1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Snow Joyride

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by morpheusx, Mar 8, 2008.

  1. morpheusx

    morpheusx Professor Chaos

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2007
    1,555
    81
    0
    Location:
    Akron, OH
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Here in Akron it has been snowing now for close to about 30 hours straight now. Total accumulation I would estimate to say at least 18 inches or more plus even larger drifts. I think I'm about to take the Prius out and have some fun. I should post some pics.
     
  2. morpheusx

    morpheusx Professor Chaos

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2007
    1,555
    81
    0
    Location:
    Akron, OH
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Well so much for the fun. I got stuck in the driveway when I got out I went around the block and decided it best to stay home. Then I decided to just take out the wife's Beetle instead (new tires). But I did see a green Prius running out there, with a woman driver who looked scared to death. LOL
     
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,768
    16,017
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
  4. schoonie

    schoonie Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2008
    8
    0
    0
    Location:
    NE Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    I just happen to be in Stow(just north of Akron) right now, sitting for my granddaughters while son and dil are on vacation and was facinated by your string start. A year ago I would not have attempted going anywhere in my Prius if there was more than an inch or two of snow. Now that I've replaced the wimpy Good Year originals with Bridgestone Insignias the confidence level is up several notches. Had I known the difference it would make, I'd have ignored my basic frugality and changed out the tires from day one. Live and learn.;)
     
  5. dustyhuskie

    dustyhuskie Itchy Tomato

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2008
    36
    0
    0
    Location:
    Plainfield, IL
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I did have a question about driving in snow. I haven't had a car with ABS, TC, VSC before. Flooring it was usually sufficient to get my old car moving. We got about 4-5" of snow and I was able to get the car out of the driveway but it got stuck as soon as it lost momentum. I tried to shift from R, D, B and kept stepping on the gas but it never budged an inch. After about five minute a plow driver and pick-up driver (thanks guys wherever you are) pushed me on to a street that had been plowed. Other than getting kitty litter, a shovel, and an old rug, does anyone have tips on how drive the Prius in snow? I assume that the TC immobilized the car?
     
  6. morpheusx

    morpheusx Professor Chaos

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2007
    1,555
    81
    0
    Location:
    Akron, OH
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I think its definitely a tire thing. At the beginning of winter I was pretty happy with how the Integrities handled in the snow. I was even able to get enough traction to rock the vehicle if I got stuck or bottomed out and get loose, but somewhere around 23,000 miles on the stock tires and they seem to have enough wear that they no longer grip very well if the snow is heavy. They seem to have quite a bit of tread left on them, but they are gone come next winter.
     
  7. HardCase

    HardCase SilverPineMica, the green one

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2007
    408
    10
    0
    Location:
    Kalispell, Montana
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    It's both a tire issue and a 'traction control' one as well. I've noticed with mine that if I'm moving and keep up some momentum, even just a little bit, I'm usually okay, but stop in 4" or more of snow and you're stuck, can't spin a tire. I still have the stock Integrities and while I've heard them disparaged at great length on this forum, have found them to be okay for driving on snow/ice if one is reasonable and prudent. I'm sure that a better snow tire is going to help some, but isn't going to make a snowmobile out of any Prius. When the snow gets deep, I drive my Jeep.....or, now, my Tacoma (sold the gas-guzzling Jeep and got a Taco just this past week).
     
  8. dustyhuskie

    dustyhuskie Itchy Tomato

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2008
    36
    0
    0
    Location:
    Plainfield, IL
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Thanks for the info. So, if the TC is causing the problem, is there anyway to overcome it (or bypass TC)? I tried switching into B which I figured was kind of like low gear, but that didn't seem to help. Or I was so flustered I may not have changed gears properly?:)
     
  9. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2004
    13,439
    639
    0
    Location:
    Winnipeg Manitoba
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    I thought only the early 2004-2005 Prius had the aggressive TC? At least mine does, on "all season" tires I was helpless at icy intersections, and stuck in 3-4 inches of snow.

    The best upgrade you can make is to run an aggressive studded snow tire for winter driving. I've always used studded tires in winter, and the Prius seems to appreciate the traction benefit more than most cars

    I'm quite happy with the Goodyear Nordic I got from Canadian Tire. They are the same as the Goodyear Ultra Grip 500 sold in Europe

    Goodyear Eur-Winter Tire-UltraGrip 500

    As you can tell, the tread pattern is directional and *very* aggressive. The tread compound is soft like a Bridgestone Blizzak winter tire, with the capability to add studs. At icy intersections, I have been able to dust awd Subaru's and Audi's running "all season" tires

    However, once the car bogs down in deep snow, it's impossible to "rock" it out. My 2007 FJ Cruiser also has full time TC, but it actually allows wheelspin. I have purposely driven into snowbanks in 2wd, just to see how far it would go before stopping.

    Once it bogs down, a bit of rocking and it's free. FYI I also run winter tires on my FJ: Toyo Open Country G-02 Plus. Excellent snow and ok ice traction, my Prius still has the advantage on ice

    So if you live in a region with "real" winter conditions, consider "real" winter tires. You probably can't get the Canadian Tire Goodyear Nordic tires in the US, consider the factory studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5
     
  10. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2004
    13,439
    639
    0
    Location:
    Winnipeg Manitoba
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    No, there is not. Well, there *is* a service manual procedure, but I won't discuss it. You could destroy the cvt using that procedure, which is one hell of a lot more expensive than a tow
     
  11. dustyhuskie

    dustyhuskie Itchy Tomato

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2008
    36
    0
    0
    Location:
    Plainfield, IL
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Thanks so much jayman. I test drove a ford (might have been a focus) and they had a little button that allowed you to turn on/off the TC. The guys had to push the car all the way to the plowed street before the tires would spin again. Quite embarrassing. Toyota should have really put a disable button on the vehicle. If this was truely a sudden blizzard on unplowed roads, itchy would have had to wait to be plowed out. We did have about 6" of snow in an hour a year ago, so its a possibility. I will be looking into getting snow tires for next year.
     
  12. V8Cobrakid

    V8Cobrakid Green Handyman

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2004
    3,790
    152
    0
    Location:
    Park View, Los Angeles, CA. U.S.A
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    with my experiance.. it's a traction thing.. and an acceleration thing.

    when you tell the prius to go.. go.. just floor it till you get up to speed.

    also.. get better tires. my goodyear comforthreads were champs in the snow :)

    traction control was slowing you down. if you have an 04 or 05, you can disable it with a "code". you can burn up the hybrid system.. so user beware.