Buy 4 snow tires with steel rims and ask her to drive more carefully.

Good luck on point 2.

; )

 

I've wondered about this, not enough to dig through the manual but it has crossed my mind. Any answers?

 

Excellent point...... Snow is only three months away and it's a mile into the huting cabin in Maine!?


Pull-point from rear = Trailer hitch

Pull-point from front = not so much

Seriously, ya have half a chance at the rear suspension struts (not recommended) but the only attachmet point..... been thinking about attaching a braket/hook somewhere to the front frame rails somewhere...

It ws worse on my 06 Avalon..... lower to the gorund and long front end with absolutely no place to attach a bracket or hook.... I actually got stuck during the 07 huntiing season in the grass in someone's front yard in Maine.....stopped and the car sank to about 3 inches of the rocker panels...only way to get it out..... trailer ramps laid in front of the wheels..... it wasn't pretty...... I was thinking if that wan't gonna work, there was gonna be a lot of damage to the bumper covers to get it out with a tow. At least ya can get under the Venza....


Gotta come up with a reasonable solution before the snow flies - I know, we're in high heat and humidity and talking about snow and ice.....??:sosad: BUT gotta plan ahead


One other important thought - I know of two people that got their camry's stuck in the snow and did the rock it back and forth routine for more than a couple of passes..... destroyed the tranny....... NOT recomended by toyota and damage NOT covered under warranty...... the tranny simly can not tke the heat generated.....

 

Excellent point...... Snow is only three months away and it's a mile into the huting cabin in Maine!?


Pull-point from rear = Trailer hitch

Pull-point from front = not so much

Seeing my mounting hooks I removed from an old Isuzu trooper, it reminded me that cars built in Japan (perhaps other countries separated from the US by a body of water) typically have tie hooks for securing the car during the rough ocean delivery. No go for the US built Venza. : (

Now off to find a location to bolt the hook to...

 

And turn off VSC before you rock it. Page 556 of the manual ...

Carry out the following procedures if the tires spin or the vehicle
becomes stuck in mud, dirt, or snow.
Stop the engine. Set the parking brake and shift the shift
lever in “P”.
Remove the mud, snow or sand from around the stuck tire.
Place wood, stones or some other material to help provide
traction under the tires.
Restart the engine.
Turn off VSC. (→ P. 228)
Shift the shift lever to “D” or “R” position and carefully apply
the accelerator to free the vehicle.

To avoid damaging the transmission and other components
l Avoid spinning the wheels and do not rev the engine.
l If the vehicle remains stuck after trying these procedures, the vehicle may
require towing to be freed.

...STeve

 

And turn off VSC before you rock it. Page 556 of the manual ...

Carry out the following procedures if the tires spin or the vehicle
becomes stuck in mud, dirt, or snow.
Stop the engine. Set the parking brake and shift the shift
lever in “P”.
Remove the mud, snow or sand from around the stuck tire.
Place wood, stones or some other material to help provide
traction under the tires.
Restart the engine.
Turn off VSC. (→ P. 228)
Shift the shift lever to “D” or “R” position and carefully apply
the accelerator to free the vehicle.

To avoid damaging the transmission and other components
l Avoid spinning the wheels and do not rev the engine.
l If the vehicle remains stuck after trying these procedures, the vehicle may
require towing to be freed.

...STeve

I guess all vehicles are not equal. An excerpt from my 1984 Toyota Hilux owner's manual about offroad driving:

"Under no circumstances should the vehicle be used for jumping, it is dangerous and could lead to serious injury. In extreme cases you may even damage the vehicle."

I guess towing would involve scraping the owner's remains out of the cab and driving it away LOL!.

 

^^^

What he said. Turning off VSC/TRAC in the Highlander is the difference between night and day: With the system on movement is extremely limited, but with it off controlled, effective movement across snow and ice. At least for the Highlander, Toyota suggests in the owner’s manual, “If the vehicle gets stuck in fresh snow or mud, TRAC and VSC may reduce power from the engine to the wheels. You may need to turn the systems off to enable you to rock the vehicle and free it.” I myself have had to turn VSC/TRAC off when I’ve been stuck in snow and ice, and on those occasions it was the difference between being stuck and moving through the bad area. Again, there are those who disagree with turning VSC/TRAC off under any circumstances, but it’s an option Toyota gives you with this vehicle so use it at your own risk.Give that a try next time.

 

I think I'd better get that trailer hitch for wifey's Venza. We live in the country amidst miles of corn and soybean fields and some of the ditches drop as much as 3 feet. Every winter when it snows [the city plows it but the wind blows the snow back], we see a couple of cars in the ditch or tracks that once somebody skid. But I never saw one being extracted. At least if all else fails, I can put a hook in the hitch for extraction. If it ever happens, the frame won't bend/warp would it?

 

As set of "traction aids" is a good idea (sometinhg like this: http://www.securimark.ca/RegularTraction.html) I've used them in the past and they work very well. An old piece of carpet can also helps in a pinch.
Another option for ice is to carry a bag of kitty litter and spread the stuff in front of the wheels.

 

Neither TC nor VSC should EVER be turned off when underway. The "off" capability is provided ONLY for initially getting up and going on an extremely slippery surface or if STUCK. TC "off" allows the driver to use wheelspin/slip, often non-productively, to get out of a mudhole, started up a slippery incline, etc.

Even at that I would advise NOT turning off VSC initially.

With my '01 F/awd RX300 my personal procedure is that it never leaves the garage if conditions or predictive warrant taking the R/awd Aerostar instead. MY RX300 runs on quiet and comfortably riding summer only Bridgestone Turanzas all year around. One set of tires chains always on board and the second set during the winter months. Rear chains go on first.

Not good advice for your wife.

I don't think I'd put my wife at risk, as a driver, in ANY FWD or F/awd vehicle during the wintertime.

Well, maybe the Acura RDX with the SH-AWD system.

I'd LOVE to see the Toyota's third gen Prius HSD system adapted to the RDX, or even the CX-7.

 

Neither TC nor VSC should EVER be turned off when underway. The "off" capability is provided ONLY for initially getting up and going on an extremely slippery surface or if STUCK. TC "off" allows the driver to use wheelspin/slip, often non-productively, to get out of a mudhole, started up a slippery incline, etc.

Even at that I would advise NOT turning off VSC initially.

The Highlander does not allow VSC/TRAC to be turned off while underway, and I'd assume that would be true among other AWD Toyotas. Can anyone confirm that with the Venza?

 

IF you use a hook toward the wheel on the lower front stableizer arm on either side it should clear the front end fine. Just have to watch the pull point on tow vehicle is not too high.

This will distribute the weight evenly to each side, and the control arm looks pretty stout at pull point. I would avoid jerk pulling like some people attempt, slow and easy. :thumbsup: Carry a good heavy braded nylon rope like the one shown...pretty easy to find. For the rear a hitch is choice 1, if you dont have a hitch, then you may consider bolting 2 tow eyes to the frame where hitch bolts go, they are already threaded into frame.