Winter mode?

[Taxlady]

My Volvo has a "winter mode". This is a switch that supposedly allows the car to more easily start on icy, slippery roads. It puts the car in third gear.

Can someone explain to me why this would help? When I drove standard transmission, I used the lowest possible gear for slippery winter conditions. Getting up my long, unpaved, sloped driveway was often impossible in my stepvan unless I put it in the extra low gear (the one below first).

[Aurora40]

When you are in a lower gear, there is more actual torque being transmitted to the drive wheels (by gear reduction, not because the engine is more powerful in some gears). So it is more likely that the drive wheels will overcome the available friction and start spinning/slipping on ice or snow. By selecting a higher gear to start in, you are basically allowing for a more gentle start, although your acceleration will be poor. This is only useful for starting on slippery surfaces, and you probably don't need to keep it engaged all winter. (To help visualize this, imagine trying to peel out in 1st gear with manual tranny. It's pretty easy. Start in 3rd and try to peel out. Unless you are driving a Viper or something, it probably isn't going to happen.)

I suspect that when ascending your driveway in your stepvan, slipperyness was less of a problem than just plain resistance to movement. So you needed a larger amount of torque to get the weight of the van moving over the rough surface. The problem wasn't trying to start gently to keep the wheels from slipping, the problem was punching out enough power to get that van moving up a hill.

[Taxlady]

Thanks for the explanation Aurora. That makes sense.

At first I was thinking, "That driveway was only smooth in winter. I didn't have the problem in summer." But, then I remembered that I had to "take a run" to make it all the way up the driveway on snow. The only time I ever had to start that monster on the driveway (going up) was if I hadn't made it all the way up. So, the explanation about the extra power needed to get those three tons of truck moving uphill makes perfect sense.

No, I won't need winter mode except in special icy conditions. It's not recommended to leave it in winter mode. I haven't needed it yet.

[bretfraz]

Ahhhhh...... the wonders of owning a Swedish car. I too have W mode but have no use for it in Atlanta until we get an icestorm, which we get once or twice a year.

Winter mode, front wheel drive, and Traction Control makes for a car all but unstoppable in winter driving. Throw on some Nokians and you have a Swedish tank.

[Taxlady]

Originally posted by bretfraz
Ahhhhh...... the wonders of owning a Swedish car. I too have W mode but have no use for it in Atlanta until we get an icestorm, which we get once or twice a year.

Winter mode, front wheel drive, and Traction Control makes for a car all but unstoppable in winter driving. Throw on some Nokians and you have a Swedish tank.

Well, I don't have traction control, but I do have the Hakkapelittas (sp?). The car seems to want to go out and play in the snow.

I was very sceptical of front wheel drive for winter. I drove rented Toyotas, Fords, Chevies, and a Hyundai Accent and I hated the torque steer. I couldn't find anything good about front wheel drive in winter. But, what a difference in the Volvo. Now I like the front wheel drive.

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

yeah I can't stand FWD vehicles period. When I'm forced to I can deal with it, but I prefer RWD or AWD by far. Even in good summer weather, it just doesnt feel the same to me. Partially the steering takes on a whole different aspect in a FWD vehicle than the stiffer RWD steering.