zheka130

Thanks,
I wonder how effective this actually is ?

KennyZ

I tested the snow mode today and it did not cause the problem. Car can move in idle even in snow mode. Plus the throttle response is different. Also, I can reproduce the problem if I shift to Drive too fast after ignition when car is cold. Put it in Neutral, wait 10 seconds and shift to Drive again will eliminate the problem.

bclexus

It helps, but the driver must do their part. Gaining traction on snow or ice is far more dependent on the tires and the driver's ability to prevent wheel spin. The driver must be sensitive to apply only enough throttle to accelerate without spinning the wheels.

bclexus

It sounds like you've got it figured out...

Knucklebus

It does a few things. Most importantly, starting in second gear reduces the mechanical advantage of a lower gear such that it takes more power to move the car and less likely to spin. This allows you to apply more power, essentially feathering the throttle. As stated, a poor driver can negate that by being foolish and trying too move to fast for conditions.

To the OP, I dare say any vehicle started and immediately put into gear will have some hesitation. As thin as automatic transmission fluid is, it still takes a few seconds to build up pressure and move through the valve body.

I know my wife's Honda HR-V with CVT will rev up slightly if you go to D and immediately apply power. It sounds like a manual with a rapid clutch engagement. She manages this by driving with both feet. Something I do not approve of in street automatics but that's another matter. If you hold your foot on the brake an extra second while checking your surroundings, it is fine.

Even my old car with a worked-over automatic transmission has a slight delay when cold and it has very crisp shifts once warmed up to include chirps at 25MPH on the 1-2 upshift. My wife describes it as violent and says I should get it fixed. LOL

JDR76

Not sure about the RWD and 8 speed models, but snow mode in the AWD model still starts in 1st gear. It just seems to reduce throttle sensitivity (kind of like ECO but even more so). It may change the skid control and traction control nannies. Not sure about that.

bclexus

Yeah, I recall a discussion that some GS 350s' Snow Mode started in 2nd gear and others still started in 1st gear. Maybe selecting Manual position with the gear shifter (before pressing the Snow Mode button and before moving) might indicate which gear the Snow Mode starts in when the button is pressed.

JDR76

I do recall that the 3GS uses 2nd gear in snow mode. Just not sure of the RWD models of the 4GS.

My IS350 was the same. It had a nice display that always showed what gear it was in, so it was really easy to see the 1st gear start. The GS lacks the display, but yes, you can see it in manual mode. I've also started in snow mode in D and just counted up from there to verify the 1st gear start.

This is from my 2014 IS350 AWD:

jgscott

iTrader: (1)

I think if I remember correctly reading, that Snow mode was more than just a 2nd Trans Gear start. Seems there was also the TB limit opening and closing, involved in some way also to help to, engaged differently when set to Snow mode. I Think?