Does your Prius get stupid on wet snow and ice?

daronspicher · 03-06-2006, 08:31 PM

A month or two ago, there were a couple threads dealing with their prius basically yielding to the traction control system when on wet slush or ice. That seemed real wrong to me, and was a concern for me buying the car.

Yesterday we drove in the Chicagoland snowfall and the car did great, but I didn't test any of this.

This morning our driveway had about 3 or 4 inches of real wet snow on it, so I thought I'd try some stuff out.

Our driveway slopes slightly down toward the street, about 100 feet long.

Going up the driveway, the car grabs and paws and keeps going.. seemingly the same as my wife's frontwheel drive car.

Going down hill, it is fine. I stopped and tried backing up (expecting it should just spin).. and it does.. It was trying.. and that was a good thing to see.

Which is different than I was reading about in previous threads where the trac basically takes over and there is no action to the wheels.

Now that I have the car, I just wanted to chime in with my experience being "As expected"... at least with this situation.

lowspeed · 03-06-2006, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by daronspicher@Mar 6 2006, 08:31 PM
A month or two ago, there were a couple threads dealing with their prius basically yielding to the traction control system when on wet slush or ice. That seemed real wrong to me, and was a concern for me buying the car.

Yesterday we drove in the Chicagoland snowfall and the car did great, but I didn't test any of this.

This morning our driveway had about 3 or 4 inches of real wet snow on it, so I thought I'd try some stuff out.

Our driveway slopes slightly down toward the street, about 100 feet long.

Going up the driveway, the car grabs and paws and keeps going.. seemingly the same as my wife's frontwheel drive car.

Going down hill, it is fine. I stopped and tried backing up (expecting it should just spin).. and it does.. It was trying.. and that was a good thing to see.

Which is different than I was reading about in previous threads where the trac basically takes over and there is no action to the wheels.

Now that I have the car, I just wanted to chime in with my experience being "As expected"... at least with this situation.

[snapback]221410[/snapback]

When you say backing up ... did you go reverse ? or did you do a 180 and go up hill ?

Bill Lumbergh · 03-06-2006, 08:40 PM

The Prius handles quite competently on hard ice and any type of snow. Good tires enhance the performance, of course. Only times I have had issues were when the snow was about 6" deep and unplowed, and on a steep parking area covered in thick glare ice. Never got stuck, though.

daronspicher · 03-06-2006, 08:40 PM

I did it both ways...

Stopped going downhill, tried reverse.. didn't get far.. but it was trying, spinning.. but stuck.. as I expected..

Driving up the driveway, it did better, and was able to 'claw' it's way to the top and into the garage. I could feel the car shuttering left and right slipping and spinning a bit but keeping going. It really was what I would expect... and I was glad to see it work.

To have the car just go to thud and not even 'try' as I was reading in some posts over the winter would have been disappointing.

SW03ES · 03-06-2006, 08:41 PM

Personally I find the Prius to be excellent in the snow, far better than my FWD Lexus. I haven't experienced any of this trac rendering the car immobile. I think its probably an issue of learning how to drive this particular car in the snow. Out of our two cars, this is the one I choose to drive in the snow.

michalopoulosgk · 03-06-2006, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by daronspicher@Mar 6 2006, 09:40 PM
I did it both ways...

Stopped going downhill, tried reverse.. didn't get far.. but it was trying, spinning.. but stuck.. as I expected..

Driving up the driveway, it did better, and was able to 'claw' it's way to the top and into the garage. I could feel the car shuttering left and right slipping and spinning a bit but keeping going. It really was what I would expect... and I was glad to see it work.

To have the car just go to thud and not even 'try' as I was reading in some posts over the winter would have been disappointing.

[snapback]221417[/snapback]

Try going half way up the driveway, then stop, then try to start again. That was the way it happened to me and the car completely stalled, went dead. I had to back up downwards to the black top and then start again. It is fine as long as the car keeps going. Once you stop on snow going uphill, however, then I found it difficult to make it start going again. That is when the traction control took over, in my case.

lowspeed · 03-06-2006, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by michalopoulosgk@Mar 6 2006, 08:49 PM
Try going half way up the driveway, then stop, then try to start again. That was the way it happened to me and the car completely stalled, went dead. I had to back up downwards to the black top and then start again. It is fine as long as the car keeps going. Once you stop on snow going uphill, however, then I found it difficult to make it start going again. That is when the traction control took over, in my case.

[snapback]221425[/snapback]

Thats what happend to me on an 04... I wonder if they "cured" the problem on 06's

Sufferin' Prius Envy · 03-06-2006, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by daronspicher@Mar 6 2006, 05:40 PM
I could feel the car shuttering left and right slipping and spinning a bit but keeping going. It really was what I would expect... and I was glad to see it work.
[snapback]221417[/snapback]

Does your Prius have Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)? When I play in the snow with my VSC Prii, it felt quite sure footed, even with OEM tires . . . no left/right anything.
If I lived in snow country, I'm sure I would get a set of good winter tires on their own rims - but for my purposes OEM is ok.

Speaking of snow country, only one you posters in this thread so far has bothered to place your location in your profile. Please do it . . . it can help you get a correct answer to a question.

daronspicher · 03-07-2006, 08:52 PM

I tried this all again this morning. This time, I stopped going up hill on the ice and snow. It was colder this morning so it was actually worse conditions for slick.

After I stopped, it was pretty good at getting going. I was pleased. I don' tknow how to explain it, but 'pawing' a bit from side to side is what it seemed / felt like. I got going forward and would have been on my way. Well, to keep going, I'd be on my way off the end of the driveway into the grass..

I have 2006, package 5 which I believe has the VSC.

MyPria · 03-07-2006, 09:22 PM

I had a 2005 with MichelinX-ice snow tires stop dead on my very steep driveway. It wouldn't do anything till I put it in reverse. Scarry. I now have a 2006 with the same Michelin tires and I have not had the problem. Maybe it has been corrected. By the way, it was not my driving that was the problem in the 05. I've lived in the same house for 25 years and have had about 25 different cars, and not one besides my 05 Prius ever stopped dead.

03-06-2006, 08:31 PM	#1
daronspicher Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,205 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	A month or two ago, there were a couple threads dealing with their prius basically yielding to the traction control system when on wet slush or ice. That seemed real wrong to me, and was a concern for me buying the car. Yesterday we drove in the Chicagoland snowfall and the car did great, but I didn't test any of this. This morning our driveway had about 3 or 4 inches of real wet snow on it, so I thought I'd try some stuff out. Our driveway slopes slightly down toward the street, about 100 feet long. Going up the driveway, the car grabs and paws and keeps going.. seemingly the same as my wife's frontwheel drive car. Going down hill, it is fine. I stopped and tried backing up (expecting it should just spin).. and it does.. It was trying.. and that was a good thing to see. Which is different than I was reading about in previous threads where the trac basically takes over and there is no action to the wheels. Now that I have the car, I just wanted to chime in with my experience being "As expected"... at least with this situation. __________________ My Lifetime MPG is: Lifetime Stats Down with VFTW, KeepTheBestIdol.com instead...

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03-06-2006, 08:40 PM	#3
Bill Lumbergh USAF Aircraft Maintainer Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Marysville, CA Posts: 516 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #1 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 1	The Prius handles quite competently on hard ice and any type of snow. Good tires enhance the performance, of course. Only times I have had issues were when the snow was about 6" deep and unplowed, and on a steep parking area covered in thick glare ice. Never got stuck, though.

03-06-2006, 08:41 PM	#5
SW03ES Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Posts: 1,114 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Personally I find the Prius to be excellent in the snow, far better than my FWD Lexus. I haven't experienced any of this trac rendering the car immobile. I think its probably an issue of learning how to drive this particular car in the snow. Out of our two cars, this is the one I choose to drive in the snow.

03-07-2006, 08:52 PM	#9
daronspicher Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,205 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I tried this all again this morning. This time, I stopped going up hill on the ice and snow. It was colder this morning so it was actually worse conditions for slick. After I stopped, it was pretty good at getting going. I was pleased. I don' tknow how to explain it, but 'pawing' a bit from side to side is what it seemed / felt like. I got going forward and would have been on my way. Well, to keep going, I'd be on my way off the end of the driveway into the grass.. I have 2006, package 5 which I believe has the VSC.

03-07-2006, 09:22 PM	#10
MyPria Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorful Colorado Posts: 70 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I had a 2005 with MichelinX-ice snow tires stop dead on my very steep driveway. It wouldn't do anything till I put it in reverse. Scarry. I now have a 2006 with the same Michelin tires and I have not had the problem. Maybe it has been corrected. By the way, it was not my driving that was the problem in the 05. I've lived in the same house for 25 years and have had about 25 different cars, and not one besides my 05 Prius ever stopped dead.