Snow Button

lenny123 · December 20, 2009

snow button seems to work good. where i live to get out off the street is a big hill and so many cars got stuck going up one woman sat nearly on the limiter trying to go up it lol i just let it pull its self up it in the end. also i have just ordered some goodyear snow socks so wonder what they will be like will let you guys know when i get them and use them .

flyeris · December 20, 2009

Definatly doesnt cut the spark. Would missfire if you cut the spark. Cutting the sprak would/could cause more trouble than you was already in. I would imagine the ecu overrides the throttle position. Cutting the spark would also cause the engine to stall. If you keep your foot planted and let the trc cut in you can keep it cut in for a considerable time period, if the spark was cut for this long the engine would stall compleatly. Not to mention cause a problem when the spark cut back in it would ignite all the unburnt fuel in the cylinders. I used to have a push button start on my old escort with a flick switch for the igntion if i turned the igniton of, therefore cutting the spark, and kept the car rolling in gear it would keep drawing fuel through the carberator and when i re ignited the ignition it flamed out of the exhaust like you wouldnt believe.
Either way Toyota/Lexus invested millions into designing the electronics on the car who are we to poo poo them and decide i wont bother using them. I personally have tried all 3 setting this weekend snow on trc on, trc on snow off, and both off. both on definatly aids when pulling away from a stand still.

Nope, it doesn't cut the spark completely, but definitely affects the ignition timing (retards it to lower the power output)

http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/h40.pdf (Page 10/12)

The Transporter · December 21, 2009

The "SNOW" button magically makes all snow and ice disappear so that you can continue to drive your car like a muppet, even with unsuitable tyres.... It also puts a magic force field around the car so that road salt can not get anywhere near your paintwork.. you will miraculously miss all sign and gateposts.... Oh! and it desensitises the throttle pedal (On manual transmission vehicles) for those poor folk who have no control over their right foot.... A nice thought from Lexus for those of us with prolapsed discs.

Maffison · December 21, 2009

Snow button worked great for me driving on untreated roads, but preferred to drive with trc off as it made the car a little unpredictable when it cut in. Only problem I had was I couldnt get the car up the drop kerb to my drive. I really don't like leaving my baby parked on the roadside!

IZZZY · December 21, 2009

Snow button worked great for me driving on untreated roads, but preferred to drive with trc off as it made the car a little unpredictable when it cut in. Only problem I had was I couldnt get the car up the drop kerb to my drive. I really don't like leaving my baby parked on the roadside!

how do you turn the TRC off?

Maffison · December 21, 2009

Snow button worked great for me driving on untreated roads, but preferred to drive with trc off as it made the car a little unpredictable when it cut in. Only problem I had was I couldnt get the car up the drop kerb to my drive. I really don't like leaving my baby parked on the roadside!

how do you turn the TRC off?

By pressing the TRC button It's next to the snow button. TRC will light up as a warning by the speedo when its switched off.

MacRS200 · December 21, 2009

Cutting the spark would also cause the engine to stall. If you keep your foot planted and let the trc cut in you can keep it cut in for a considerable time period, if the spark was cut for this long the engine would stall compleatly.

And that is exactly what happens when you "keep the your foot planted". I know because I've been there!

D4LLY · December 21, 2009

Snow button worked great for me driving on untreated roads, but preferred to drive with trc off as it made the car a little unpredictable when it cut in. Only problem I had was I couldnt get the car up the drop kerb to my drive. I really don't like leaving my baby parked on the roadside!

i have a slight incline on my drive and struggled to get up it with SNOW on / TRC on

fjcfarrar · December 21, 2009

The "SNOW" button magically makes all snow and ice disappear so that you can continue to drive your car like a muppet, even with unsuitable tyres.... It also puts a magic force field around the car so that road salt can not get anywhere near your paintwork.. you will miraculously miss all sign and gateposts.... Oh! and it desensitises the throttle pedal (On manual transmission vehicles) for those poor folk who have no control over their right foot.... A nice thought from Lexus for those of us with prolapsed discs.

Well said. Take the present conditions as an opportunity to learn to drive properly like people used to have to when all cars were rear wheel drive on tyres that had no grip at all plus rotten brakes that pulled any which way. Just start out earlier, use any aids the maker provides and don't drive any faster than you are completely confident that you are in full control - leave that to those who don't realise that cars don't always want to go where you point them on ice & snow and just dont stop when none of the wheels are turning until all the momentum has gone or you hit something. So you might arrive a bit late and be accused of driving like an old lady; but driving with your brain and not your bo***cks can stop you bending your car or hurting someone.

fjcfarrar · December 21, 2009

Snow button worked great for me driving on untreated roads, but preferred to drive with trc off as it made the car a little unpredictable when it cut in. Only problem I had was I couldnt get the car up the drop kerb to my drive. I really don't like leaving my baby parked on the roadside!

i have a slight incline on my drive and struggled to get up it with SNOW on / TRC on

To both: Common sense - stick some sand/salt down and the problem will melt away.

D4LLY · December 21, 2009

Snow button worked great for me driving on untreated roads, but preferred to drive with trc off as it made the car a little unpredictable when it cut in. Only problem I had was I couldnt get the car up the drop kerb to my drive. I really don't like leaving my baby parked on the roadside!

i have a slight incline on my drive and struggled to get up it with SNOW on / TRC on

To both: Common sense - stick some sand/salt down and the problem will melt away.

true - well said :duh:

fjcfarrar · December 21, 2009

Cutting the spark would also cause the engine to stall. If you keep your foot planted and let the trc cut in you can keep it cut in for a considerable time period, if the spark was cut for this long the engine would stall compleatly.

You are confusing TRC with the rev limiter which is there to stop you melting the bearings and generally wrecking the engine if you plant your foot when there is little or no load. TRC in snow mode dulls the throttle response and applies different programming to the ECU to reduce torque and power output - it just makes the engine a bit more docile and the brakes less aggressive to make the car react less to knee-jerk violent foot movements when you s**t yourself as the car starts to slide or go the wrong way. It is up to you if you think you can do better without it - but you are probably wrong.

MacRS200 · December 21, 2009

Cutting the spark would also cause the engine to stall. If you keep your foot planted and let the trc cut in you can keep it cut in for a considerable time period, if the spark was cut for this long the engine would stall compleatly.

You are confusing TRC with the rev limiter which is there to stop you melting the bearings and generally wrecking the engine if you plant your foot when there is little or no load. TRC in snow mode dulls the throttle response and applies different programming to the ECU to reduce torque and power output - it just makes the engine a bit more docile and the brakes less aggressive to make the car react less to knee-jerk violent foot movements when you s**t yourself as the car starts to slide or go the wrong way. It is up to you if you think you can do better without it - but you are probably wrong.

I am most definately not confusing TRC with the rev limiter, you don't even know the difference between the traction control and snow mode FFS.

Neither of them have got any thing to do with the brakes either.

And finally I am not wrong I HAVE BEEN THERE, FOR ABOUT THE THIRD TIME OF SAYING IN THIS THREAD. The traction control kills the engine stone dead if you keep it cut in, end of. If you know better go out and try it for yourself and learn what you are talking about before you post up.

Oh and the quote you have above is not from me.

MorrIS200 · December 21, 2009

where are you from in merseyside sean i avint seen any snow at all :(

nedsram13a · December 21, 2009

TRC does not kill the engine, it just reduces engine output even further when one or more wheels does not have traction.

If you go outside on some ice, plant your foot down with TRC on, it will let the wheels spin minimal. Turn the TRC OFF, and the wheels will spin all the way to the rev limiter.

Snow mode also reduces throttle response and power. In my old Auto, snow mode changed gear at 4500RPM even if my foot was flat down. On the manual, if you sit on your engine, drive very slowly and put your foot down, you will see the throttle body only opens a certain amount

The Transporter · December 21, 2009

On the manual, if you sit on your engine, drive very slowly and put your foot down

I would pay good money to see you do that

flyeris · December 21, 2009

Traction Control (TRC) - System designed to maximise safety when accelerating on slippery road surfaces or when the available grip differs from one side of the vehicle to the other (such as when two wheels are on a gravel or grass verge). Operated by controlling the throttle and/or applying the brakes to any wheel that is slipping.

http://www.toyota.com.au/glossary/p-t

I believe that in IS it also uses brakes, because sometimes, when I have to take off on slippery surface (driving A/T - less control of the throttle), I am not yet 100% confident, but I believe that the system tries to lock the slipping wheel (strange noises are coming from the back) :)

Update: Ok, and this comes from IS manual:

nedsram13a · December 21, 2009

The strange noise in the Auto is the traction control, and is coming from the box.

Also, the brakes don't lock the slipping wheel. The wheel with less friction spins because it does not have an LSD, which means the wheel with less friction spins.

Im aware the only system that uses brakes part of the TRC is the ones with things like VSC

Try this. Park on wheel on ice, and the other on solid tarmac, you will still have a job moving the car!

The Transporter · December 21, 2009

Flyeris, the TC on the IS200 will not try to lock the spinning wheel, merely reduce the power coming from the engine. My VW van will lock its spinning wheel but this is known as an "Electronic differential" which is a cheap and nasty way of imitating a limited slip differential.

I think that what is up for debate is just exactly what the ECU does to reduce this power. Not being a big fan of electronic gizmos, I rely on the slightly overweight but highly intelligent organic ECU to prevent wheelspin... He simply backs off the throttle a little

fil4362 · December 21, 2009

It could just be that the snow where you are is fluffier than normal and condensation has messed up your electrics. Thats what the channel tunnel guys are using as an excuse.

Anyway theres some pretty agresive answers on here that are making me laugh so keep them up guys its fun. Especially the ones that are wrong. The traction control does not cut the spark off it may retard the timing it also may limit the engine revs by over ruling the throttle pertensiometer but it definaly does not cut the spark off. If your traction control cuts in and your engine stalls your cars not working.

My traction control doesnt kill my engine i know i have tried it, i can keep my foot planted whilst left foot braking keeping the wheels spinning as long as i like or for a much as the trc will let me but mine engine doesnt stall. Imagine the senario. your sitting at a junction just about to turn left. The roads abit icey but your traction control gives you piece of mind. You look both ways nothing so you pull out as you emerge past the parked car on your left you see some fool bearing down on you. you decide to go for it as your way out of the junction by now, you put your foot down in panic your traction control kicks in oooohhhhhh no your engines just been turned of by the traction control now your really stuck. You have a fool speeding towards you and you just stalled your car and your in the middle of a junction. This situation is exactly why theres nothing on any car which will ever make your car stall. TRC is a saftey device designed to keep you safe, killing your engine therefore power assisted steering goes as well no engine no steering is not a saftey device. So i say it again if your trc stalls your car your trc doesnt work or you cant drive.

Having said that the new bmw has a realy stupid system that turns your engine of everytime you stop and then restarts it again for you but this is an enviromental thing not a saftey thing.

So to drive round in the snow leave any or all electronic aids turned on, drive gentley and smoothly on the controls dont get into trouble in the first place and you will be fine.

nedsram13a · December 21, 2009

I turn the T/C off if the car begins to slow down to much, as i find spinning the wheels normally keeps you going a little bit further.

The BMW system starts instantly thou, and does not "turn" the engine over like you would expect, it fires instantly

The Transporter · December 21, 2009

Ha! Fiat had a system that switched off the engine when the car had been stationary for more than a minute or so back in the eighties but it relied on the starter motor to spark up the car... Needless to say these cars ate starters and the system was ditched very quickly.... There was talk of 42 volt electrical systems some years ago where the starter was part of the flywheel... Idea was when you raised the clutch pedal the electric motor would start the car rolling and then started the engine seamlessly.. Renault Trucks used a similar system 'bout 8 years ago in some of its heavys... Don't know if it is still an option

MacRS200 · December 21, 2009

It could just be that the snow where you are is fluffier than normal and condensation has messed up your electrics. Thats what the channel tunnel guys are using as an excuse.
Anyway theres some pretty agresive answers on here that are making me laugh so keep them up guys its fun. Especially the ones that are wrong. The traction control does not cut the spark off it may retard the timing it also may limit the engine revs by over ruling the throttle pertensiometer but it definaly does not cut the spark off. If your traction control cuts in and your engine stalls your cars not working.

My traction control doesnt kill my engine i know i have tried it, i can keep my foot planted whilst left foot braking keeping the wheels spinning as long as i like or for a much as the trc will let me but mine engine doesnt stall. Imagine the senario. your sitting at a junction just about to turn left. The roads abit icey but your traction control gives you piece of mind. You look both ways nothing so you pull out as you emerge past the parked car on your left you see some fool bearing down on you. you decide to go for it as your way out of the junction by now, you put your foot down in panic your traction control kicks in oooohhhhhh no your engines just been turned of by the traction control now your really stuck. You have a fool speeding towards you and you just stalled your car and your in the middle of a junction. This situation is exactly why theres nothing on any car which will ever make your car stall. TRC is a saftey device designed to keep you safe, killing your engine therefore power assisted steering goes as well no engine no steering is not a saftey device. So i say it again if your trc stalls your car your trc doesnt work or you cant drive.

Having said that the new bmw has a realy stupid system that turns your engine of everytime you stop and then restarts it again for you but this is an enviromental thing not a saftey thing.

So to drive round in the snow leave any or all electronic aids turned on, drive gentley and smoothly on the controls dont get into trouble in the first place and you will be fine.

Just love an expert!

You are the first IS200 driver on here that rates the TRC.

ps Phil how come the engine on an IS200 kept cutting out on a hill about 4 years ago until I switched the TRC off and got moving again?

Edited December 21, 2009 by MacRS200

aido · December 21, 2009

I always thought the TRC in the IS200 was a very basic system and just seemed to cut power - it was downright dangerous at times as I had a few scary moments coming onto roundabouts!

VSC as used in the IS300 and other Lexus models is a much better system - I was amazed how much better the Aristo handled the snow!

The Transporter · December 21, 2009

To be honest, I don't think that the TRC is too bad, I don't like traction controls that are too intrusive, this time of year the TRC light on my van is my best friend and it is a real pain if I forget to switch it off.. The lex rarely lights up as I reel it in before things get out of shape, I would suspect that most experienced drivers would do likewise... If the IS had no TRC, then it really wouldn't bother me at all as it would still be a stable and safe car..