Good amount of snow felled in D.C area and our 10RX did well considering low ground clearance and FWD-AWD design. Not much traction with default setting but with SNOW ECT/4Lock/Track Off, I was able to plow through 12 or more inches of fresh snow. First I drove with default mode but I had difficulty navigating the vehicle, but with SNOW ECT and Traction off mode, fuel cutoff was reduced enough so I was able to make it up to small hills with few nerve breaking moments each time the fuel shutdowns down automatically. I wish the Track Off mode will completely override the fuel cutoff. It isn’t Jeep capable but I felt safe and vehicle felt composed even with the original Bridgestone tires.

 

What did you mean "fuel cutoff"? I'm a little fuzzy about this feature. Did you mean the car cuts the power to the wheels? Thanks.

 

Fuel cutoff is part of the safety feature. Excessive wheel spin or certain condition will trigger fuel cutoff so your RPM drops to idle speed [briefly]. Just like when it reaches speed limiter RPM drops to prevent engine damage. Its hopeless feeling when it occurs few feet from “making” it to the point. Our 05RX didn’t have it but I think there was an option in GEN2 RX that had height adjustment which gave it 3 inch lift for higher ground clearance when needed. I could have really used few more inch of clearance past weekend.

 

Is this fuel cutoff detailed in some literature somewhere or on a Lexus web page somewhere? Would someone mind sharing that? I would like to read about it before it happens to me this winter.

Thanks,

 

Won't it completely turn off if you hold down the trac off button?

 

It will.


P230
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not even the best off-roader could go on snow-mud-ice without proper tires. And even opposite - even the worst car with proper tires can do much more then any off-roader with bad ones

don't blame on the car, blame tires. Electronics in any situation, won't compensate tires. Have a set of winter tires and you won't have to set ECT in SNOW mode

 

TRAC off is only good up to 40mph and it automatically resets in default. 4W lock is only good up to 25mph and it resets but SNOW ECT is enabled without interruption. I just learned that to keep the TRAC off mode, I will have to push the button and hold for three seconds.

[Audriuss] is correct about not having a proper tire but it is rare we have this much snow in DC area so it doesn’t pay to have separate set of snow tires. Overall it did good and felt safe on bumpy/patchy road with SNOW/ECT mode on.