Uphill does not seem to be a problem but going downhill what a nightmare.

This morning had the car in 2nd gear, low revs, going down hill with quite a bit of snow covering the road. Just touched the brakes ever so slightly and the ABS cut in. Took my foot off but the car was still sliding and gaining speed. Again just touched the brakes, ABS cut in again. With a car stuck in snow in front of me, I had to take evasive action and got the car to slide sideways until I got a bit of grip and managed to pull into a side street. Phew!!! Going back uphill was no problem at all.

What am I doing wrong? Should I disconnect the ABS fuse? Car is great on flat roads or uphill where I pass loads of cars that are stuck in snow BUT I am unable to stop the Scooby when trying to go downhill.
I'm just pleased that the car is still in one piece and there was no damage done but as I live at the top of a hill, next time it snows, I will be too wary of taking my Scooby out until the roads are gritted and clear of ice and snow!!

Any advice?

 

I just disconnected the ABS on my puma and it made matters alot better at least you get braking from the wheels that aren't on the ice now.

 

Another reason to get a Jap Import Type R/RA with the electric diff. No ABS and locking the diff makes it difficult to lock any wheels!

Viva STI!!

 

dont use the brakes, change down into first

 

Use the handbrake to lock the rear wheels to try and get them to bite into the snow.

Shouldn't cause too many probs with the centre diff if you're only travelling slowly.

Andy

 

See my posting on the scoobynet last week where I experienced very similar and scary experience, luckily not creating serious damage.

I believe it's all a function of the wide standard tyres in cold conditions where they generate close to zero grip under braking. Traction is however OK. A few of us up north are looking at fitting winter tyres, probably 205/50-17 instead of the normal 225/45-17 on the Sti.

Friend with WRX has fitted gislaved with good results. If your car doesn't have big brakes go for a second set of wheels and fit even narrower tyres.

Have a look at the Toyo, Pirelli and Michelin websites as they have useful info on sizes available.

 

Since changing the Scoob for a, cough, German car, i forgot just how enthusiastic the ABS on the scoob was in the snow, causing some very scary moments.
Take it steady.

 

Basically the scoobs with standard/bigger tyres on are always gonna be a nightmare ABS or not.

Any car with the big wide tyres on will not grip. Snow tyres are the answer or don't take the car out at all.

I am not taking mine out in the snow, I'm too much of a wuss and I hate that out-of-control feeling you get when the car slides.

 

Have you got snow in Harrogate, I'm coming over if you have, chuff all in Skipton

I have a Fiesta and it's pants in the snow, don't think 195/45's help though

 

The answer is the lowest gear you can reasonably engage, take your feet off the pedals, and steer gently.... it is scary at first.

in snow/ice 4wd give much improved traction, but does little to improve braking or cornering

Colin.

 

No snow in Harrogate at the moment

 

Most performance road tyres are also crap on the snow. If you dont want the ABS, then just pull the fuse..

 

IMHO the Scooby ABS system is pants, bordering on ****e.. Had a similar brown trouser moment in Zurich last year when the bloody thing just wouldn't stop on a gentle slope.

For reference, the wifes Pug 306 switches off abs below about 15kmh. The scooby one just keeps pulsing and won't stop you on snow/ice. Mind you, the wifes Pug wouldn't start yesterday, so the superior ABS system was not actually of much use. :O

This is surely a design fault on the Impreza??

Have had Winter tyres on mine since end Nov as a precaution and don't regret it one bit!! Mind you there aren't any hills here!

Suresh

 

I reckon you're right, because I tried the same today. What happened to 'with ABS steering control cannot be lost'? Once the ABS kicks in, whirling the wheel in either direction doesn't seem to do a lot
Did quite a bit of cadence braking to get it pointing the right way after the ABS had screwed it up.

 

I though that the ABS (MY02) was four channel. Therefore if your left two wheels are on ice and right wheels on dry tarmac the ABS will be really helpful in slowing you in a straight line? Unless you have left and right brake pedals you cannot replicate this with cadence braking.

Sits back, prepared to be educated.

 

Jason, many thanks for that link, it's very useful reading.

Just reading that page reminded me about the "turn into the skid" thing. I don't want to hijack this thread but the snow is coming down really heavy here at the minute and I don't have winter tyres on so...tomorrow could be "fun". Um....(cough, cough) I really should have bought tyres before now but...Xmas, y'know?! Kinda left me a bit skint.

Staying on topic...

"Turning into the skid", does this mean that if the front of the car is going right (for example) and the back is going even more right and the whole shebang is sliding...should I turn the steering wheel gently to the right to try and get grip? My natural reaction would be to turn the wheel to the left which to my mind means turning against the skid (or into it) and getting grip that way before gently accelerating.

It's really a question of semantics and how people read the phrase "turn into the skid" but I've never really known which way it should go.

Sooo...Which way should the steering wheel be turned? Thanks for your patience.

Who wants the corner? I'm not sure which way to steer into it !

[Edited by STi-Frenchie - 1/8/2003 7:20:43 PM]

 

Ideal solution may be to rig up a panic/ice/snow switch at fingertips to cut abs power..?

 

If the rear of the car is going / then the you need to steer \ and vice virsa.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I think the better thing all round with the Scooby is not to take it down a hill in the snow, full stop. I don't want another worrying experience like I had this morning. Looking at other people's stories, some people have not been as fortunate as me. I could have ended up in the back of another car but more of a miracle than skill, I managed to slide into a side street and come to a standstill inches from those nasty kerbs!
My car is now back in the garage, all locked up and in perfect condition. My solution, well I am getting a run around with skinny tyres for £500, I will use that car to get to work in the snow and the scooby in better days. £500 well spent I think considering the damage that could be done to the Scooby when the abs kicks in going down a steep slope in the snow.
Problem solved!!!

 

The easy way to get the understeer/oversteer thing sorted is in all situations (FWD/RWD/4WD) to point the front wheels in the direction you want to go. Simple to remember

 

Thanks for the advice guys, I've got the problem sorted

Just wish it would stop snowing for a moment - it's been at it for the last 5 hours and no sign of a snow plough or salt machine yet. Then again, what can I expect...it IS France!

 

<Oh and please don't use the handbrake, >
It was the only thing that saved my life this morning.
I was doing all of 5 mph in a vectra and was coming up to a junction on a downward slope. TAPPED the brake and felt the ABS. Basically it was doing nowt and I was still going toward the junction with traffic roaring past. Yaked the handbrake and at last there was friction between the tyres and the snow. Stopped just before but it was close.
Be careful out there chimps, it can bite you in the ****.
astraboy.

 

two years ago feb, the last time it snowed in london 10 miles an hour on icy road turned left abs judderrrrr scooby went straightish wheels turned bumped the kerb shanked the nearside suspension,wheel, ect ect ect.. mega insurance jobby............. keep to the gritted roads if you can help it, i'm £"!$ting myself driving around now..

 

I was going to start a thread about how good these cars are in the snow.

It would seem that i am lucky??? not to have ABS on my TypeR and was actually the only person in the street able to get back up a steep driveway into their garage the other night (curtesy of locked diffs ).

Personally, I have not had any dramas other than a few spiining wheels early on and trying to negotiate a steep snowy down slope with the fast idle kicked in ;( . But, I havent been driving that fast overall.

Driving the wifes FWD car on the same roads was a much scarier experience.

 

Just a few words from a snowy country...
All new cars here have ABS brakes.

Allmost everybody uses wintertires (you have to since a few years).

I´m using 15" 185 mm wide studded wintertires (managed to find a rim that fits over the brakes of my MY00 Turbo).
i have tried driving on snow with the summertires...did put the car back in the garage at once!

With wintertires and some practising this car kicks *** in snow!
(Went out practising on a frosen lake last weekend, made you wishing for real icetires!)
But it´s good fun and great practise.

I suppose that maybe all of you don´t have snow or ice for so many weeks a year, so buying special tires feels unnecessary..?

Pulling the ABS fuse sounds like the wrong thing in my ears!

Cheers
/ Stefan

 

If you plan to drive your car in winter then winter tyres are the way to go. Subaru's are great to drive on snow with good winter tyres. Imagine how it would be driving on dry tarmac on your wheel rim without any rubber on it! How much grip would you have under braking?

Reg.

Kristijan

 

Astraboy you're quoting me out of context. Using the handbrake at 5mph you were doing was the right idea, letting a small pile of snow that the locked rear wheels will build up stop you. I even mentioned the Audi system of killing the ABS below a certain speed to allow you to do that.

But its a bit different to be going down hill in second gear albeit at low revs and applying the handbrake. This will be a fair bit faster than 5mph, and will guarantee that the locked rear wheels of the car will follow any camber in the road, most likely sending the car sideways across the road.

 

Buy a 2CV as a winter run a round, skinny tyres are best, thats if it starts everyday

 

Reffro,
In suggesting that the guy apply the handbrake, I (wrongly or rightly) assumed that the guy had a bit of knowledge as to how to keep the car in a straight line with locked rear wheels....

At least by locking only the rears you still allow some control of the direction you are heading in by using the steering.

Anyway, if the car turns sideways, it's even better because then you'll get an even bigger buildup of snow on the side of the tyres and slow down even more

Andy

 

As a new Scooby owner - who bought the car to be ideal in the conditions that make my kit car dangerous/unpleasant to drive - I am shocked and disappointed to hear that people are thinking of putting their 4WD car in the garage in snow. What the heck is 4WD for, if not for low grip conditions? If it's no good then, then why not run a (cheaper) 2WD car?