Member Since: 19 Mar 2012
Location: Munster
Posts: 1509
Cruise Control on Snow or Ice
On the radio here a person talking about driving in bad weather suggested that when driving in bad weather especially Snow Ice or heavy rain don’t use cruise control as even a slight wheel slip could confuse the cruise control which might lead to loosing control and crashing.
19th Jan 2018 10:59 am
Triplet3
Member Since: 26 Nov 2016
Location: Southampton
Posts: 320
I think it only becomes an issue if you start aquaplaning. The car could get confused. It will try to keep you at the set speed. If that speed has decreased because of aquaplaning or skidding it will try to accelerate even if you are still aqua-planing.
In reality, most people hit the brakes if they start planing or skidding which will disable the cruise control anyway.1995 Discovery 1 300TDI
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19th Jan 2018 11:19 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72787
I’ve experience snow on CC once when I hit avalanche debris on the road. The car was all over the place, with CC pulling me forward before I could kill it. Not something I want to do again. Advice to not use CC on snow prob very sensible, on snow good throttle control is very useful, you don’t have that with CC.
19th Jan 2018 11:45 am
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8104
Any one who tows and uses cc will understand why, when speed is reduced because of resistance or load like going up hill or snow the cc will "hang on" in that gear as long as possible until it gets the signal to change down which can be as much as 20mph from the set speed, when it gets that signal and changes down the car shoots forward like a scalded cat, it can be frightening in good weather let alone if there is a covering of snow. In a two wheel drive car without doubt a driver would lose control, it is impossible to react fast enough.
If Like changing down on a manual GB and flooring the accelerator!- just what you don't want in snow or ice.
The original D3 GB software was very bad for this, much improved on later model years or later GB software.It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
19th Jan 2018 12:05 pm
1784
Member Since: 04 Sep 2009
Location: Almunge
Posts: 136
Good advice.
I never use cruise control on slippery surface, for example the cruise control can be quite aggressive on the throttle to regain set speed, when you on slippery surface need to use very soft input on throttle, brake and steering in order not to loose the surface grip.
19th Jan 2018 12:09 pm
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10365
Re: Cruise Control on Snow or Ice
Erea wrote:
On the radio here a person talking about driving in bad weather suggested that when driving in bad weather especially Snow Ice or heavy rain don’t use cruise control as even a slight wheel slip could confuse the cruise control which might lead to loosing control and crashing.
Just common sense. I'm sure owners manuals used to state this.
19th Jan 2018 12:31 pm
CarlW
Member Since: 07 Aug 2005
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 111
I've no experience but surely as soon as the traction or stability control systems detect any form of slip/slide they disengage the CC?Disco 4 Landmark
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19th Jan 2018 1:32 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72787
Not when I hit snow.
19th Jan 2018 1:40 pm
1784
Member Since: 04 Sep 2009
Location: Almunge
Posts: 136
CarlW wrote:
I've no experience but surely as soon as the traction or stability control systems detect any form of slip/slide they disengage the CC?
Then it can be too late, if CC is applying a bit of abrupt power in an uphill curve or when changing lane to overtake on a snowy motorway, that can be enough to loose grip and contol over the vehicle.
19th Jan 2018 3:34 pm
kajtzu
Member Since: 11 Aug 2017
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 6575
I’ve driven “always” with cruise control on in the winter and have not had issues.
I do:
- drive conservatively
- observe situational speed
- drive with studs
- if wet don’t drive in the channels where most of the water is but a beside them
I’ve done a “360” driving the car as a teen, in the fall with old summer tires and got scared learned my lesson, though.
The D3 has the winter/snow program on and it is great. Previous vehicles have tended to have a “winter” mode in their transmission (Mercedes especially) which made the rear wheel driven vehicle safe to drive in the winter....
19th Jan 2018 3:50 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8104
CarlW wrote:
I've no experience but surely as soon as the traction or stability control systems detect any form of slip/slide they disengage the CC?
Not necessary so, traction control and stability control can only detect slip between wheels, if all wheels are slipping by the same amount traction control can do nothing, believe me you will not have time to do anything except hit the brake hard which will add further to your problems.
The first time it happened to me it was frightening and that was on a dry road with the caravan on the back, I was going over the brow off a hill and I thought the car was going to take off, SWMBO was screaming at me to slow down, but that is normal It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
19th Jan 2018 3:54 pm
al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10297
@ M3DPO - not snow related, but the CC on my D4 even when towing 1800kg of 'van doesnt drop by 20mph before it does anything about it, even on steep hills. Its usually 2 to 3 Mph down and CC is kicking in and is accelerating. Its much more reactive than the D3 seemed to be.
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19th Jan 2018 4:02 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8104
Yes definately, I purchased and installed the latest GB software from GAP for my D3 and it was the first improvement I noticed, the surge of power had been greatly reduced, the D4 is even smoother, but still there.It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
19th Jan 2018 4:08 pm
Disco_Mikey
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 20731
Triplet3 wrote:
I think it only becomes an issue if you start aquaplaning. The car could get confused. It will try to keep you at the set speed. If that speed has decreased because of aquaplaning or skidding it will try to accelerate even if you are still aqua-planing.
Member Since: 11 Aug 2017
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 6575
As a side note, some cars turn off their cruise control (V70 at least) when they notice that one side behaves very much differently than the other or it starts wobbling. Example would be left side is in deep snow and the right side is on a normal plowed road. I guess it could/should be thought of as a safety feature.
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learned my lesson, though.
