Fiesta in the snow.

[Iceracer]

Luckily, I had just put my Blizzaks on the car.
Yesterday we got 4-6 inches of heavy snow.
I went to dinner with a friend.
Turns out her driveway and parking area had not been plowed.
Small snow plow bank and trackless snow.
Drove through the bank and up to the house. Piece of cake.
After dinner, when I was leaving, I contemplated as to how much problem I would have getting back on the road. Driveway is a slight uphill to the road.
Backed out of where I was parked, turned around and drove out. Traction control light never came on.

I still don't understand why people think that turning off the TC will help in winter driving.

Anyway, I'm not going to get into that discussion again.

[Norm201]

Originally Posted by Iceracer

Luckily, I had just put my Blizzaks on the car.
Yesterday we got 4-6 inches of heavy snow.
I went to dinner with a friend.
Turns out her driveway and parking area had not been plowed.
Small snow plow bank and trackless snow.
Drove through the bank and up to the house. Piece of cake.
After dinner, when I was leaving, I contemplated as to how much problem I would have getting back on the road. Driveway is a slight uphill to the road.
Backed out of where I was parked, turned around and drove out. Traction control light never came on.

I still don't understand why people think that turning off the TC will help in winter driving.

Anyway, I'm not going to get into that discussion again.

Glad to see you had no problem.

I think you misunderstand those of us who want control over the TC. We don't want it turned off during winter driving. We want to be able to turn it off temporarily for those time when one gets caught in a deep snow rut or get stuck and can't get traction. Not a big deal but it can prevent a call for the tow truck.

[BRGT350]

We got 6" of snow last night, as usual, I got stuck at everywhere that wasn't plowed. Blizzaks last winter and General Articmaxes this year, and still getting stuck. A funny yellow light comes on the dash and the gas pedal becomes inoperative at the same time. On plowed roads, the car takes off like a rocket from a stand still with no issues. Pulling out in an intersection, or turning onto an unplowed road causes all sorts of TC issues. If I quickly apply throttle and let back off again, I can get the engine to spin the tires enough to get moving. By letting off, I fool the computer into seeing no wheel spin. It is a horrible way to get going, but is proving effective. Braking with snow tires is still one of the most impressive things ever, so I am still glad I have them.

[fordaspiregv]

Snow tires are very underrated! I have a set of Blizzak WS-60s on my Wife's Mazda5 and its a beast in the snow. With all that snow we got last year, it never missed a beat.

I wouldn't mind a set for the Fiesta. I figured I would give it a full season to see if I really need them or not.

[Cobra348]

Originally Posted by Iceracer

... I still don't understand why people think that turning off the TC will help in winter driving. ...

I'm with you here, except I do understand the need if they are racing. While TC did lose it a couple times this morning it was easy to control Cherri as I worked thru shopping chores around town. Phantom was easily handled by my son on a trip to Syracuse and back with a friend.

BTW - both cars are running Kelly Optima all-weather tires from Goodyear. Nothing fancy but they do well in the stuff.

[ravenlord]

I was fearful of the traction control when I first got the car. Other then being the single most annoying sound I could hear when driving in 4 inches of snow its not that bad. I found that if I leave it in first gear and just hammer the throttle the car does what I tell it to. I would like it to not be there at all trying to nanny me along the entire time, but I can at least live with it.

Continental Extreme Winter Contacts are amazing tires for this car. Just enough traction when I need it, and allows me to play a little when I don't need traction.

Traction control is an annoying system that doesn't help, nor impede the driver during the winter. It helps you lessen wheel slippage. In theory this allows someone to more efficiently take off and maintain a decent amount of traction during inclement weather conditions. Unfortunately some systems (such as those in the fiesta) are overly sensitive and make it nearly impossible to accelerate in slippery weather conditions.

It also limits your ability to use some deep snow driving techniques such as high RPM's and constant turning of the wheel back and forth. Any time I drive in winter my car is usually above 4000 RPM before I shift into the next gear. I find that it overcomes the initial inertia of the car, and then when I shift into the next gear the tires will be spinning slower and will be more likely to dig in and not have to fight the initial rolling resistance of the car. Traction control limits your ability to do this, so me and traction control do not get along very well.

[AlanBDahl]

The people having problems with the TC in the snow mostly have automatics. With my manual I've found that slipping the clutch is usually good enough to get the car unstuck as it appears that tricks the TC.

[Squirrel]

I drove my automatic through five inches of snow yesterday with no problem. Compared to my Camaro, it's heaven. Everyone else was spinning around and I had no problems whatsoever.
Traction light came on once when I was going uphill, but it didn't spin or fishtail at all.

[Iceracer]

Originally Posted by ravenlord

I was fearful of the traction control when I first got the car. Other then being the single most annoying sound I could hear when driving in 4 inches of snow its not that bad. I found that if I leave it in first gear and just hammer the throttle the car does what I tell it to. I would like it to not be there at all trying to nanny me along the entire time, but I can at least live with it.

Continental Extreme Winter Contacts are amazing tires for this car. Just enough traction when I need it, and allows me to play a little when I don't need traction.

Traction control is an annoying system that doesn't help, nor impede the driver during the winter. It helps you lessen wheel slippage. In theory this allows someone to more efficiently take off and maintain a decent amount of traction during inclement weather conditions. Unfortunately some systems (such as those in the fiesta) are overly sensitive and make it nearly impossible to accelerate in slippery weather conditions.

It also limits your ability to use some deep snow driving techniques such as high RPM's and constant turning of the wheel back and forth. Any time I drive in winter my car is usually above 4000 RPM before I shift into the next gear. I find that it overcomes the initial inertia of the car, and then when I shift into the next gear the tires will be spinning slower and will be more likely to dig in and not have to fight the initial rolling resistance of the car. Traction control limits your ability to do this, so me and traction control do not get along very well.

Wow, just wow.

Last nights drive was through 4"+- of heavy snow. I don't know how deep the plow bank was. Just enough trottle to keep moving.
To day I did a little hooning on some snow covered back roads.
Mostly to see how the car handled on the Blizzaks.
Coming out of a couple sharp turns, as i acccellerated ,the wheels spun a little, the light flashed and I proceeded on. No trauma.
After driveing in slippery conditions for oh so many years, I have a habit,that when I get wheel spin, I let up in order to gain traction.

[fbodyman01]

I wish somebody in this world actually made the correct size snow tire for the 16 inch wheel on my Fiesta. Can't find the correct size anywhere so I had to buy snow tires for my 2003 Dodge Neon instead. Ridiculous!