MK2 Leon - Very poor in snow

[Haddock]

For me this is the only negative with the Facelift Leon.

Turning off ESP just seems to make it a bit less eager - i.e. pressing the button doesn't turn it completely off.

Which make's playing in the snow a bit less fun

Unless anyone knows how it can be turned completely off?

 

[TheDean]

I have kept it on just in case. I haven't found it has hampered me making progress really. If I get stuck, I would turn it off to give you more control, but other than that, I'd just leave it on.

Am I right in thinking you just hold down the OFF(!) button, then hold down ESP button for it to come back on?

 

[GainfulShrimp]

I have kept it on just in case. I haven't found it has hampered me making progress really. If I get stuck, I would turn it off to give you more control, but other than that, I'd just leave it on.

+1

I found with my missus' previous car - a big Accord Estate - that it would just not move with what it called VSA turned on... you had to disable it to make any progress at all.

But the Leon's ESP seems more subtle so I'm happy to keep it on. I span my Golf once on an icy corner a few years back and scared the bejesus out of myself...

 

[Haddock]

I have kept it on just in case. I haven't found it has hampered me making progress really. If I get stuck, I would turn it off to give you more control, but other than that, I'd just leave it on.

Am I right in thinking you just hold down the OFF(!) button, then hold down ESP button for it to come back on?

That works fine on the pre-facelift cars, but on the 2009 onwards card it just makes the ESP light flash - reducing the sensitivity, but it still cuts power on acceleration and starts braking wheels when your making progress sideways...

 

[TheDean]

+1
I span my Golf once on an icy corner a few years back and scared the bejesus out of myself...

Tell me about it. Before my FR I had an R reg Corsa. Span it a couple of times at low speed. Was hilarious as I knew I could do nothing about it, so just had a good laugh

That works fine on the pre-facelift cars

Yeah, mine is '07, so will be pre-FL

 

[FR_Flavoured]

Does anyone drive around normally, with the ESP switched off? Any benefits in doing this?
(question not related to driving in snow).

I'm finding this time of the year, while accelerating hard (ie joining a motorway slip road etc), my traction control is blipping all the time!

 

[rllmuk]

I always find that when the roads are so icy (or snowy) that you need to turn ESP off to get going it isn't going to do a right lot to stop you spinning. When it's that bad I prefer to have as much control as possible and drive to the conditions - nothing worse than ESP killing power or braking a wheel at an inopportune moment. The other 360 days of the year it stays on.

 

[RobH]

I always find that when the roads are so icy (or snowy) that you need to turn ESP off to get going it isn't going to do a right lot to stop you spinning. When it's that bad I prefer to have as much control as possible and drive to the conditions - nothing worse than ESP killing power or braking a wheel at an inopportune moment. The other 360 days of the year it stays on.

Na i left esp on and it kept me moving up a hill be at 1mph err literally, i was getting overtaken by people walking

Some guy in a 4x4 offered to pull me less than a mile for a tenner

Then when i got to the top a tractor went by with a snow plow, typical!

 

[Al]

For me this is the only negative with the Facelift Leon.

Turning off ESP just seems to make it a bit less eager - i.e. pressing the button doesn't turn it completely off.

Which make's playing in the snow a bit less fun

Unless anyone knows how it can be turned completely off?

Yeah I noticed that too. If I can't find out how to remove it completely, I will be finding a fuse or somewhere in vagcom to disable it. Pain in the hoop and I can imagine it would be a real pain if I was ever to try it on a track

 

[GainfulShrimp]

Was this slow progress with winter tyres on, RobH? What a cheek of that guy to demand a tenner - some karmic retribution due his way, no doubt...

I find 4x4 drivers get quite cross if you drive past in a fwd car when they're stuck moving slowly sideways instead of forwards.

 

[RobH]

Was this slow progress with winter tyres on, RobH? What a cheek of that guy to demand a tenner - some karmic retribution due his way, no doubt...

I find 4x4 drivers get quite cross if you drive past in a fwd car when they're stuck moving slowly sideways instead of forwards.

Nope track tyres on

carnt be a proper 4x4's if there going sidways ie landy defender, you wouldnt see one of them sidaways.

 

[Al]

Nope track tyres on

carnt be a proper 4x4's if there going sidways ie landy defender, you wouldnt see one of them sidaways.

PMSL

You still running those Track Day tyres?! Be careful as they may well get damaged by extreme cold weather. I know 888's do.

Cripes, they were hopeless in rain never mind snow and ice

 

[GainfulShrimp]

carnt be a proper 4x4's if there going sidways ie landy defender, you wouldnt see one of them sidaways.

From memory it was one of the big BMW 4x4s - X5? It had very wide, very low profile tyres on it, poor thing.

 

[RobH]

PMSL

You still running those Track Day tyres?! Be careful as they may well get damaged by extreme cold weather. I know 888's do.

Cripes, they were hopeless in rain never mind snow and ice

Yep its p!ss funny and theres only around 1mm of legal tred

Yeh i know they can crack etc, getting them off this weekend for sure.

 

[sniperftw]

wonder how many leons will be claimed by the snow this winter.....

i'm taking 50/1 bets on 10
500/1 on 1
250/1 on 5

 

[Poverty]

i know of one already

 

[Craig D]

My new Cupra R is near undrivable in this snow.....don't know if its to do with the 19" and 35 profile tyres.....worst car i've drove in the snow TBH! (Wish i had my Subaru just now epic in the snow)

 

[n_d_fox]

The Potenzas are uesless in the snow... i hated the P6000's Kwikfit put on the front recently but i will give them they're due... they are not as bad in the snow as they are in the wet !

Had a quick look at eBay and the Trader yesterday to see what sort of money bashed up jeeps are fetching...lol

 

[Nath.]

wonder how many leons will be claimed by the snow this winter.....

i'm taking 50/1 bets on 10
500/1 on 1
250/1 on 5

I'm watching for "I crashed my car in the snow doing 3MPH" threads and "my sump is split / alloys damaged due to a pot hole" threads

 

[K1Shane]

i know of one already

???? elaborate........