQ: Snow and Ice vs Traction Control
First I want to thank everyone for your help. I live in North Alabama and drive a 2003, NHW11 Prius and really don't have much experience with these systems except for one rainy day, ABS stop. So this is what I've added to the FAQ:
THANK YOU!
Bob Wilson
The optional, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) is an electronic system designed to help the driver maintain steering control with hard steering. The standard Traction Control (TRAC) cuts power to prevent wheel spin with hard accelerator. The standard Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) prevents a wheel from locking up with hard braking. All three systems require quality tires designed for the road surface, either paved, water, snow or ice covered.
I really wouldn't have tried to add this without your excellent help and postings.THANK YOU!
Bob Wilson
#38
Re: Prius FAQ: Snow and Ice vs Traction Control
VSC, Vehicle Stability Control, is a system that will use selective braking to correct for any "yaw". Yaw is a condition in which the vehicle is not following the "line" set by the position, angle, of the stearing wheels. Overstearing/plowing and understearing/skidding, are both instances of yaw, potential loss of directional control of the vehicle.
The most typical VSC response to overstearing is to apply the brakes to the front wheel to the outside of the condition while simultaneously dethrottling the engine. For understearing/plowing the most common response is to apply both rear brakes while also dethrottling the engine.
The most typical VSC response to overstearing is to apply the brakes to the front wheel to the outside of the condition while simultaneously dethrottling the engine. For understearing/plowing the most common response is to apply both rear brakes while also dethrottling the engine.
#39
Re: Prius FAQ: Snow and Ice vs Traction Control
HI all you Hyper-Milers - My 2007 Touring is wearing one-size-smaller-than standard-for-a-Touring 15" American Alloy style 126 rims and Toyo Observe G-02 super-siped tires. We have had an even more severe winter here in N-E Oregon this year than last, but the Toyos get me through on my winter daily commute (70 mi round-trip) and the road runs along the Blue Mountains up to nearly 3,000 feet. LOTs of packed snow and ice and ice-fog. The Traction Control does its thing on starting and will DEFINITELY stop you from getting out in front of on-coming traffic! The yaw sensor function (also used by the Nav system, btw) also kick in when the driving gets even more sporty! The Trac light blinks, and the BEEPER kicks in to say "HEY, cut it out - this isn't a Corvair!)
Two problems are obvious for winter - NO ground clearance for those deep ruts, and the rear lights are coated with snow in a mile or two. Problem #1? Gonna get one of them 6" lift kits and put some DUBs on . #2 - got nothin.
JUST about to 44,000 miles - my first 1,000 gallons! NO problems so far
Two problems are obvious for winter - NO ground clearance for those deep ruts, and the rear lights are coated with snow in a mile or two. Problem #1? Gonna get one of them 6" lift kits and put some DUBs on . #2 - got nothin.
JUST about to 44,000 miles - my first 1,000 gallons! NO problems so far
#40
Re: Prius FAQ: Snow and Ice vs Traction Control
I have had mine get stuck on a snowy hill because it rolled backwards against the curb. 2 feet of snow, but the streets were plowed. If I even get stuck in the middle of nowhere and get frost bite they will have a lawsuit on their hands. I totally don't understand why they would build in a "turtle on his back" feature on these cars.
"Traction Control does its thing on starting and will DEFINITELY stop you from getting out in front of on-coming traffic!" THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION and should be a recall issue !!!
"Traction Control does its thing on starting and will DEFINITELY stop you from getting out in front of on-coming traffic!" THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION and should be a recall issue !!!
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