Yeah, but can you blame them? I mean, even those of us who drive them every day don't know what SNOW mode does...

If I were to throw a guess out there, it'd be that SNOW mode on previous Lexus models used a 2nd gear start to reduce torque, but on the new IS they changed it to starting in first gear and manipulating the throttle. This change was perhaps not well understood/communicated, and that's why dealers, the automotive press, and the public are misinformed.

I could perhaps answer this myself by paying attention to SNOW mode in my RX, and seeing how it behaves, but I have not yet done that.

Good conversation.

 

Agree with JDR76. The article stating SNOW mode starts in 2nd gear is incorrect.

It starts in first with an increased delay in throttle response (more than Eco) - just count through the gears.

 

I've found that in SNOW mode the downshifts are much more conservative. The car won't downshift as aggressively when applying the brakes.

 

Fun fact, GX is the only Lexus model whose 'SNOW' mode is labeled '2nd Start'

 

mine starts out in 1st gear in SNOW mode, 8spd. You can count all 7 shifts. It just dulls throttle response, whats the point of this feature if it doesn't start in 2nd gear?

 

Anyone check the owners manual? I can't right now, but on my G35, the snow mode locked the AWD at low speeds. I'm not sure how capable the Lexus AWD system is though.

 

The manual is not helpful at all (pg 165):

 

Wow great question. I'm surprised this is a mystery to everyone. Looking forward to seeing the final response

 

Just started snowing over the weekend where I'm at, played around with different modes to see how it handles on snow/ice.

Snow mode does in fact start in 1st gear and go all the way up, maybe it'll automatically jump to 2nd and stays there when it feels the need to? I know it sounds rather freaky but just wait till you hear my experience next.

So yesterday I was at a full stop around my neighbourhood and noticed car indicated 2nd gear in D at complete stop, most likely in normal mode, might've been in Eco mode but definitely not Snow mode for sure. As I flipped it to Manual and attempted to downshift to 1st, a little message on the cluster said something along "unable to start in 1st due to car on slippery ice" or something like that, I was practically on sheer ice in that intersection layered in brick. Anyone came across that message before?

 

+1. It won't show it if you put it in manual mode but in reality, it does start in second gear to eliminate wheel spin.

 

What are you basing that off of?

In order for this to be true, you'd have to first believe that, even though the display indicates you are starting in first gear, you are actually in second. So then, when it upshifts, and displays "2", are you saying you're now really in 3rd? And then it upshifts again, and even though it says you are now in "3", you are actually in 4th? And so on?

Again, if you simply try it, you can count gears and very clearly see that you start in 1st and move up from there.

There is more than one way to limit tire spin/applying too much torque. Starting in 2nd gear is one. Limiting the throttle is another.

 

Here are a couple of passages from the Lexus Technicians Guide, IS models specifically:

When SNOW mode is selected manually or selected automatically due to skid control ECU judgment, the system regulates the throttle valve opening angle to stabilize the vehicle when driving on a slippery road, such as on snow. (notice no reference to 2nd gear start)

2nd Gear Start-off and Stop Control - When the engine idling speed is high while the engine is warming up and the road surface is slippery, 2nd gear start-off and stop control for low-friction roads is automatically used in order to enhance control of driving force using the accelerator.

 

Good find, mcomer. Thanks for posting.

 

Thanks mcomer, that explains why I experienced mine started in 2nd gear that one time, but not necessarily in Snow mode.

 

what it does is it smoothes out the hard jerk of transmission so therefore u don't spin out if control