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hutchingsp

Member Since: 08 Jan 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 90

Winter Driving Tips?

First winter with my FL2 SD4 Auto.

When it comes to driving, not having had a 4x4 of any sort before, other than common sense stuff such as "It might have more grip but it won't stop any quicker", is there anything I should know?

Seems a bit barmy asking when it's 23 degrees outside, but apparently that won't be for long.

2nd Oct 2011 10:36 am

Ghyllie

Member Since: 19 Jul 2011
Location: Over looking Loch Ness with Nessie by my side
Posts: 159

2008 Freelander 2 TD4 XS Auto Santorini Black

Re: Winter Driving Tips?

hutchingsp wrote:
First winter with my FL2 SD4 Auto.

When it comes to driving, not having had a 4x4 of any sort before, other than common sense stuff such as "It might have more grip but it won't stop any quicker", is there anything I should know?.

That is the No1 rule mate, in 4 wheel drive you shouldn't drive any quicker it just means you can drive safer but you still go to look out for the idiots though

Ghyllie oo! Shiney!
____________________________________________
55 Nissan Navara SE Black - My Toy.
08 Freelander 2 XS Santorini Black - Her Majesty's Toy.

2nd Oct 2011 12:54 pm

EYorkshire

Member Since: 18 Nov 2010
Location: (!)
Posts: 4392

An important one (because it caught me out last winter)

The DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) button to the right of your Gear knob. If you have deepish snow in front of you when pulling away, you will find the engine revs drop away and you lose power although you have your foot on the throttle, this is the DSC taking over but its not what you want in this instance. Turn it off and when you've got going turn it back on again.

2nd Oct 2011 1:07 pm

hutchingsp

Member Since: 08 Jan 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 90

Thanks both. What, if anything, do you do with the various terrain programs?

For example if the local town roads are slushy/snowy it makes sense to put it in "Snow" mode, but once you hit the main roads they look clear, but there may still be lack of grip due to gritting etc.

2nd Oct 2011 1:37 pm

rchrdleigh

Member Since: 18 Aug 2007
Location: Somewhere in the East of England
Posts: 1601

2011 Freelander 2 TD4 XS Manual Baltic Blue

Re: Winter Driving Tips?

hutchingsp wrote:
First winter with my FL2 SD4 Auto.

When it comes to driving, not having had a 4x4 of any sort before, other than common sense stuff such as "It might have more grip but it won't stop any quicker", is there anything I should know?

Seems a bit barmy asking when it's 23 degrees outside, but apparently that won't be for long.

I would suggest booking at least a 1/2 day at one of the Land Rover Experience Centres where you will be shown the capabilities and limitations of your vehicle and given tips on how to drive in dry, wet, mud, snow, sand etc. If you bought new try asking your Dealer for a free voucher - failing that you night find the cost is money well spent. Would suggest waiting until the ground is wet as it is too dry at the moment to be a real challenge although still an impressive demonstration of the capabilites of the vehicle you own.

2nd Oct 2011 1:46 pm

EYorkshire

Member Since: 18 Nov 2010
Location: (!)
Posts: 4392

hutchingsp wrote:

For example if the local town roads are slushy/snowy it makes sense to put it in "Snow" mode, but once you hit the main roads they look clear, but there may still be lack of grip due to gritting etc.

In those conditions the Freely will handle itself in 'Normal mode' quite easily. Remember in Normal driving it has traction control on, Stability control on, each wheel is continuously being monitored, drive is/can alter from front to back as needed, it's all good without the 'Terrain Response'.

'Snow mode' really means hard packed snow or ice not the soft virgin snow. Your Freely is already in 4 wheel drive permanently and the 'Terrain Response' 'Snow mode' main aim is to limit wheelspin, the system boosts traction control and ABS brake performance, shifts are more rapid and throttle response is dampened.

I was told that if you are in virginal snow over half your wheel height then try 'Sand mode', this will turn off DSC automatically and allow power to all wheels to get you moving.

I don't think there is any hard and fast rule, if the snow comes then get out there and experiment.

2nd Oct 2011 2:19 pm

rchrdleigh

Member Since: 18 Aug 2007
Location: Somewhere in the East of England
Posts: 1601

EYorkshire wrote:

I was told that if you are in virginal snow over half your wheel height then try 'Sand mode', this will turn off DSC automatically and allow power to all wheels to get you moving.

I don't think there is any hard and fast rule, if the snow comes then get out there and experiment.

Selecting Sand Mode does not turn of DSC automatically. DSC can only be turned off manually by pressing and holding the DSC button until the warning light appears in the Driver Information Screen.

I would agree that in deep dry snow then selecting sand mode might be the best option as deep dry snow has similar characteristics to soft dry sand and when skiing in deep powder the aim is to get the skis floating through the snow which is similar to what you are trying to achieve in soft dry sand. In the wet snow typically found in the UK sand mode may not help as much as mud ruts or even grass gravel snow.

Only way to find out is to try - each situation is likely to be different and require a different setting and approach.

2nd Oct 2011 2:47 pm

AndyC

Member Since: 30 Nov 2007
Location: Where the snow dosen't melt when the sun is shining!
Posts: 4165

2007 Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Manual Stornoway Grey

In all the snow we get it has never been neccessary to use anything but Normal mode and Snow mode - Never had to turn off the DSC as I have done in the RWD BMW to get out of deep snow. I would have thought that by using the Sport mode (sand mode) in snow will only lead to problems as driving gently in deep snow is far better than trying to blast through it.
On our winter LRE the instuctor never mentioned the use of sand mode either. 2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

2nd Oct 2011 3:39 pm

hutchingsp

Member Since: 08 Jan 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 90

Thanks. I don't live in the middle of nowhere, far from it, but when I had my previous car which was a Boxster I had an excuse for not being able to do much in the snow.

I don't want the excuse to be ignorance in my part this year

2nd Oct 2011 3:46 pm

rchrdleigh

Member Since: 18 Aug 2007
Location: Somewhere in the East of England
Posts: 1601

In UK type snow (usually wet and slushy) I would tend towards 'Grass Gravel Snow' or 'Normal' modes. In deep dry powder snow I'd first try 'Grass, Gravel, Snow' and if that didn't work I might try other options including 'Sand' to get me moving before moving back Grass Gravel,Snow'. In most part of the UK we do not get enough snow to allow us to practice and discover the best techniques.

Land Rover decided that DSC should be on as the norm for a reason and it should be left on except in some specific situations where turning it off will assist regaining traction. It should be turned back on again as soon as traction is regained.

2nd Oct 2011 4:04 pm

BrianAbbott

Member Since: 28 Dec 2010
Location: Teesdale
Posts: 169

2011 Freelander 2 SD4 GS Auto Ipanema Sand

If in doubt, turn HDC on (for going up as well as down hill). If it's on you can always override it, but if it's not on you may not be able to engage it 'just like that' when you do suddenly need it. Brian

MY11 FL2 SD4 GS
Extras to same spec as XS apart from the Satnav, plus Xenons.
Ipenema Sand, Ebony.

2nd Oct 2011 5:20 pm

rchrdleigh

Member Since: 18 Aug 2007
Location: Somewhere in the East of England
Posts: 1601

BrianAbbott wrote:
If in doubt, turn HDC on (for going up as well as down hill). If it's on you can always override it, but if it's not on you may not be able to engage it 'just like that' when you do suddenly need it.

Exactly - having watched a RR without HDC acting like a 2.8 tonne sledge on a hill and then watched the same RR with HDC on the same hill moments later I can vouch for the difference HDC makes. Remember using the brakes overrides HDC and could result in you losing control. Let HDC do what it is designed to do and you have every chance of negotiating the hill with the minimum of problems.

2nd Oct 2011 5:52 pm

AndyC

Member Since: 30 Nov 2007
Location: Where the snow dosen't melt when the sun is shining!
Posts: 4165

HDC - Excellent when its needed. Attached photo is from our LRE several years ago

2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

2nd Oct 2011 7:16 pm

Dave

Member Since: 04 Jul 2007
Location: Somewhere Near You
Posts: 2666

2012 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE Auto Indus Silver

HDC is fine as long a the surface beneath the wheels is firm, if is is loose/slippery then HDC will not control the decent. ______________________
2011 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8
2012 FL2 SD4 Auto HSE
2013 Kawasaki Versys 650

2nd Oct 2011 7:53 pm

Nazca Sand Eddie

Member Since: 06 Nov 2007
Location: Devon
Posts: 179

On one of my LRE courses at Honiton the HDC was used on a very steep and very slippery surface and it works amazingly.

Too steep and slippery for a human to stand up on.

Since then I have used HDC in ernest on a steep down hill track, which was covered with snow on top of frozen snow - very slippery. Thanks to HDC I was able to reverse down hill safely - would have been a nightmare if I had to rely solely on me using the foot brake.

2nd Oct 2011 8:14 pm

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