AWD - Seriously??

[KimGoesInfiniti]

I am a new EX 35 owner (2011 just bought used). I bought it because I fell in love with it. It replaced a 2007 Jeep. I have never driven an AWD car before but I assumed it would be better than FWD. However, today, in the first snowstorm of the year, it would not climb my driveway. Granted, FWD cars won't do on my hill, but the Jeep never missed a beat. Did I make a mistake?? The dealer said last week that the tires are fine. (This was four months after purchasing, so I believe they are telling the truth.) I don't know if I should turn off the VDC, use the snow button, get snow tires, or some combination of the above. Any advice would be appreciated. I don't want to get rid of my Infiniti! :face palm:
I should mention there were only two inches of snow on the driveway at the time.

[CustomLowz]

My parents live on a large mountain, I have snow tires and I just put it into snow mode, and have no problems getting up.

[KimGoesInfiniti]

Thanks so much for your reply! What kind of tires did you put on?

[CDNicecube]

Well, I live in snow. I know snow, ice and....snow. I just love how the awd works on our cars. Best of both words: rwd for fun. And awd for safety. Sure it is not a jeep, but I drive up steep snow, iced, hills, no problems. Sometimes I used the snow button, sometime not but I fell it works better with the snow mode on in slushy snow. I once or twiced had to take off the Vsc. That when I want to have full in parking lots!

But I have ha look hankook rw11 i-pike winter tires. They are pretty good.

[EXceptional]

KGI... what brand of tires do you have on your car right now?

Welcome to NICO

[CustomLowz]

Thanks so much for your reply! What kind of tires did you put on?

Nokian Hakka Pleda studded snows

[EXceptional]

Nokian Hakka Pleda studded snows

Nokian Hakka Pleda = Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2.

The R2 is the current model.

Did you get the R or the R2 ?

This link says the R is discontinued >>> http://www.nokiantires.com/winter-tires ... eliitta-r/

...and it got replaced by the R2 >>> http://www.nokiantires.com/winter-tires ... liitta-r2/

[AWGD8]

-Snow Mode On
-VDC off

Should work on your car pulling up yor driveway. Unless there are ice underneath the snow and that might be a different story.

How steep is your driveway?

I have a Michelin Xice2 and the only problem I have with this tire is real ice. The car is controllable, but I had to turn on snow mode that morning. It was a rain at night and temp. drop the next morning. Our local road about a mile had turned into a skating rink. I was about to head back home if this road condition is the same all through out my commute to work. Good thing it was only close to my home...

Nokian is the best snow tires bec. the compound in the rubber is for snow until you totally wear off the tire. Some snow tires only has snow compound the first half (depth) of the tire tread the other half is all season. My snow tire had gone to all 4 winters already and this is the 5th. Still the tread can do 2 more winters.
I only drive to work 50miles bothways. Michelin snow tire does not wear off quickly like the rest.

[CustomLowz]

Nokian Hakka Pleda studded snows

Nokian Hakka Pleda = Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2.

The R2 is the current model.

Did you get the R or the R2 ?

This link says the R is discontinued >>> http://www.nokiantires.com/winter-tires ... eliitta-r/

...and it got replaced by the R2 >>> http://www.nokiantires.com/winter-tires ... liitta-r2/

Actually I believe I have the Hakkapeliitta 7, But i would have to verify that when I get out of work.

http://www.nokiantires.com/winter-tires ... eliitta-7/

[KimGoesInfiniti]

EXceptional, thanks for your post. Actually, thank you to everyone who responded. I appreciate it and am going to look into new tires. The tires I currently have are Bridgestone Ecopia. I had no idea that tires made such a huge difference.

[TimGinCentralNJ]

I am a new EX 35 owner (2011 just bought used). I bought it because I fell in love with it. It replaced a 2007 Jeep. I have never driven an AWD car before but I assumed it would be better than FWD. However, today, in the first snowstorm of the year, it would not climb my driveway. Granted, FWD cars won't do on my hill, but the Jeep never missed a beat. Did I make a mistake?? The dealer said last week that the tires are fine. (This was four months after purchasing, so I believe they are telling the truth.) I don't know if I should turn off the VDC, use the snow button, get snow tires, or some combination of the above. Any advice would be appreciated. I don't want to get rid of my Infiniti! :face palm:
I should mention there were only two inches of snow on the driveway at the time.

Hi Kim-
Welcome to the gang

Yes, you should turn off your VDC and turn on Snow Mode (as others suggested), but I'd also be curious to know whether a) you had ice under the snow, and b) what exactly happened when you tried going up your driveway? Were all 4 tires spinning, just the rear tires? If you don't disable your VDC, the throttle will cut out by design to try to limit wheel spin.

If there happened to be ice under the snow, I'm not surprised you didn't get far on all-seasons. At the same time, if conditions like those are a rarity, snow/winter tires might not necessarily be worthwhile. I've had numerous 4WD and AWD vehicles in addition to my 2008 EX, and by comparison, it does just fine using my all-seasons...but ice is ice

Hope this helps a little.
Tim

[KimGoesInfiniti]

Hi Tim,

Thanks! I'm not sure exactly what happened when I tried to go up the driveway. I got half way up and that was it. I backed down and tried again. When I looked at the tracks, they seemed to slightly veer to the right. There was no ice under the snow, but it was snow with a high moisture content. It packed immediately under the tires. The driveway is really steep. I would guess that the bottom of the driveway is probably 20 feet lower than the top.

Thanks again,
Kim