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Rav 4 4.3 Xt4 Vsc In Snow


Nightstalker
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Helllllooo there.... :lol:

Now that we eventually got some snow down in Reading I have had a play with me RAV in it... and must say I'm a little dissapointed :(

With me Avensis I had ESP and VSC and whenever it kicked in the light came on to let me know it was being used... is this not the case with the VSC on our RAVs, I also thought the Rav would handle a tad better than it did in the snow... Now I admit the tyres on me rav aint snow ones, but they are all season ones and still managed to "intentionally" loose it with no sign of the VSC kickin in.

Regards

Rob

B)

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Can't quite remember what all the acronyms (VSC, ESP) mean, but what I do know is that my 4.3 XTR is very good in the snow. Carried four people up a steep, bumpy track that was covered in compacted, frozen snow - no problem. When, prior to purchase, we went to test-drive the RAV a couple of years ago, it happened to be a snowy day. We also test-drove the Honda CRV on the same day and on the same roads, and found its 4WD system to be inferior, with 4WD kicking in considerably later, that is, after quite a bit of wheelspin.

We have also been able to tow our caravan off muddy, wet campsites where others got stuck, so I think it's pretty good.

I do agree that it is a pity that you don't see a little idiot light telling you when 4WD is engaged. It would make me feel that there had been some little justification for buying a 4WD in the first place...

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If you'd got a 4.2 you would permanently be in 4wd so wouldn't have to bother.

I've never driven a 4.3 but doesn't it have button to lock the 4wd?

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The 4.3 allways starts off in 4 wheel drive, when MPH hits about 28 MPH it reverts to front wheel drive only to save fuel.

It also has a difflock button on the dash. This link from Rav4 world explains it a bit, but its for an auto box -

http://rav4world.com/pdf/2006/2006_4wdsystem.pdf

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Helllllooo there.... :lol:

Now that we eventually got some snow down in Reading I have had a play with me RAV in it... and must say I'm a little dissapointed :(

With me Avensis I had ESP and VSC and whenever it kicked in the light came on to let me know it was being used... is this not the case with the VSC on our RAVs, I also thought the Rav would handle a tad better than it did in the snow... Now I admit the tyres on me rav aint snow ones, but they are all season ones and still managed to "intentionally" loose it with no sign of the VSC kickin in.

Regards

Rob

B)

Poor handling nothing to do with RAV - it's the 'wrong kind of snow'

I'm sure Anchor man has lots of guidance from his employers about what to do when faced by this situation ;)

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Oow - right in the heart that was!!!

Mine was the only car in the car park this morning (at the top of a very snowy hill) and it was no bother to it.

Rob

The VSC light will definitely flash and a buzzer will sound if you get it working. You're not trying hard enough :thumbsup:

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Oow - right in the heart that was!!!

Mine was the only car in the car park this morning (at the top of a very snowy hill) and it was no bother to it.

Rob

The VSC light will definitely flash and a buzzer will sound if you get it working. You're not trying hard enough :thumbsup:

WELLL :g:

If the bodds at the met got it right again then it should chuck it down with snow tonight.... so I'll push the svinkter button again tomorrow morning and see if I can get Big Red to spinn a little round the round aboooot. Might have to pull the hand break to give her a hint of what I want... :naughty:

Regards

Rob

B)

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Rob

The VSC might not work on the handbrake. It can modulate a wheel that is mechanically locked. I'm not sure what the affect would be. You need a big empty carpark or some other place to throw it sideways. It will also work on a steepish downhill if one of the wheels breaks away.

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Oow - right in the heart that was!!!

Mine was the only car in the car park this morning (at the top of a very snowy hill) and it was no bother to it.

Rob

The VSC light will definitely flash and a buzzer will sound if you get it working. You're not trying hard enough :thumbsup:

WELLL :g:

If the bodds at the met got it right again then it should chuck it down with snow tonight.... so I'll push the svinkter button again tomorrow morning and see if I can get Big Red to spinn a little round the round aboooot. Might have to pull the hand break to give her a hint of what I want... :naughty:

Regards

Rob

B)

Have to admit I took the 4.3 XT5 out in the snow to see how it behaved, never having had anything other than Land Rover type transmission before [ i.e. manual selection of 2 or 4 wheel drive and high and low box ]. You would have been proud of me - I LET THE WIFE DRIVE! :o :!Removed!:

She came to the bottom of a hill that was 1:3 in sections with hairpin bends, about 1 mile long with a surface of very uneven stone setts. There was 3" - 4" of snow on it and no wheel tracks at all. I got her to change down to 1st gear and she just drove up the hill. No sign of any slipping or any hysterics from the transmission at all. I was VERY supprised at how good it was. I could kick myself now as I had a camera in the car and forgot to take any photos.

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Twas great today - Nice fresh powder snow for to BFGs to chew through! Afterwork, waited 20 mins to get down a hill, as a car in front had spun, ending up 90 degrees, with a wall behind and parked cars infront. After much wheel spin, he was helped on his way by passer bys and a few drivers caught in the queue waiting. A steep hill lay ahead after the bottom of the hill. Only spotted two other vehicles that made it up that - a fire truck and a renault clio with the skinniest tyres id ever seen. The Clio tanked it up the hill.

The next few days will be different when the snow freeze up into more treacherous ice. I'll definately be taking things easy when that happens. Safe driving everyone.

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Twas great today - Nice fresh powder snow for to BFGs to chew through! Afterwork, waited 20 mins to get down a hill, as a car in front had spun, ending up 90 degrees, with a wall behind and parked cars infront. After much wheel spin, he was helped on his way by passer bys and a few drivers caught in the queue waiting. A steep hill lay ahead after the bottom of the hill. Only spotted two other vehicles that made it up that - a fire truck and a renault clio with the skinniest tyres id ever seen. The Clio tanked it up the hill.

The next few days will be different when the snow freeze up into more treacherous ice. I'll definately be taking things easy when that happens. Safe driving everyone.

Well my T180 certailny shot up my hill yesterday and this morning AND I managed to get the VSC to shout at me as it slid round one of the bends - really made me jump!

Only wish I could escape for a bit and go over the Cat & Fiddle Road (Derbyshire to Cheshire) to see how good it is in deeper snow.

Guy

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on monday evening i took the nrg & missus for a spin to teach her how to drive in the snow. it was on a large empty car park from b&q. i must say not bad but for more fun i like rear wheel drive vehicles like the is200 i had before. any how when she was on the wheel i was using the hand brake to make her life difficult. after a while she got the trick and kept the rav4 nice on track. B) she never drove in the snow before so this was a good opportunity for her.

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on monday evening i took the nrg & missus for a spin to teach her how to drive in the snow. it was on a large empty car park from b&q. i must say not bad but for more fun i like rear wheel drive vehicles like the is200 i had before. any how when she was on the wheel i was using the hand brake to make her life difficult. after a while she got the trick and kept the rav4 nice on track. B) she never drove in the snow before so this was a good opportunity for her.

Hey! - the hand brake is a dirty trick. :eek: The big advantage from her point of of view is that once you have the knack it becomes automatic so you react that way without thinking about it. Have you noticed that these big car parks that used to be so good for this kind of exercise are now getting devided up with curbs and trees and signs and lamposts. Not nearly so good as a big open space. :thumbsup:

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Hey! - the hand brake is a dirty trick. :eek: The big advantage from her point of of view is that once you have the knack it becomes automatic so you react that way without thinking about it. Have you noticed that these big car parks that used to be so good for this kind of exercise are now getting devided up with curbs and trees and signs and lamposts. Not nearly so good as a big open space. :thumbsup:

the hand brake trick is what my driving instructor did. :rolleyes: long time ago on a special track made slippery with soap & water. B)

also this car park had some speed bumps and lamppost but i used them as objects to avoid what was working well. :P

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Used the diff lock today for the 1st time since the 1/4miles in August!! :lol: :lol:

The poor thing is so confused at being driven slowly with the lock on that it has decided to keep it on!!! Wait til tomorrow when it goes in to get its boost doubled up!! Managed a sideways slide too easily as the power going down vs the weight of the car was a bit tricky - really should put the heavier wheels and tyres back on :eek: :eek:

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HA ! :D

I did it.... I managed to get me Rav to use the VSC.... Needed it to be propper icy though, was doing about 30 - 40 along a nice long road in the industrial estate where I work and tried to get the back to go.. and it tried and failed misserably... and Big Red was shouting at me and flashing the VSC lights n all...

Jobs a goodn.

Regards

Rob

B)

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HA ! :D

I did it.... I managed to get me Rav to use the VSC.... Needed it to be propper icy though, was doing about 30 - 40 along a nice long road in the industrial estate where I work and tried to get the back to go.. and it tried and failed misserably... and Big Red was shouting at me and flashing the VSC lights n all...

Jobs a goodn.

Regards

Rob

B)

Nice one Rob - sounds like a PROPER test! :thumbsup:

Is the noise similar to that generated by the ABS?

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It takes a bit of provoking - you normally end up needing clean undies during extreme RAVing.

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Naaaa was a doddle...

All I needed was the little bit of ice on the road to make it propper slippy. The back end did try to break out but with the VSC and a little help from myself the back end did a little S move and straightened up and we were going straight on again but as said Big Red did'nt like it rough like that...... ;)

I do hope though that I wont ever need it in a suprise situation... this was controlled and anticipated. Then again with the weather we are having now I will need to knock on Mr Clarksons door and ask how I can turn Big Red into a decent amphibious vehicle... :lol:

Regards

Rob

B)

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