What is the Best method for getting unstuck in Snow?

When complaining about Prius TC suckiness, please remember that it comes in at least 4 distinct vintages. The first was the worst, each new version was an improvement. By model year 2010, most (though definitely not all) posters here seemed to think it was quite reasonable.

Rocking doesn't work when the vehicle is really high centered. The snow platform that holds much of the car's weight off the wheels, and holds the undercarriage with a high drag grip, needs to the whittled down before rocking becomes useful.

 

Yes, of course. Otherwise you have tires in the air with no contact.

But, when you whittle down that snow platform, the inability to rock the Prius puts it at a clear disadvantage. Alas, even on G3, the TC still sucks. Owners say its much improved from G2 TC but still suffers from the same shortcomings.

In the meantime, disabling the TC once in a while has worked great for me. It doesnt allow the wheels to spin much at all (thank you snow tires) but the most important thing - it prevents the skid control from completely bricking any forward momentum once a slight slip is detected.
I have never once gotten stuck in my Prius!

 

Any time the snow is deep enough to drag, I stay home. Plows really do a good job for the most part. If to deep, at the end of my drive way I stop get my shovel out from the back and shovel the end before going into my drive way. There is nothing worse than high centering a car! I'm to old for that!

 

Snow? I park the Prius and fire up the Ridgeline.

 

Me too, me too....

 

should have removed the snow from the end of the driveway, getting stuck is never good, an ounce of prevention.

If you get stuck get a shovel and don't rock the car until you have cleared the snow around the car, if you drove into a bank and are airborn, call a tow truck, screwing up the mechanical capabilities of an electric drive vehicle would be expensive and spinning the front wheels is a good way to render the car useless. (unless of course you know what you're doing, getting stuck show's a lack "there'of"

 

Oh! I would not shovel either You might break your NAILS!!!!!

 

1. Moving to LA and dealing with the gangs,mudslides,fires,Santa annas, earthquakes,and being one of few that speak English is not an option. I prefer dealing with the Snow !!
I just traded in a 2008 that was useless in the snow !! My 2010 has had no problems and we have had a record amount of snow this year. The traction control on the Gen.111's are much better.

 

I agree, I had a 2005 and the 2012 Is far better in snow, Brakes and skid control both are much better! Exceleration traction is much better also

 

Did you hit the "Power Mode" button that shuts down the traction control ? I have that feature on my 2010 and it works great. Owning 7 Prius taxi's I have learne the great value of putting Michelin X-Ice 3 tires on. All seasons are terrible in the winter and my saftey is worth the extra cost.

 

I agree. The traction control needs to sense some resistance to spinning. That's where good tires come in. We have two 2010s, one with Xice 3, the other with Pure Contact. I have several times been dragging bottom and the tires where throwing up rooster tails off snow and it just kept going even with TC chattering away.
I drove my 4X4 Suburban with really good aggressive tires into my parents' farm driveway. It was spinning and being absolutely annoying. I got in the Prius, dragging bottom most of the way breaking through new snow on a different driveway and didn't spin even a little. It just drove right threw it. So give your traction control something to work with, get some snow tires!

 

I will try that power mode trick tomorrow. Was not aware it would disable traction control??

 

Power mode does not disable traction control on my 2010. Didn't make sense to me anyway. If Toyota was so worried about synergy drive damage why would they let us completely disable traction control??

 

Is there anything in the Manual about this? Or?

 

here in upstate NY, staying home when it snows would mean not showing up to work from November to March We schlep out even with 12"on the ground, so it's snow tires and lots of patience. When stuck, I found turning the front wheels back and forth "sweeps" enough snow to get some traction. Not being able to disable TC hurts though

 

That is a good method. Another thing it does: typically you're stuck on an upgrade. Zigzagging left/right like that is comparable to driving up a mountain via switchbacks. You're increasing the distance travelled but lessening the steepness as well.

 

Hitting the PWR mode button does not turn off traction control. Traction control can be turned off on a prius but it is a complicated process. It is meant for mechanics. There was a thread about it earlier this winter, describing all the steps you must take. Although it sounds like it may be worth it, if the rpm's get too high (which they easily can) it can cause serious damage (I believe the transaxle, specifically. But that part may be wrong)

 

You mean its a complicated process like in this youtube video titled "Toyota Prius Traction control Simple 1 Minute Disengage" ??

 

That seems pretty lengthy to me. Besides, you shouldn't drive in maintenance anyway

 

You also shouldn't inflate the tires over the recommended pressure listed on the drivers side door or block the grill but we are all here to learn ways to make driving our vehicles more enjoyable and get every bit of this amazing fuel efficient very low emission car to work for us.

I assure you, its not lengthy. I have it memorized and whenever I need to enter the car into inspection mode, I do. With snow tires and TC off, the Prius is an absolute beast. You can keep your TC on and get "stuck" at the green light when the TC disables all forward motion. Ill honk and wave and I zoom past you