Hi Guys,

we have unprecedented bad weather over here in ireland (worst in 30years),

looking for tips on how to drive in snow and icy conditions as we have never had to deal with this before.

Others will chime in but...

* Put the car in GGS mode.
* Don't drive too fast
* Don't brake too fast
* Leave plenty of space between yourself and the car in front
* Enjoy it. Not often you get this kind of weather to drive in. Gone: RRS : HSE : TDv6 : 57 : Java Black : Ebony : 20"

crowej wrote:

Hi Guys,

we have unprecedented bad weather over here in ireland (worst in 30years),

looking for tips on how to drive in snow and icy conditions as we have never had to deal with this before.

Depends how severe and how big the hills? But a good guide;

DSC - OFF - thats the LR way according to the official off road DVD for driving in Snow
GGS - ON - best setting ever, troll the forums to see its praise
Low Range - ON for the big hills etc
HDC - ON I have used it the past few days and can only just find the brake pedal
Off Road Height - SET - miss all the chuck of ice or deep snow

Just keep in mind Low range and Off road height means keep under 30mph GONE** RRS 3.0SC Silver fully loaded - 2020 110 loving it
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** Chinook CH47 - 2 x T55 engines 3,750 hp each!! 183mph, 2xM134 Miniguns, 1xM60

cant go wrong following wokka's advice. GGS marvelous tool, but everything slow smooth and easy, just like in bed  purple people eater

There are no good days, just some days that are not as bad as others!


Gone RR 4.0 P38 Autobiography MY99 Red ( money pit)
Gone RRS MY06 2.7TDV6 HSE Rimini Red
Gone RRS MY10 3.0TDV6 HSE Bali Blue with lots of bits (never grew to love it)
Here Now - 3.6 TDV8 FFRR OVERFINCH Stornoway Grey - loving it x
My work car Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDci Zetec auto Estate in Silver

As Wokka says - but don't touch the brake pedal if you have the HDC engaged, that will disengage the HDC, just let the car do the work! Also if you are in low ratio use 2nd and 3rd not 1st gear for pulling away. Only use first in manual shift mode for going downhill and use the engine braking to keep the speed down. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

yea i think the biggest part about snow driving is using command shift to down shift coming up to junctions to reduce the speed. Definitely avoid any sudden/slight hard braking. WINNER - 2008 Best All New Photograph
WINNER - 2009 Best All New Photograph

One thing you will also notice in GGS setting even in high ratio box is how much "damping" it applies to the accelerator pedal, almost to the extent that you think there is something wrong with the car! If you cna get to speeds above 20mph then I would recommend disabling the HDC until you have to drive more slowly, only because it can eat up brake pads and discs when it activates a lot and if you can get to that sort of speed or more then the roads must clear anyway. There also doesn't appear to be an upper speed limiting gong when you have GGS engaged in high box with normal suspension height. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Also take care when you switch back to normal from GGS as your foot has to re-learn how hard to press the throttle  Sons of dogs come hither and get flesh
Clan Cameron

what conditions are you guys talking about?
You certainly do not activate all the LR gadgets for 1" snow where my smart car on summer tyres drives, do you?
Agree with Wokka's recommendation if the situation is really severe, but other than that, GGS should do all the work in conditions as we have 99.9% of the time

Have to hand it LR.........that GGS setting is unbelievable, you can feel the grip as soon as it goes on.........known in the family as "Tiger mode"

I see LR are doing a massive radio campaign for the Freelander 2, great idea, I know of 2 people now scouring the market for a used one.............if anything the F2 is as good as the RRS in this weather, mine has yet to miss a beat, either of them really.

Didnt know about the DSC off, so will try that as I once again attempt to get out of the driveway, just been up to clear it after yesterdays shenanigans! L322 Big Daddy SUPERCHARGED 5.0 Autobiography - Here & Now!

5 series for the miles

RRS S/C factory built HST - Gone

45 others have been and gone!

WW, no need to disable the DSC on roads that have been already driven, you only disable it to get out of the sticky bits when you may want to start using the front wheels to get extra grip by turning the steering wheel quickly form side to side, DSC thinks you are going to crash the car and cuts the power! 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

I drove mine in very deep virgin snow 1 1/2 feet deep today using all the tips on here at varying times. Did a few miles like that. Spot on even with Contis

But once I got on clear roads I noticed I had a lot of vibration as though the wheels were out of balance. But I assume and hope that was caused by the build up of snow/ice between the spokes of the wheels

Any one else notice this  TDV6 - gone
TDV8 - gone
Audi Q5 3.0 Tdi Sline wef 6/11/10

Not had that with the snow yet but had it with mud, thought I had lost the wheel weights and I had even used a pressure washer to get the mud off but there was some still on the inside of the wheels, had to take them off to get them clean and then they were ok.

Click image to enlarge

Defo leave DSC on unless you are actually stuck. The secret is to keep the car straight and the DSC can help you do that. A little bit out of shape in snow or on ice can quickly turn into a lot of out of shape. If the laws of physics take over from the clever electronics you can feel like you are in an out of control huge chunk of metal very quickly. And once you are in the ditch it can be a tractor job to get you out.

And GGS doesn't increase your grip. That is entirely a function of the contact between the tyres and the ground. If your wearing summer tyres and the ground is icey - then you wont get much grip at all. What GGS does is reduce thge risk that you will accidentally do something to lose grip (like accelerate too hard or brake too suddenly). Make all turn gently and if you do start to slide try to correct it gently as well (or you will probably make it worse).

The best tip for winter driving is to wear winter tyres. And to carry suitable "spares" in the back. I carry :

A shovel
A sleeping bag
A flask of tea
A bottle of water
Snacks
Warm hat, gloves, boots
Good quality tow rope or tow strap

And always top up your washer fluid with high concentrated washer fluid. Keep batery fully charged and watch out for the numpties who drive too fast, drive too slow, get stuck every 3 yards or do doughnuts all day long.

A final tip is to go green laning / offroading. Such days out are not just about having fun. You can learn a great deal about driving your vehicle when you have mates around to help / advise. So next time you are taking the kids to school in the snow in your LR you can be a lot more confident about what to do / not to do on a slippery road. RRS TDv8 HSE Rimini
Disco 4 TDv6 HSE Ipanema
Defender 90, 200tdi CSW

my suitable "spares" bottle Glenfiddich, bag of doritos, ipod and hybrid TV, sitting in rush hour traffic for 3 hrs in Sheffield everytime it snows, priceless purple people eater

There are no good days, just some days that are not as bad as others!


Gone RR 4.0 P38 Autobiography MY99 Red ( money pit)
Gone RRS MY06 2.7TDV6 HSE Rimini Red
Gone RRS MY10 3.0TDV6 HSE Bali Blue with lots of bits (never grew to love it)
Here Now - 3.6 TDV8 FFRR OVERFINCH Stornoway Grey - loving it x
My work car Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDci Zetec auto Estate in Silver