ASR & Snow/Ice

lucy

lucy

Member
My query is about ASR and Snow/Ice.

I've trained for Advanced Driver certification, and experienced UK snow for at least 13 winters. In all other situations the ASR works perfectly for keeping me safe and moving.

I've recently noticed that handling in the A2 is near perfect on snow and ice above 2nd gear, but my problems have been pulling away on compacted snow/ice, or deeper soft snow, with ice below.

What affect does the ASR have on my endeavours to move from a standing start? Does the nature of ASR hinder my progress; I seemed to manage better in earlier models of VW that weren't equiped with this technology.

Please advise,

Thanks
 
ASR prevents wheels from spinning. I dont know exactly how it works, but I suspect:
when ASR feels wheel is loosing grip it cuts off drive to that wheel ? ( well thats my probably silly understanding of it )

so when there's no drive to one or both wheels as ASR does not allow it then come pulling away problems. You can always switch it off temporarly.

am I a bit right ?
 
Getting momentum going..

I find it best just to try and inch forward first, get a bit of momentum going and then get the car quickly into second...

My A2 is definitely handling better than a lot of big RWD Beamers and Mercs out there!
 
Thing is with FWD is you have the weight of an engine pushing down on the driven wheels giving you traction but with RWD the only thing on the wheels is sheet metal

Chris
 
If its a Petrol and as an advanced driver myself; If I dont get traction using first gear, I would rock backwards and then ease off in 2nd gear try that.

If that doesnt work you should consider winter tyres.
 
I agree that the A2 seems to perform better than other cars that I would have presumed more able to handle the snowy conditions. I'm up between Tow Law and Consett area, County Durham.
Rocking and use of second gear works well enough, but I did consider that maybe the activation of the ASR hindered gaining initial traction, and hence momentum.
Thanks for your comments.
 
Thanks pgodoe . I found that link useful in confirming some of my suspicions about the cause of the lack of traction when going uphill on snow/ice. The additional info was useful too.
Thanks again
 
The reason for the ASR off switch is so that cars can freely wheel spin when trapped in mud or snow, as it would have otherwise treated those conditions as 'lost of traction' and you'll never get out without another car pulling you! So, on ice/snow/mud, starting from stationary, you may want to turn it off to get going. It will automatically switch back on after 40mph (? others can confirm exactly when does it auto switch on). I would agree, the A2's electronic traction system generally works fine while on the move.
 
it gets turned on again over 60km/h and will blink happily up to the wrong side of 80km/h (I sincerely hope you know what you're doing at this point).
EDS will stop interfering at around 60 or so, too.

Bret
 
but that would be wheel spindle indicated speed of 80km/h, not actual travelling speed? ;-) eitherway, I do hope the driver knows what he/she is doing spinning the wheels freely at speed equivalent of 80km/h.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top