Traction control on slushy inclines

[FMC]

I thought the ESP deactivation switch was standard on the Zetec S/Sport?

Anyway. it can be retro fitted to any Fiesta with ESP. There's a thread on here on how to do it!

[Focus_ST-3]

The 17" alloys cause all sorts of problems in the snow. I was wheel spinning up an icy hill today holding up traffic behind.

[KeithC]

Thanks buddy think I'll set them to the max load psi if we get any snow, have to do it anyway as I'm driving my parents to my sisters for chrimbo, and the dog!!!

And Kieth you are a rebel and how does the M3 cope with 5th and 5mph!!!

One place you have no air in the tyres is Iceland with those monster truck thingy's.

If I'm honest, not very well.

Had the same trouble at work, started off, and the car just edged sideways like a boat leaving the dockside with the DSC going 10 to the dozen. Big tyres, big power in the back wheels and no weight at the rear is a disaster waiting to happen. A milk float would have beat me home.

Tomorrow, I'm going in the Fiesta if it hasn't cleared up, which looking out the window, 6 hrs before I leave, it doesn't look like it will.

[FMC]

The 17" alloys cause all sorts of problems in the snow. I was wheel spinning up an icy hill today holding up traffic behind.

I reckon it has more to do with the tyre compound and/or pattern than the size.

I used to have 15s on my 1.4 Mk6 Fiesta - i fitted one type of Pirelli tyre to it which made it absolutely unusable in my lane on ice, and yet on previous occasions, same conditions, different tyres performed much better.

Today i had no trouble at all in the ST on 18s with Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymetrics :)

[thesilverfox]

I reckon it has more to do with the tyre compound and/or pattern than the size.

I used to have 15s on my 1.4 Mk6 Fiesta - i fitted one type of Pirelli tyre to it which made it absolutely unusable in my lane on ice, and yet on previous occasions, same conditions, different tyres performed much better.

Today i had no trouble at all in the ST on 18s with Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymetrics :)

I have the same size tyres as the ST on my 18's, but I have Eagle F1 GSD3. Can't say they cope with ice too well, but otherwise, they are simply the best tyres I've had. I guess if I was going to go on ice a fair bit, I'd choose some that were more suitable.

[Jonny87]

thats the problem see with the petrols...in the diesel zetecS you just pull away in 2nd, no revs and she just goes, into third, no throttle, keeps going, up/down hills, loverly :)

but GREAT control..you want some slip, you can perfectly control boost on the throttle, a lot of fun in the carpark, get it to slip and grip just when wanted... big grins :)

no ESP to get in the way either!!

give it up Piggy, you're getting boring!

Just because you have the diesel doesn't mean you need to convince yourself everyday that you made the right choice!

You bought the Diesel. Now live with it! Stop trying to bash the petrol engine owners at every little chance you get!

Besides, in the snow it really makes no difference with the correct clutch and throttle control...

[harweyko]

more the question...whats the point...we just wimps to be honest...not much need here...be over in a week and be changing tyres again...see the need in Slovaki, Poland, Sweden etc, but just no need here.

:)

I understand that maybe until now you haven`t had such winters as we have, but because of global warming the climate is changing and maybe next winter you`ll have snow for one month :) Just for example my last weekend. With my friend we`re both having MK7 1.6l petrol, I`ve 16" winter tires, he has 17" summer tires. We were going the same empty road - 40km (25 miles), I was home in 36 minutes, he in 2:05 hours, just because he was slipping all the way... It`s all about compound of tire, you can have even AWD Impreza, if there is ice and and you do not have appropriate tires you`ll be standing under the hill... Driving is also about your skills, sometimes are all these electronic assistants one s..t, it is all in your head, legs, arms and !Removed! - how you feel the surface and car. I do not have ESP/TC, only ABS but I think in Focus it is working much better than in Fiesta, for me it seems that it is better not to push the pedal so hard that you get ABS working, but maybe it is just personal feeling.

[KeithC]

give it up Piggy, you're getting boring!

Just because you have the diesel doesn't mean you need to convince yourself everyday that you made the right choice!

You bought the Diesel. Now live with it! Stop trying to bash the petrol engine owners at every little chance you get!

Besides, in the snow it really makes no difference with the correct clutch and throttle control...

You're right Jonny, if you want performance, buy petrol, if you want to be frugal, buy diesel.

Personally, I will never buy a diesel as long as I have a choice.

[JonMad]

lol at Keith, my Fiesta arrived and the BMW went just in time. Wouldn't have got off my driveway otherwise. Titanium and no ESP and 16" wheels. The A30 was very icy. Took 3 1/4 hrs to do a 20 min drive - 14 miles. One hill where I waited at the bottom before going up in 2nd, some slip but ok with a quarter of a turn of lock on. One 'moment' where I stopped from 2mph and the car slid about 10feet forward and sideways, as did the car behind me. Handily I could steer into a gap to the left of the car in front.

Winter tyres would have made me quicker but you're really going to annoy all the people just sat there if you go past, and it would get to a point where you'd just have to queue anyway :) Actually where it was two lanes and everyone was crawling along in one the car would probably have been ok in the deeeper snow tio the right, but you'd have got zero sympathy if you'd got stuck!

[bigjock]

complete white out here today, snow falling fast. hope the fiesta gets the wife home in time to make my tea tonight or i'll be taking it back! lol

[KeithC]

complete white out here today, snow falling fast. hope the fiesta gets the wife home in time to make my tea tonight or i'll be taking it back! lol

The wife or the car.

Again it had snowed overnight but only a few mm, but still used the Fiesta which is much better in these conditions.

Managed to get it up to 90mph quicker than a Veyron today, 0-90 in about 3 secs, wasn't moving very far though.

[Jonny87]

The wife or the car.

Again it had snowed overnight but only a few mm, but still used the Fiesta which is much better in these conditions.

Managed to get it up to 90mph quicker than a Veyron today, 0-90 in about 3 secs, wasn't moving very far though.

[bigjock]

The wife or the car.

Again it had snowed overnight but only a few mm, but still used the Fiesta which is much better in these conditions.

Managed to get it up to 90mph quicker than a Veyron today, 0-90 in about 3 secs, wasn't moving very far though.

the car of course, i doubt id even get scrapage allowance if i tried taking the wife back!

[wealdman]

I thought the ESP deactivation switch was standard on the Zetec S/Sport?

Anyway. it can be retro fitted to any Fiesta with ESP. There's a thread on here on how to do it!

Yes I've seen the thread but has anyone had it retro-fitted by a Ford dealer? Without invalidating warranty?

[Jonny87]

Yes I've seen the thread but has anyone had it retro-fitted by a Ford dealer? Without invalidating warranty?

Although It would proberbly invalidate the warranty, I'm fairly certain they wouldn't notice... or would they?

Also, what is the chance that you will need any warranty work done on that area of the car?

Maybe it would show up on the diagnostics, but I don't know much about diagnostics does anybody know?

I doubt that Ford would retrofit one, but if anyone finds a dealer who is willing and capable of doing this do let me know :)

Even if it did invalidate warranty, how much of the warranty would it invalidate, and which parts?

[wealdman]

I doubt that Ford would retrofit one, but if anyone finds a dealer who is willing and capable of doing this do let me know :)

I'd like to know too. Although I'm not totally convinced that inactivating traction control would have helped it would have been nice to have had another option to try. I felt quite helpless!

[Flic]

I had a dreadful time trying to get home last night. Just couldn't get going up a hill while everyone else around me seemed to do it effortlessly :( Some men helped me get going a couple of times but I was almost going sideways at one point. Que me crying (literally) at the thought of having to leave Fabio at the side of the road, which I ended up doing. Luckily I was with a friend whose Dad in a 4x4 came to rescue us!! My parents went to go pick up my car today while I was at work, luckily no one had slid into him :( My MK1 1.1 106 coped with the snow better, clearly Fabio is just a fair weather boy bless him!!

[Jonny87]

I had a dreadful time trying to get home last night. Just couldn't get going up a hill while everyone else around me seemed to do it effortlessly :( Some men helped me get going a couple of times but I was almost going sideways at one point. Que me crying (literally) at the thought of having to leave Fabio at the side of the road, which I ended up doing. Luckily I was with a friend whose Dad in a 4x4 came to rescue us!! My parents went to go pick up my car today while I was at work, luckily no one had slid into him :( My MK1 1.1 106 coped with the snow better, clearly Fabio is just a fair weather boy bless him!!

Well at least everything turned out alright in the end eh Flic :)

Had a near miss with some railings last night, was amazed how far the slush can float you when you're only doing about 2mph!! :o

[MarkyR]

the car of course, i doubt id even get scrapage allowance if i tried taking the wife back!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Well, you may get a younger better looking model? May cost you more though :lol:

Sorry, couldn't resist. My drive was fine today, but then again had no snow. The lil temp guage did read 0 to -3 most of the time however :o

[FMC]

Luckily I was with a friend whose Dad in a 4x4 came to rescue us!! ...

Glad you got home safely!

I think anyone with a 4X4 that comes to the rescue of a stranded motorist should get a free road fund license for life!!

Government has a !Removed! cheek to claim that people don't need 4X4s and that they are bad for the environment etc, then slaps massive tax penalties on owning one, yet it's always someone in a 4X4 that comes to the rescue to save a life or get key personnel into work when we have a bit of snow and the rest of the country grinds to a halt!

Since when did anyone get rescued by a poxy electric city car or a frigging Toyota Prius? :P

I might go to the no.10 website and start a petition!!

[Jonny87]

Glad you got home safely!

I think anyone with a 4X4 that comes to the rescue of a stranded motorist should get a free road fund license for life!!

Government has a !Removed! cheek to claim that people don't need 4X4s and that they are bad for the environment etc, then slaps massive tax penalties on owning one, yet it's always someone in a 4X4 that comes to the rescue to save a life or get key personnel into work when we have a bit of snow and the rest of the country grinds to a halt!

Since when did anyone get rescued by a poxy electric city car or a frigging Toyota Prius? :P

I might go to the no.10 website and start a petition!!

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! :o :o :o :o :o

[InstructorPiggy]

"give it up Piggy, you're getting boring!

Just because you have the diesel doesn't mean you need to convince yourself everyday that you made the right choice!

You bought the Diesel. Now live with it! Stop trying to bash the petrol engine owners at every little chance you get!

Besides, in the snow it really makes no difference with the correct clutch and throttle control..."

or maybe your just jealous at there spinning up and ESP doing sod all he he

you dead right on the control..but the derv does make it easier...me wifes 15year old 1.9td does the snow and ice no problems!!

"I understand that maybe until now you haven`t had such winters as we have, but because of global warming the climate is changing and maybe next winter you`ll have snow for one month"

mmm, global warming, so will be spain in britain next summer...great, winter tyres not

needed :)

Glad you got home safely!

"I think anyone with a 4X4 that comes to the rescue of a stranded motorist should get a free road fund license for life!!

Government has a !Removed! cheek to claim that people don't need 4X4s and that they are bad for the environment etc, then slaps massive tax penalties on owning one, yet it's always someone in a 4X4 that comes to the rescue to save a life or get key personnel into work when we have a bit of snow and the rest of the country grinds to a halt!

Since when did anyone get rescued by a poxy electric city car or a frigging Toyota Prius?

I might go to the no.10 website and start a petition!! "

FMC, NOOOOOOOOOO!!! You say such wise things...then come up with this!?!? has someone been posting using your log in!?!?

I have been passing stuck 4x4s with me FWD fiesta!

[FMC]

I have been passing stuck 4x4s with me FWD fiesta!

Clearly they won;t qualify for a free RFL then

And just to clarify, by 4X4 i mean proper 4X4s like Land Rovers, not pavement 4X4s like my neighbour's SsangYong :P

[InstructorPiggy]

Clearly they won;t qualify for a free RFL then

And just to clarify, by 4X4 i mean proper 4X4s like Land Rovers, not pavement 4X4s like my neighbour's SsangYong :P

it was a land rover actually!

looked rather shocked as I passed with me driving school headboard on! ha ha

[MarkyR]

mmm, global warming, so will be spain in britain next summer...great, winter tyres not

needed :)

Just to correct you on that common misconception. Ice caps melt in the North pole/ Northern hemisphere, that cold (I think fresh water) then comes down the ocean and hit the gulfstream, the gulfstream is then either disrupted or stopped all together by the cold water and you say bye bye to the warm climate the UK has, the gulfstream is essential to the warmer weather in the UK, just look how far North we are on the globe.

We are predicted to get hotter summers and harsher colder winters. And seeing as a worldwide maximum 2 degree rise has been accepted, kind off, I suggest we all prepare for some harsher times ahead.... Just turn your air con up 2 degree's, then imagine that on a planetary scale!!

That's what I know about it anyway, as for the car, nice icy road where I live and taking it steady with the ESP on and it's been fine? In first gear anyhow haha.