Driving with an automatic in this weather

breakfast roll

I have an automatic car and the thoughts of driving it in this weather is scaring the bejaysus out of me! I was told that automatic cars aren't suitable for driving in these kind of weather conditions. Can anyone give me any tips on how to get to my destination safely??!!

Thanks

Seweryn

breakfast roll wrote: »

I have an automatic car and the thoughts of driving it in this weather is scaring the bejaysus out of me! I was told that automatic cars aren't suitable for driving in these kind of weather conditions. Can anyone give me any tips on how to get to my destination safely??!!

Thanks

Automatic in this conditions is better than the manual, as there is no fixed connection between the engine and the wheels. Just take it easy and gently accelerate from stand still and if you have to stop, use brakes very gently (keep the distance) and depending on the type of transmission - I would shift down through gears if I have to stop or when you drive down the hill. And practice a bit on an empty car park.

analfabets

Seweryn wrote: »

Automatic in this conditions is better than the manual, as there is no fixed connection between the engine and the wheels. Just take it easy and gently accelerate from stand still and if you have to stop, use brakes very gently (keep the distance) and depending on the type of transmission - I would shift down through gears if I have to stop or when you drive down the hill. And practice a bit on an empty car park.

I can only agre with the above. Also have a look for W or E button beside the gear selector. These modes will let you start in second gear resulting in less wheel spinning.

Victor Meldrew

Seweryn wrote: »

Automatic in this conditions is better than the manual, as there is no fixed connection between the engine and the wheels. Just take it easy and gently accelerate from stand still and if you have to stop, use brakes very gently (keep the distance) and depending on the type of transmission - I would shift down through gears if I have to stop or when you drive down the hill. And practice a bit on an empty car park.

Agreed,

Found last winter's snow in FWD auto a piece of cake. No traction control, just ABS.

It's all down to being gentle and smooth imho.

Atlantic Dawn

Yes it's the RWD that's useless in snow, automatic in FWD should be better than manual.

galwaytt

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Yes it's the RWD that's useless in snow, automatic in FWD should be better than manual.

....maybe in an ordinary car. But in an automatic/Tiptronic rwd 50/50 weight distribution Porsche, however, it's a hoot

Auto in conditions like this, is always easier to drive, rwd or fwd.

Slick50

What makes an automatic, front or rear wheel drive, easier to drive in this weather? I haven't driven one for years, but when I did I found the auto a nightmare in these conditions because of the torque converter. Once the wheels got loose they would just spin ever faster.

galwaytt

Slick50 wrote: »

What makes an automatic, front or rear wheel drive, easier to drive in this weather? I haven't driven one for years, but when I did I found the auto a nightmare in these conditions because of the torque converter. Once the wheels got loose they would just spin ever faster.

....automatics are better because they work on upchanges based on torque, it is always short-shifting.....and low-friction surfaces 'trick' it to think it can, even sooner.....mine always, even in the dry, automatically starts off in 2nd gear.

Wheels breaking loose has nothing to do with the torque convertor or transmission type - unless you mean the one on the end of your right leg........:D

What you've got there is a differential issue, which is common to all cars. Oh, and if you back off the trottle, it'll reduce it considerably. In a manual that might lead to some stalling/etc, but that can't happen in an automatic, hence they being 'easier' to drive.

Either way, it's nothing to do with it being an automatic.

galwaytt

I forgot this too: in a manual, if you do get going, and you need to change gear, then you use a huge amount of inertia, and end up starting off again, essentially, but in another gear.

An automatic transmissioned-car never loses inertia, as there is no break in drive, during gear changes.

Also, if a wheel spins, then, in a manual car it revs, you back off the throttle, it grips, you apply throttle again, it spins etc etc. And all this spinning is directly related to engine speed.

In an automatic, the torque convertor acts as a 'buffer' and as grip varies, engine rev's are cushioned to an extent.

All helps.

Slick50

galwaytt wrote: »

....automatics are better because they work on upchanges based on torque, it is always short-shifting.....and low-friction surfaces 'trick' it to think it can, even sooner.....mine always, even in the dry, automatically starts off in 2nd gear.

Isn't this exactly the problem.? The less resistance the torque converter senses, the higher the gear it will select, therefore turning the wheels even faster. Thanks for the driving tip though. If the wheels spin, ease up on the throttle :rolleyes:.

Gumbo

been driving my E46 Auto yesterday without problems and again his morning when i had to be in the airport at 6am, got there and back without issues.

as above posts, just take it easy and expect the unexpected.
still though i'd only go out and drive if i had to.

perfect weather to get out there and walk to your parents or mates if possible

Seweryn

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Yes it's the RWD that's useless in snow, automatic in FWD should be better than manual.

Not all RWD cars are useless. I was driving a VW Beetle for over 12 years as my everyday car and covered tens of thousand kilometers during winters in the snow. I believe, this car was not just better than other RWD cars, but I can't think of any single axle driven car that you can compare to a Beetle in the snow .

tk123

breakfast roll wrote: »

I have an automatic car and the thoughts of driving it in this weather is scaring the bejaysus out of me! I was told that automatic cars aren't suitable for driving in these kind of weather conditions. Can anyone give me any tips on how to get to my destination safely??!!

Thanks

I'm always told tales like this about my automatic - by people who never driven one in their life!:rolleyes::rolleyes:

fletch

But surely they are harder to stop as you can't use the gears and have to rely on your brake?

Seweryn

fletch wrote: »

But surely they are harder to stop as you can't use the gears and have to rely on your brake?

Why can't you use the gears? You can shift down through the gears easier than with a manual gearbox and so you can brake that way.

_Kaiser_

Have to say last year (and yesterday) I had no bother in my FWD auto/DSG Passat... just take it handy, light input on the steering and plenty of braking distances.

yea there was a bit of traction control light flashing now and then and feedback in the brake pedal from the ABS but I can't say I had any problems to be honest.

Probably helps that it's a big heavy car though? That and the 2 6-week old front tyres on it.

Oh and as to the gears.. the DSG box in mine has a direct-shift option but I've never seen the need to use it yet.

metrovelvet

WHen my car started slip sliding I put it into second gear [its mean for ice and snow and hills] then I eventually had to stick in into park when I couldnt gain any control over the car, stopped for a minute, caught my breath, put it back into second and was able to move it to a side road where I left it for the morning.

The lower gears take the pressure off having to break which of course helps in these conditions.

Dont buy the hype about autos. The US gets way way more snow and ice than we do here and we all drive autos over there.

Owen

I just drove to icy north cork and back again on my fwd auto, towing a car transporter and a car on it too. No problems, the auto box has a cold weather mode which sorts it all out.

breakfast roll

Should I be driving like normally in D or in second gear?

Seweryn

breakfast roll wrote: »

Should I be driving like normally in D or in second gear?

Normally, on D.
Drop to 3rd and then to 2nd only when you need to, like during braking.

Voodoomelon

Just in there now after driving on icey and snowy roads, completely white, in a RWD automatic and not a bother. If you take the traction control off she spins from take off alright, but with it on its nearly like driving on a normal dry road.

metrovelvet

My car doesnt have third. Try on D first and if you find yourself slipping and sliding switch down. If I see an incline coming I put it straight into second.

mullingar

Also this is another important point for RWD Autos

If you find you are skidding with the brakes applied, you must stand on the brake pedal to lock all 4 wheels as the rear wheels only get around 1/4 the brake force and may still be pushing the car forward!!.

I've had to pop the gear into N when I wanted to coast to a dead stop when tying to control a skid

GermanicGalore

HI everyone,

I've just recently purchased a RWD automatic with tiptronic...and then the snow came and I found out that against the dealer's opinion, I have summer tires.

Needless to say I was a bit lost as this car is new to me.

Does anybody have any good hints for me what to do in the current snow and ice? I'm on a waiting list to get snow socks, but until then, what do I do? The other day I had to get pushed into our estate by my neighbours because I couldn't get up a tiny slope and because of the bad traffic I couldn't even build up any momentum to get me up the slope.

Is there a way to make the tiptronic give me an advantage in the snow and ice? To be honest, I have no clue how it even works....for anybody driving a C class sport coupe - care to explain??

I'm sorry for sounding stupid, all I can say is tha I bought a car that is new to me and 2 days later snow and ice came over us! Help!

copacetic

GermanicGalore wrote: »

HI everyone,

I've just recently purchased a RWD automatic with tiptronic...and then the snow came and I found out that against the dealer's opinion, I have summer tires.

Needless to say I was a bit lost as this car is new to me.

Does anybody have any good hints for me what to do in the current snow and ice? I'm on a waiting list to get snow socks, but until then, what do I do? The other day I had to get pushed into our estate by my neighbours because I couldn't get up a tiny slope and because of the bad traffic I couldn't even build up any momentum to get me up the slope.

Is there a way to make the tiptronic give me an advantage in the snow and ice? To be honest, I have no clue how it even works....for anybody driving a C class sport coupe - care to explain??

I'm sorry for sounding stupid, all I can say is tha I bought a car that is new to me and 2 days later snow and ice came over us! Help!

With poor tyres you will struggle anyway, but in your example to get more grip you can do a few things.

1) Put something very heavy in the boot to get more weight over back wheels.

2) Use your tiptronic to get into 3rd gear when starting off, then try to let the car creep forward itself don't press the accelerator much/at all. Never press hard. (tap it toward the plus)

3) If the wheels start to spin and you are going nowhere turn off the DSC and possibly they'll dig through the snow enough to get you going.

4) If all else fails, turn around and reverse up the hill, it's easier to pull the engine weight up in poor comnditions than push it up.

Having said all that a standing start on a hill is a disaster in a RWD car with poor tyres. You need to avoid it at all costs. i.e stop well before it and get some speed up and just go smoothly up it when it is clear if at all possible.

For instance if you need to queue to turn left up the hill and can't get a run, drive by and turn right in so you have the width of a road to get a run.

Stealthirl

Seweryn wrote: »

Why can't you use the gears? You can shift down through the gears easier than with a manual gearbox and so you can brake that way.

just dont go from D to L at speed unless u want an expensive repare bill and your head hiting the stering wheel.

also if you car has O/D [overdrive] there is usealy a button to switch it off thus changeing a 4speed auto into a 3 speed [wont allow the car in to 4th]
it will also change the shift points aswell.

my car a a 4speed auto and going down thro the gears i would first switch O/D off,then move from D into 2 [speed must be less then 80kph] then into L [under 15kph]

in D with O/D on i have 4 gears
in D with O/D off have 3 gears
in 2 i have 2 gears [doseant matter if O/D is on or off]
in L [low] i have 1 gear

may help with understanding a bit about autos.

Seweryn

Stealthirl wrote: »

just dont go from D to L at speed unless u want an expensive repare bill and your head hiting the stering wheel.

Sure, you can't exceed the maximum revs and in my car's speedometer for example there are marks, which shows the maximum speed on each gear. So if you wish to drop the gear, you have to make sure that it is withing the limit.

Stealthirl

yup most modern cars wont let the car drop into a lower gear till a under givein speed ect
but my old early 90s banger didant have that and a twat in the passanger seat thought it would be funny to move the stick from d - L @ over a 100kph :mad:

BlackWizard

mullingar wrote: »

Also this is another important point for RWD Autos

If you find you are skidding with the brakes applied, you must stand on the brake pedal to lock all 4 wheels as the rear wheels only get around 1/4 the brake force and may still be pushing the car forward!!.

I've had to pop the gear into N when I wanted to coast to a dead stop when tying to control a skid

This is the biggest issue for me. I do press the brakes and the rear wheels keep pushing. Each time I come to a stop I end up sliding across the road.

I didn't know about standing on the brake stops all wheels. I actually put the car into N and then use the brakes. But that can't be good for the gearbox if im dropping it into N while driving.