Going up the driveway on ice and Traction Control

I don't know. I've got the Blizzak Revo-1's and try as hard as I might, I can't get it to go out of control. Driving in the same conditions in my jeep, I could easily have gotten it to slid - not in the prius. I've also floored it in my driveway, which is very slippery right now and it still moves. Haven't hit a really bad hill yet.

 

Michalopoulosqk,

I had the same thing happen to me today. I was coming up my very, very steep driveway on rough ice (same as you) and came to a complete stop halfway up. The accelerator did not work- it didn't do anything- I, too, backed up in a cul-de sac (really) and came up with more speed and made it to the top. I live in Colorado Springs which is also full of hills and stop and go driving in the winter. I have Michelin X-ice and have been getting around town just fine, but now I'm nervous about being on a hill and stopping. This is not in my head or yours, it really happened.

 

I didn't stop on my driveway. I would never stop halfway up because I know even 4wd vehicles need the momentum to get up to the top. The car quit moving and the accelerator would not accelerate. Really weird. I've lived in the same home for 24 years and have driven about every kind of car and suv up the driveway and never had one just stop and not accelerate. I don't know what was happening. I don't remember if traction came on.

 

I can understand your concern. I have driven emergency vehicles in icy mountain conditions (6000-8000' elevation) for decades. Sliding sideways in a 40,000# fire truck with chains on is a thrill I don't wish to relive. (saved it)

Getting back to your question. The only real answer I can humbly offer is 'traction'. You did the snow tires, good, but studs might have helped more.

If the conditions are that slippery, the car will just refuse to LOSE contact with the ground.

The wheels would be spinning otherwise, this is sensed by the system to keep you from sliding, as you know.
And you would be grinding away in the same conditions in a non-equipped prius, may or may not be making any headway. Or with a lateral camber on the road, sliding sideways into a parked car or ditch.

The tire contact patch is your focus.

You didn't mention what you drove in your driveway previously. how did that compare?

 

I know how you feel I live in farm country in S.W Lower MI right in the lake effect snow band. near ST. Joe .All the roads are hilly and dangerous are County only uses sand in spots to treat the roads. I live in a gully so to get to the street we need to get up that 60 foot long asphalt driveway strait up like yours. This is my second winter with the Prius and found for not losing control on straight roads is great but the traction control is treble. I'm very experienced in driving in snow and ice 25 plus years and driven dozen of autos through the years. I replaced my tires with Triple treads to try to help some it did on flat roads but not hills The traction kicks in and your dead in the water! The other day I needed to get up the driveway couldn't make it up with the Prius so I used my Daughters Saturn SL1 with OEM tires they spun but got me up and out.

 

I know it doesn't help those currently having problems, but it looks like Toyota would address this problem. I've heard that the sensitivity of the traction control is designed to prevent a burnout of the electric motor. Since traction control is almost certainly computer controlled, seems like it would be no big deal for Toyota to simply cut the electric motor out of the loop in those situations where it could be damaged. Just automatically switch over to ICE only.

How about it Toyota. If this would work, why not do an program update and eliminate this issue from discussion on the various Prius forums.

 

I use Michelin Xice snow tires. My old car was a Mercedes 190D with Nokian studded snows. There is a hill near my house I could never go up after a snow storm, that I can get up with the Prius at least the times I tried. I could not stop and start up again but had to back down. Tried that just as an experiment.

But on glare wet ice I've been stuck in intersections just creeping along on flat road.

I got spikes spiders for the car to use when it gets really bad around here. And next time I get snows I wll go back to studded tires and put up with the noise.