MB AMG

Does ASR work in snow? I remember driving up a hill with no snow tires and i got stuck. Maybe with snow tires, it would help. Overall, does ASR make driving in the snow better or worse?

GDawgC220

ASR stands for "Anti-Slip Regulation" or in other words, Traction Control. What it does is limit the wheel spin. There are sensors on each wheel and when it senses that the wheel is spinning without the car going anywhere or is faster than the front wheels are rolling, then it will activate the computer to apply brakes to the wheels to stop it from spinning. It keeps braking the wheels till they regain traction.

In snow, if you are stuck and are trying to rock back and forth to get unstuck, then ASR is no advantage because you need to spin your wheels to get "rocking", and ASR stops that...so you need to turn it off before trying to "rock the car".

Other than that, for snow, if you are at a stop light or are accelerating and the car senses that you are loosing traction, it will brake the wheels till you get traction again, helping you from fishtailing.

Hope this helps.

-G-

dtkw

Even with ASR, you'd better off with a set of winter tires. I got stuck with the coupe and ASR on or off was no use. Fortunately I was prepared and I had this metal thing in the trunk, I just unfold it and put the teeth down on the snow right infront of the tire and got me out of it. Learned my lesson well.

markku

We do have snow 4 months a year in our country. Have been using winter tyres with studs for nearly 40 years.

My cars have been with motor in rear and front, drive by front, rear and 4 wheels.

This is my first car with ASR and yes, it is definitely and advantage to have such system during the winter. If you get stuck you can always disable ASR to give some boost to the tires. In that case ASR will act as a locked differential.

MB AMG

Yes I already know how ASR works. I drive a `92 600SEL and the problem with pre 1994 models is that you CANNOT switch off ASR which is really stupid. Snow tire would be great; would you recommend Michelin Arctic Alpines or Pirelli Scorpions. Do you know that button for studded tires on the left side, what is it for.

And cannot type question marks. This is what it looks like. É Anyone got any ideasÉ

markku

I have only one switch with triangle sign for disabling ASR.

If you want the best, buy Nokian with studs or without. They are developed in Finland under real snowy conditions.

dtkw

Nokian? Sure sounded like the sister companh of Nokia! I don't know if they sell that here tho. Never heard of it. I got a set of Blizzark, tirerack's recommendation. BTW, we cannot use stud tires here, too harsh for the roads, so they said.

markku

You are right, Nokian used to be a part of Nokia during the era they produced cables, paper, tyres, rubber boots etc.

All other activities are sold except telecommunications gear.

For tyres and availability in US, see:

http://www.nokiantyres.com