Traction Control in Snow

[Ridgerider]

I stopped on a hill in the snow this week and got total wheel spin when trying to pull away.

The traction control light was flashing like crazy but was the system giving me any help in that situation?

[simac]

Nope, I don't think it does. I know my brother found his golf to be much better in the snow with it turned off !

[jontymo]

I ended up parking mine outside the local pub on Friday, in total about 8 off us at the top of our road could not get up the hill to our houses.
The problem is made worse with traction control in the snow and with no switch to turn off its not worth worrying about, just park it and leave it(well away from the hill). I had the same problem with the Leon cupra i had before the veccy(that had a traction control switch but tyres are to wide for the snow).

[parapaul]

Yep. Useless. The astra i drive at work has TC, and I spent most of friday afternoon with it lit up.

However, in snow, on a hill, there just wasn't enough power getting to the wheels...I may be wrong, but I couldnt help feeling that if i could have just spun them slightly, they would have chewed through the measly inch of snow and found some grip.

[Ridgerider]

Makes you wonder what TC actually does at other times...?

[henocsr]

the only way i got my auto 3.2 gsi of the drive was to switch of the tc put it in 3 and put rubber floor mats under the front wheels and slowly it pulled its self off

[simac]

On a nice tarmac road the t/c will intervene until the slipping wheel or wheels re-gains grip. On snow that isn't likely to happen so the t/c just keeps on goin'!! you really need to have a small amount of wheel spin to make progress.

[stevedee3]

If it's an auto transmission, try using the "winter" mode; for a manual, try starting in second or third.

[Ridgerider]

Does the TC suppresss the engine or do something with the brakes when there is wheelspin?

[stevedee3]

Does the TC suppresss the engine or do something with the brakes when there is wheelspin?

It can do both!