Steep snowy driveway

There were a lot of posts about this sort of thing last winter. Some people have had pretty good luck with good quality snow tires. One problem may be the Prius traction control, it's designed to protect the gear set and doesn't allow any slippage at all. So if you can get up a hill in other cars by letting the wheels spin a bit to get down to the pavement you may find you can't do that with the Prius. I found that I didn't really have any problems, even using all season tires, but we didn't have much snow here last winter and my driveway isn't steep. The VSC works great.

Here is a topic on the subject:

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=13360&hl=

Here are some others:

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=11817&hl=
http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=11892&hl=

The search function at this site works pretty good, if you get stuff that's to general just search for one or two words such as "traction" or "winter tires".

 

If the traction control kicks in, some people have had success by "flooring it" since I guess that tells the car you really, really do want to go forward. You'll go slowly, but you'll likely get where you want to go. You might try test driving a Prius during the weather you're concerned about to see if it will work.

 

hi!

ive had no other problems than any other 2wd car.. had a terrible winter her in Norway /oslo this winter. The prius never got stuck... sure on bad tires i would been lost in the snow, but so would any other car.

illegal to Not use winter tires here in that season..... and good winter tires like the NOKIAN HAKKAPELIITTA RSi or simmilar really make a huge difference....


cheers
Andreas

 

Good snow tires and floor it when the traction control kicks in. You have to floor it to tell the computer you are serious about moving, otherwise the traction control backs way off on speed. It's not like a conventional throttle: the engine won't race or spin the tires, it will just crawl up the hill as long as it is physically possible.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JohnMcSoft @ Jul 6 2006, 01:01 AM) [snapback]281828[/snapback]</div>

I'm in northern NJ and my driveway is also ridiculously steep. Unlike you, the slope is south facing, but shaded, so if I don't get it cleared before any cars run over it, it can becomes a bobsled run that even my 4WD requires a running start to get up! Last winter, I made the mistake of taking out the Prius after a classic eastern snow/ice/freezing rain event and with the Integrity tires not only could I not get up the driveway, the car started rolling back down (and kept sliding down, brakes or no brakes) until it came to rest against the stone retaining wall on one side of the driveway. FWIW, I couldn't walk up the driveway either, had to traipse through the garden where there was still a solid covering of snow over the ice and terraces to break up the slope. Next winter, its either new tires or the car is staying in the garage any time it snows.

As always, YMMV <_<

Vince

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Jul 6 2006, 08:56 AM) [snapback]281921[/snapback]</div>

I'd say floor it before it kicks in. I've made it up a number of slippery roads/driveways (one was solid ice) and the only way I made it was to get a running start and have it floored the whole way. I was at least at 30-35mph when I hit it and at about 10mph by the time I reached the top, but it kept going the whole way.

In 6" of snow, forget it - you'd never make it. Keep it plowed though and with good snow tires I think you'd do ok.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JohnMcSoft @ Jul 6 2006, 05:29 PM) [snapback]282224[/snapback]</div>

The integrity tires are the tires that came with it, and you'll want to replace them for your situation.

I have sloped driveway, I quickly discovered that when it snows the Prius just won't make it all the way up the driveway. I've even had the car just slide sideways!

As someone else mentioned, the traction control on the Prius is not like a regular car. It's designed to protect the gearset, not you. It's a bit disconcerting when you pull out of a gas station, hit a puddle, and the engine cuts out because of wheelslip (you can get killed on Route 10 that way).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JohnMcSoft @ Jul 6 2006, 06:33 PM) [snapback]282243[/snapback]</div>

You just always need to make sure you have adequate room. And then it never hurts to hope that the other drivers on the road are paying attention. If you have adequate room, you should be able to pull out and stop and they should be able to avoid you.

I say "should", since there are many drivers out there that are just plain bad. And I wouldn't say it's a common problem. I've only had it happen to me in a very few incidents.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JohnMcSoft @ Jul 6 2006, 06:33 PM) [snapback]282243[/snapback]</div>

Keep it hammered, and give yourself more room than you would normally need before you pull out. Generally it's only a momentary loss of power, granted a total loss of power, until you get through the puddle and the tires get traction again.

 

I live in IDAHO and believe it or not we have WINTER and lots of snow. I purchased studded snow tires for my Prius and I have not had a problem getting into my drive way or anywhere else I choose to drive.

Studded Snow Tires are awesome and I had better traction than my wife's mini-van.

Good Luck!!

 

We've had our Prius through the tail end of one winter and one full winter. It's been on wet snow, dry snow, slush, glare ice, pebbly ice. We live in rural Maine, up one steep hill to get to the driveway then up the drive way to get to park. It handles all of that like a champ. Those hills are steep, and I regularly tow other folks cars up with the 4x4.

If you can drive on crud, it'll go like a 4wd as long as you don't high center it. If you can't drive on crud, it will be the pits. But then so will any other car with traction control. If one has no control of the throttle the car will control it for you. FWIW, if the tires begin to slip, simply backing off of the throttle works just fine to keep traction control from taking over.

Get good snow tires, either studded or "ice grip" work fine. Also bear in mind that under some conditions it's simply foolhardy to go out at all unless one has a snowmobile or chains on all 4 tires.

We did the NJ commuting thing for more years than I care to count. Better you than me. We got out of Dodge.

 

See if they look at you funny when you ask to test-drive it in the
snow...
.
_H*

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26 @ Jul 6 2006, 05:56 PM) [snapback]282230[/snapback]</div>

I've had that happen when there was some gravel on the pavement. IMO it is a very poor implementation that will eventually end up in a law suit after someone gets creamed and suddenly all Prius will be labeled unsafe. :blink:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Brian K @ Jul 6 2006, 07:57 PM) [snapback]282271[/snapback]</div>

OK, what is your secret? What tires do you have?

 

There is no secret, except being true to oneself. Most folks, if asked, can drive on anything. Heck, I've read their posts on this forum. The truth is, that some surfaces can't be driven on, except with extreme vehicles and equipment, and the rest actually require the driver to know how to drive on it; even with TC and VSC and I love them both in the Prius implementation; it truly is a phenominal vehicle. Technology doesn't take the place of skill, never has and never will. If it ever does, I'll be long dead and I have a few more years to go by my reckoning.

The proof of what I write is in the driving. The Prius is a super vehicle in the crud, our experience proves it. Heck, my wife isn't a good driver in crud (by her admission), yet the Prius performs for her despite her protests. If it doesn't perform for anyone else, and few have conditions worse than we do, well, that's a gauge as to their ability, despite their claims of expertise (everyone is an expert driver; just ask 'em). When my wife makes the decision to stay home I take the Prius to work. Those experiences have shown me the capabilities of the vehicle. I have chosen the Prius over my 4x4 Tacoma and the Tacoma has a snow plow on it; it's extremely capable.

Our Prius tires are nothing to hang a claim on; Dunlop Graspic DS2, no studs, ice grip. The difference, despite my wifes protestations, is the ability to actually control the large amount of low end torque the Prius has with it's electric motor (throttle control). Practice makes perfect.

FWIW, the standard tires were junk on wet snow, but OK for summer conditions. If you live in the snow belt get good tires for the conditions. Lets see.... tires and rims cost maybe $400. An accident deductable costs 400+. Do the math. Traction and control is cheap in comparison. It boggles my mind when folks in the snow belt even question this. Yet I've read their posts. Obviously, they're gamblers on the longshot, or else they're living in a crowd where they have no control on who crashes into them and think that having no control of their vehicle damage makes them one of the herd. I just don't get it and never have.

I hope that answers your question. If not , then get back to me.