Subaru AWD vs Ice Hill - Will it Work? Traction Control Test

Here we test out if it is better to keep traction control on or turn it off when trying to go up a hill in icy conditions with Subaru AWD or if it will keep you stuck.
We test three settings
Everything ON
Traction Control OFF
Traction Control, Stability Control (VDC), ABS, Wheel Speed Sensors OFF
Out Of Mind by Jay Someday | / jaysomeday
Music promoted by www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License
creativecommons.org/licenses/...

[@KurtofTrades]

If you found this helpful consider sending me a Super Thanks with the icon below the video, ❤💰 I will buy a Coffee with it! ☕

[@coletrain411]

Your neighbors must have been looking at their windows like “is he… is he watering his snowpacked driveway?”

[@KurtofTrades]

😂

[@raystanton238]

Thanks for this great demonstration and explanation. This type of traction control is very effective if its allowed to work. Too many people immediately let off the gas as soon as a tire starts to spin. If you let the tires slow spin, it will give the traction control time to work, just a couple seconds for the ABS to slow the spinning tires enough for torque to tranfer to the non spinning tires. After a few seconds all 4 tires will pull you through most situations.

[@KurtofTrades]

I was surprised how well it did!

[@user-vp2wr9kb4v]

Thank you I do not allow the system to work

[@ericg2167]

Just today. Backing into my garage, I was slow as always due to the mild weather for this time of year. There was lots of ice with a slope. I was reversing and literally came to a stop, but I didn't let off the throttle. Seconds later, I began to proceed into the garage. No on/off of traction control or pressing X mode. Just Subaru doing its thing. Do I like it? Hell ya. Edit: The great nation of Canada. Where beer flows freely and beavers are nervous.

[@sharedknowledge6640]

Great video with some myth busting. Software and hardware differences between AWD systems can make a huge difference. I watched a much more expensive brand new Volvo XC70 come to a complete halt trying to get up an icy hill. It’s brain dead traction control system would just apply power until one wheel started to spin and it would brake that wheel and make the next wheel slip. It did so over and over with zero forward progress. After watching it completely helpless until it slid into the curb no doubt damaging one or more wheels I simply drove around it with zero issues in an older Subaru Crosstrek. There was a time the Swedes supposedly knew about winter traction but those days are apparently over now that Volvo sold out to the Chinese. Subaru has deep roots in rally racing and it shows. Subarus outperform even many Jeep’s in winter conditions. Subaru’s software helps instead of hinders like that from Volvo and others.

[@KurtofTrades]

It’s true, they all are so different in their implementation. Thanks for the insight!

[@VlogPhotography]

Interesting video Kurt. Music works well and nice simple explantion. Thanks for sharing.

[@LivingtheDream710v]

Hey man I saw your post on Facebook and I'm glad to support keep up the videos these are awesome!

[@KurtofTrades]

Much appreciated! Thanks

[@LivingtheDream710v]

@@KurtofTrades absolutley! I love the subaru too, I'd love to get a wrx

[@woofinu]

Glad you did the test instead of me 🙂

[@dimalranasinghe8152]

Thank you for the info.

[@tomcordes1768]

Interesting test. Thanks.

[@KurtofTrades]

Thanks for watching!

[@roadtaco3924]

Tks for the field text. Appreciated. New sub !!!!!

[@KurtofTrades]

Yea NP thanks! Welcome!

[@kusriyantobudio3798]

Traction control ON

[@cheetor5923]

Car software is the key, especially if you have open diffs. I've found (and this is just personal experience) Subaru just rules the lot.. Shockingly, Suzuki come next.. Now I know that's weird. My lil base level 1.2L FWD Swift gets me up hills my dad had trouble on in his Mitsubishi outlander 4WD... Which takes me to Mitsubishi. The're great at speed on dirt roads getting sideways... can't climb a small hill a FWD Suzuki can do.

[@MA-un1mj]

Good work 👍

[@KurtofTrades]

Thanks!

[@porsche558]

People always think they can drive better without the help of technology. I do hear people talk about turning off ABS but my favorite is when people have ABS on and they taking about pumping the breaks in a slide (dumbest thing you can do).

[@NoFear4XJs]

Thank you, Maybe Mazda would lend you a car for doing the same explanation for 2023 Mazda 3 Hatchback AWD and give you some perks ? I`m searching online for more details about their specific design and functions of Traction control . Their service people are for the most part a bite clueless on the facts and details truly it`s a bit sad.... Online google info is questionable and empty you did a fantastic job of showing real world scenario !

[@thetechlibrarian]

Mazda traction control is really good. It does Not cut power when slip starts. And the AWD reacts extremely fast it doesn't wait for slip to occur in my cx5 it's a world apart from my rav 4 of the same year

[@EZapar]

Cool stuff. There are really neat apps you can get for measuring angle. Inclinometer. Cheers.

[@KurtofTrades]

My method is pretty crude haha just getting a ballpark. Thanks foe watching!

[@EricRacine123]

This must be my issue. I just bought a '14 impreza that needs the break light switch replaced so the tc, abs and hillstart light is on and literally acts like a front wheel drive

[@bledboost]

Great video, are you using snow tires on these tests? If yes I'd be curious how all season tires would do on the same tests

[@KurtofTrades]

Yes they are blizzak ws60s. I’ve gone up my driveway with snow on my all seasons and it’s an awful experience.

[@alexdonosog]

Hi! Can you tell me the size of tires please? I bought an Impreza same as yours a week ago and I’m trying to find a bigger size of tires that fit in there

[@random4k336]

What tires do you have during the test?

[@KurtofTrades]

Totally forgot to mention that! Blizzak ws60s

[@jamesyee4143]

Thanks, What kind of tires are y using on the car???😊

[@KurtofTrades]

Blizzak ws90, great tires

[@timnelson1787]

Traction control off. Keep your momentum. Don’t hammer the throttle like an idiot, keep the tires gripping, tad spin is fine.

[@Swigzable]

how do you do vdc off? Can you make a video please, I want to drift my Impreza

[@KurtofTrades]

Search for this on KZbin “crosstrek drift mode”. It shows how

[@Swigzable]

@@KurtofTrades thanks! Was drifting this winter but it is annoying how the car stalls

[@Swigzable]

@@KurtofTrades would your video work for a 2021 impreza

[@ethanhunt937]

The gradient was less. U need to turn off traction in a steep long incline

[@nathanchiaro5399]

Hey, does it have manual or automatic/CVT transmission?

[@KurtofTrades]

Cvt

[@itts]

If there a tutorial for installing a VDC off switch?

[@KurtofTrades]

Yes it’s on my channel search vdc fuse switch, if you can’t find it I’ll link it

[@itts]

@@KurtofTrades Ah yes. I assume the procedure is similar for a 18 Crosstrek?

[@KurtofTrades]

Almost identical I think the only difference is the part number for the switches they changed them slightly I believe.

[@itts]

@@KurtofTrades I haven't actually looked at it at all.. I think there might be a chance that the fuse this time around is located in the fuse box under the hood. But, I think this is a worth while mod.

[@papawsgaming8762]

I have a steep gravel driveway. when awd is engaged, i find traction a lot better with traction control off vs. on. seems to counter your results?

[@KurtofTrades]

If you are going really slow it can sometimes limit wheelspin. The button to turn it off is for these situations. Most of the time on roads it’s better to have it on.

[@papawsgaming8762]

@@KurtofTrades ok thx for that

[@joshgrossnickle3631]

Do you have a video about your “drift button”?

[@KurtofTrades]

Yes search vdc fuse switch oem subaru and it should pop up or in the impreza poaylist

[@jannerahkamaa1011]

@@KurtofTrades Dose that work on 2010 outback?

[@KurtofTrades]

@@jannerahkamaa1011 not sure i'll look into it

[@jannerahkamaa1011]

@@KurtofTrades Thanks 🙏

[@KurtofTrades]

@@jannerahkamaa1011 Looks like it can be done with a fuse removal, not sure which one is the vdc fuse for the outback, shouldn't be too hard to lookup.

[@BimmerWon]

What about traction control off and x-mode on?

[@KurtofTrades]

Doesn't have X-Mode

[@BimmerWon]

@@KurtofTrades ah gosh darn. Do you think if it did that combo would perform best?

[@KurtofTrades]

Not sure, depends how xmode set up. If it works like 4low it probably would be the best option. Not sure though cause it might be really hard to detect slip manually.

[@BimmerWon]

@@KurtofTrades oh ok nice. Also how mad did your wife get exactly for you hosing down the driveway? Did you have to sleep on the couch that night? I was thinking about trying this experiment myself when my Crosstrek comes in but at the same time I don’t want to be filling out divorce paper work.

[@KurtofTrades]

😂 she actually didn’t even notice, she has a Jeep with winter tires lol

[@kikismith3744]

What year is this your wrx?

[@KurtofTrades]

Its a 2012 impreza, not a wrx

[@kikismith3744]

@@KurtofTrades dang so the Impreza base handles very well up hill on ice, I love it!! I was thinking about getting a wrx or a forester. Was just making sure these can go pretty well on snow as well! It’s just I can’t make up my mind lol!

[@Brandon-qp7gq]

What car is that? Impreza hatchback?

[@KurtofTrades]

Yes 2012

[@artilleryisbetter]

VDC off for doing donuts

[@KurtofTrades]

It’s the only way! Thanks for watching.

[@tyrelltalbert485]

Turn it off unless it’s raining or snowing

[@KurtofTrades]

@@tyrelltalbert485 I'm curious why you would turn it off in the dry?

[@pierre2324]

@@KurtofTrades to me "torque vectoring" will even help on dry asphalt to corner better and prevent understeer tbh by braking inside wheels in turns. I really like the eLSD (brakes to get more torque on the wheel that has more traction, especially here in Canada, I just get tired seeing open diffs that cant do anything when one wheel starts spinning. Never got stuck yet in my wrx, Id like to see it in a tough scenario as you did or ice

[@davidl6354]

@@pierre2324 i saw this f-150 have trouble climbing a hill on a little hill and I went up it without a sweat lol

[@joshuamorin2762]

I hate how companies use the brakes. It's hard on them and if you have long winters like Maine does, you do lose a lot of life controlling wheel spin. There just isn't any replacement for a good limited slip diff to lock wheels side to side.

[@chevyv20]

The funny thing is, that if you have the right tires on it, or any vehicle! You don't need any of the fancy electronics! For example if you're car was equipped with Brigstone Blizzack ice grip stud less tires, which by the way I have on my 2005 Outback, and my 2015 4×4 Ram 1500 Laramie Limited. You would have no problem getting traction on ice, at all. Hell, they grip almost like you are on dry pavement, it's truly incredible!

[@KurtofTrades]

I have blizzak ws80s on it, they are very good!

[@patricknedz]

I have a front wheel drive 2013 Hyundai Sonata, with a good set of snow tires and yes the tires you use makes quite a difference. Traction is the key. Drove through snow and even up snow covered hills without getting stuck. Also Subaru seems to have perfected the all wheel drive and stability control system. The drivetrain is completely symmetrical do the weight is even on both sides.

[@frfigueroa2002]

Open diffs…no brainer…you need some sort of traction control. How much depends on the situation.

[@rogerosborn2143]

Lol 😂

[@life_with_bernie]

Speaks at a very low volume, BLASTS ANNOYING MUSIC, speaks again at very low volume, BLASTS MORE ANNOYING MUSIC.

[@KurtofTrades]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@The_Animal_Man]

😂😂

[@cwescapexlt4x4]

BTW you can't "turn off" ABS

[@KurtofTrades]

If the vdc switch is removed then abs is disabled on these cars. If one of the components is off it turns the others off.