[Thomas_TT]

Well as the title suggested, I've been having problems with my winter tyres, I got stuck, twice this week. Has anyone else had similar problems?

I've had a E46 before with summer tyres only and was shockingly poor in winter.

Now I've got an E90, 318d Auto, with a set of GoodYear Eagle Utra Grip GW3 purchased from the main BMW dealer.

I've had two 'stuck' occasions this week:

1: Basically a small incline hill start and the Traction Control was flashing non-stop and I couldn't move forward (it did sideways a bit). Switched the DTC off and floored it, eventually it did move up the hill - but is that the correct way of moving off in winters?

2: Icy car park with small incline, put into DS, DTC off, but no joy, back wheels span on the spot, no matter how much power I put on. Eventually 4 kind members of the public pushed the car while I gave it tiny bits of power.

Can anyone give me tips on how to release the full potential of these winter tyres?


Thanks in advance!

[willhollin]

Gentle throttle is the answer!

[davyk31]

Check the pressures, are they mega hard?

They aren't the be all and end all answer, you can still get stuck but no so often as you have I would have reckoned.

[LexS]

You floored it? Maybe you should do some reading up on how to drive on ice before setting off again.

Winter tyres don't mean you can drive in the winter like you can in the summer, they should be there to aid your revised driving style to compensate for the lack of traction.

[Thomas_TT]

Think im running 2.2bar and 2.6bar.... was inflated by the dealer

[Frobius]

If it was sheet ice, no amount of winter tyre will help you unless they're studded!

[Thomas_TT]

Should I be driving with the DTC off or on to get maximum traction to move off?

[willhollin]

DTC on yeh for max traction, or fully off! Don't forget to put it back on though.

[rich1068]

Did you try just diesel/auto creep? ie no throttle?

[jjbirch530d]

eg winter tyres are a waste of time drove on summer tyres all time, if you want to something better go 4x4

[willhollin]

Originally Posted by jjbirch530d

eg winter tyres are a waste of time drove on summer tyres all time, if you want to something better go 4x4

You on the scrumpy again?

[Thomas_TT]

Originally Posted by rich1068

Did you try just diesel/auto creep? ie no throttle?

Yep did try that, but ended up having the car sliding backwards due to the lack of grip on ice.


DTC is new to me as I didnt have it on the E46, I thought pushing the button once switched it off, but apparantly not!

[whiteside44]

How new are the tyres - they take a good 300 - 500 miles to scrub in, if they were brand new straight out on to snow/ice they would be as bad as summers.

[WingZeroX5]

Originally Posted by Thomas_TT

I've had a E46 before with summer tyres only and was shockingly poor in winter.

why is that so shockingly poor in the winter? I mean, they're summer tires, what are you expecting? winter tires? o'comon...

maybe you need real winter tires, like blizzaks. I've gone up many inclines with them no problems...check out my video, hell i even stopped in the middle of an incline

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Thomas_TT

Well as the title suggested, I've been having problems with my winter tyres, I got stuck, twice this week. Has anyone else had similar problems?

1: Basically a small incline hill start and the Traction Control was flashing non-stop and I couldn't move forward (it did sideways a bit). Switched the DTC off and floored it, eventually it did move up the hill - but is that the correct way of moving off in winters?

2: Icy car park with small incline, put into DS, DTC off, but no joy, back wheels span on the spot, no matter how much power I put on. Eventually 4 kind members of the public pushed the car while I gave it tiny bits of power.

Can anyone give me tips on how to release the full potential of these winter tyres?

So you put the DTC into what mode? If you did nothing it was default "off", you push the button briefly to switch DTC on.

Gentle throttle, virtually on idle in an auto and you should just creep away. You shouldn't have any problem except on 'impossible' ice. Most snow and icy surfaces are workable on winters.

Rev a car on ice, (and on snow) and start spinning, even with winter tyres, will just wet the surface and make it more slippy, as any spin and will put heat onto the surface. You are lubricating the road under the contact patch and making it even harder to get grip.

You want the sipes in the tread blocks to start flexing and biting, you don't get that with initiating a slip, with too many revs, or too much power.

HighlandPete

[Thomas_TT]

HighlandPete, Im from Scotland too, still have ice lurking about ay?

As i mentioned in post 12, ive been confusing myself. In Case 1, I actually switched on DTC (and lit up on the dash) and it eventually pulled away, so in theory I did the right thing.

Case 2, i switched everything off (held button for 3 seconds) and it was just wheelspinning wildly because I was in a hurry and started to panic when i couldn't move. It was on sheet ice though.

What situation do you use DTC or everything off?



WingZeroX5: thanks for the vid. It looks like that your roads are mostly covered in snow. I've not had problems in snow (so far), but was on sheet ice, basically it was like an ice rink, but inclined!

[jjbirch530d]

Originally Posted by whiteside44

How new are the tyres - they take a good 300 - 500 miles to scrub in, if they were brand new straight out on to snow/ice they would be as bad as summers.

300-500 miles later the winter will be over for some people lol

and yes Will i have had a few pints lol

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Thomas_TT

HighlandPete, Im from Scotland too, still have ice lurking about ay?

As i mentioned in post 12, ive been confusing myself. In Case 1, I actually switched on DTC (and lit up on the dash) and it eventually pulled away, so in theory I did the right thing.

Case 2, i switched everything off (held button for 3 seconds) and it was just wheelspinning wildly because I was in a hurry and started to panic when i couldn't move. It was on sheet ice though.

What situation do you use DTC or everything off?!

We've had snow and ice, on and off for 2 weeks now, over 150mm the first serious snowfall. Came in again for last weekend and this Friday night. Topped up last night with more fresh snow at home. But there was a lot of sheet ice at sea level where the snow thawed last evening and froze overnight, was lethal this morning. I wasn't in my car but in a 4X4 on all-season tyres, and we never had any issues even on a small incline.

I was on the same sort of sheet ice last winter and was amazed at the grip levels, I got out of my car and could hardly stand up, as I wasn't ready for how slippy it was.

I normally drive on default setting, just use DTC when the going is a bit hairy. But do go for the very gentle move off and add the power as I gain speed. I tried reversing up an icy slope last year, just to see what grip levels I had on ice, surprised how good it was.

I assume you have a few miles on the tyres, and any release agent is well gone.

HighlandPete

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by jjbirch530d

300-500 miles later the winter will be over for some people lol

Winter isn't really here yet, January/February are normally the months with most snow and ice. December snow is just the taster.

HighlandPete

[briers]

Originally Posted by Thomas_TT

Well as the title suggested, I've been having problems with my winter tyres, I got stuck, twice this week. Has anyone else had similar problems?

I've had a E46 before with summer tyres only and was shockingly poor in winter.

Now I've got an E90, 318d Auto, with a set of GoodYear Eagle Utra Grip GW3 purchased from the main BMW dealer.

I've had two 'stuck' occasions this week:

1: Basically a small incline hill start and the Traction Control was flashing non-stop and I couldn't move forward (it did sideways a bit). Switched the DTC off and floored it, eventually it did move up the hill - but is that the correct way of moving off in winters?

2: Icy car park with small incline, put into DS, DTC off, but no joy, back wheels span on the spot, no matter how much power I put on. Eventually 4 kind members of the public pushed the car while I gave it tiny bits of power.

Can anyone give me tips on how to release the full potential of these winter tyres?


Thanks in advance!

That doesn't sound right, those tyres should have no problem on small inclines. Perhaps you were giving it too much throttle or the tyres are still scrubbing in.

Let it creep, tiny amount of throttle...

I did a hill start on quite a slope on compacted snow and ice without any wheel slip. So your situation should have been no bother.

[parapaul]

Just to echo what everyone else has said... Just tickle the throttle if it's slippy. Less is more.

[MEGA]

You've got poor winter tyres but will still be an improvement over summers.

Power + snow or ice = fail though.

Please read up on how to drive. How is flooring the car ever going to help gain traction? It doesn't help in summer either: It just takes longer before you destroy the tyres in summer.