Louder North Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 We got a record amount on snow yesterday - over 50 cm. I'm lucky I made it home as the C Max was on the verge to getting stuck many times. Many side streets were not yet plowed when I drove home. I do have snow tires but the snow was so deep, that I am sure that at times, it lofted the car into the air. When trying to accelerate in a particularly deep snowy/slushy area, it felt that the accelerator was not connected to the engine. Is that one of the traction systems in the car - that when both front wheels do not have any traction, they don't spin? Anyone else have this experience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbov Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 Welcome to traction control. If you're accustomed to using a little wheel spin in snow, you will find the car very odd to drive. The brakes will stop any one wheel from spinning, and the throttle will, if both spin. I find it disconcerting, as the car tends to dart sideways as wheels slip or grip. It can be disabled, but I never think of it at the right time. It's only been an issue for me in deep snow (but I stayed home yesterday). That said, it's been awhile since I noticed it, so perhaps the calibrations have changed. Or it's been a warm winter... HAve fun,Frank scottwood2, djc and Louder North 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 We got a record amount on snow yesterday - over 50 cm. I'm lucky I made it home as the C Max was on the verge to getting stuck many times. Many side streets were not yet plowed when I drove home. I do have snow tires but the snow was so deep, that I am sure that at times, it lofted the car into the air. When trying to accelerate in a particularly deep snowy/slushy area, it felt that the accelerator was not connected to the engine. Is that one of the traction systems in the car - that when both front wheels do not have any traction, they don't spin? Anyone else have this experience?You can disable traction control via the left hand settings screen, but you have to do it every time you power up the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louder North Posted February 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 You can disable traction control via the left hand settings screen, but you have to do it every time you power up the car.OK. Good to know. Might try it as an experiment. I have been talking around with others at work and I hear the use of this technology is quite widespread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WNY Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 Definately have to get used to the Traction Control, it pretty much kills traction and acceleration when it kicks on. Yes, it feels like you lost all power. here's our street the other morning. 4"-5" or so. Hiway wasn't much better, a lot of snow and slush. We got more throughout the day (8" total) It did really well, just as long I didn't try to accelerate too fast. the Michelan xIce Tires seem to have good traction. djc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestevens Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 (edited) I had a similar problem with my HHR. It's not a true 4x4 differential - it's sort of a poor man's version - the idea is to automatically use ABS to reduce speed for a drive wheel until that particular wheel gets traction again, except that my friend lives on a hill with a steep grade and an almost 90 degree turn at the bottom. So I'd gotten my HHR halfway up the hill with the throttle floored but apparently the wheels could get "no" traction at any speed according to the algorithm in the computer. So the car is basically stationary with the wheels not turning at all and the throttle to the floor. My friend was unhappy because he thought I had let up on the throttle. Like the other poster it was a long day, a stressful situation - I had forgotten all about putting it in Low first, which disables the T/C on the HHR - I have no doubt it probably would have gone right up the hill the first time if I remembered to do that - of course the more times you try, the more you heat up the road which makes it more slick. When I finally got home my friend called and said the plow truck came by about 5 minutes after I left. Needless to say I never visited him with my Gen 2 Prius because on that car Toyota made it so you couldn't disable T/C - for fear that the instant/extra torque would damage the drivetrain. I think T/C can be disabled in the Gen 3 now..and like others pointed out you can set it in the Driver Settings for the C-MAX, if you remember to do so at the time. Edited February 19, 2016 by jestevens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louder North Posted February 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 The thing is, that on the day we had that 50+ cm of snow, I made it home! So as much as it seems like we are losing control when it seems there is no link between the throttle and the wheels turning, it actually does work. For jestevens, there is no guarantee you would have made it up the hill with TC turned off... or try going up a snow covered hill with TC turned on (hopefully with no one else behind you), then try it again with it turned off and see how far up you get. Did you have snow tires? obob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestevens Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 (edited) Considering that ground clearance is just under 14cm I think you did pretty good. I had all season radials on the HHR. I was tired and frustrated the first time, i just wasn't thinking to turm the T/C off. I had managed the turn at the bottom and was making good progress about halfway up, the grade was constant.. Oh well, I traded both that car and the prius in for C-MAX .. I'm pretty happy. Edited February 22, 2016 by jestevens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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