Brian Zado

Well we got some snow today First time i have driven in bad weather in the LS so i thought great this should be intersting. Any way was driving on the highway going about 50mph. So there was a hill on the highway I noticed a car had spun out sitting on the median. So i tap the brakes and the car gets squirrely and the next thing I know Im lossing control sliding across the median onto the other side of the highway facing the direction i was just leaving. so my LS was dead becase i had come to a complete stop in gear. So I sit there for a minute waiting for the cop car to come over to me. The cop gets in his and drives off and nerver come towards me. So i start me car and go home. called my work and said Iam not coming in I dont want to die. So all in all I am now scared of my car.

GKLCPA

Sounds like that could have happened even with a 4 wheel drive.

I suggest driving slower

Och

iTrader: (3)

Braking is the most dangerous thing you can do in snow, because wheels will lock very easily, and slippery surface will send you sliding out of control. It doesn't matter whether you are in an RWD, FWD or AWD vehicle, drivetrain doesn't affect braking. What you should do, is keep large distance between your car and cars in front of you, so if they are stopping you have enough time to slow down by letting off the gas, and if you need to brake, do it at lower speeds and very smoothly.

litesoarer

abs did nothing?

do you not have traction control on your LS, i know the TRAC on mine has saved my butt a few times since it's been cold here with ice occuring

GKLCPA

I had a very bad spin out last year in my Max which had ABS. Depending on the severity of the slide, it's been my experience that ABS may not save you.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

if your driving downhill (so weight is already shifted to the frontend) and you just TAP the brakes, i dont really know what you expected. all you did by tapping the brakes was unsettle the car and then u made it worse by (most likely) overcorrecting.

what you should have done is :

A-drive slower
B-downshift and brake slowly for a longer period of time.

Brian Zado

I was only going 45-50 going slower than the rest of traffic and have never experienced black ice and hop to never again. If I do I know Im not hitting the brakes it was scarry stuff.

Gunnut

The snow we had here today in KC was way more slick than it should have been. Even had a 35 car pile-up on I-35.
I drove around quite a bit today in my LS without any real issues.
But then I've been driving in this crap my whole life.
Slow down and take it easy on the brakes.

JimA

Och

iTrader: (3)

Ice or small amount of snow (1-3") is the worst possible scenario for braking, in any car. It's very slippery, and once you start braking, wheels often lock and there's nothing to stop you from sliding. At least when there's a lot of snow, when the wheels are locked the car will slow down from all the chunks of snow under its wheels. So be extremely careful when driving on slippery roads, especially downhill.

Brian Zado

needless to say from now on i will driving very slow under extreme weather conditions. Driving to work this morning was a bit nerve racking but i just took it slow and didnt have any problems with the slush on the highway. The spot on the highway where i went through median looks crazy. Super long tires marks. Scarry

Och

iTrader: (3)

You don't get much snow in Kansas, do you?

Gunnut

We get our share. He has posted in other threads that he just recently moved to KS from another state with a warmer climate.

JimA

EastWind

1) if you can afford it, get snow tires, makes major difference!!!!!!
2) the brake is not your friend. trac control works only when your car is going straight, and you wheels are aligned straight. your steering better not be turned!
3) slow down, doesn't matter if others are doing 50, if you feel safer at 30, go at 30.
4) put some weights in your trunk
5) check your tires, better to be slightly underinflated than over inflated.

fransattle

I live in MN and have a 98 ls. I bought a set (4) of blizzak snow tires and put them on a used set of ls rims from ebay. The car is a tank in the snow. I can go through just about anything; however, ice is a different story! I feel like it is the safest RWD car I have owned. The snow tires and trac control are a great combo for the snow.

avalon42

iTrader: (1)

Nobody here uses chains anymore? I still drive slow with chains on .....