Great to hear. We had an inch a few weeks ago and the traction was great. We go to VT every weekend starting January and I am waiting to see how it is in the thick stuff. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

You have a chance to try the Downhill Assist Control in the snow?

We have a lot of hills in the Seattle area and I am waiting to see if it helps controlling the HL going down hill in the snow

 

Yes, the DAC works well. The vehicle crawls very slowly, but it is always in control. Actually much better than giving it a go in low gear alone. I think this feature would work well for slippery non-snow conditions such as black ice. etc. too.

 

Same here, summerwind.
We got hammered here in Duluth last night and I was getting along fine in 6 inches. We ended up with 12 inches. With better tires, it would be really good. I have the Dunlops.

The stability control works excellent. I have not played much with the DAC. I think it only works at very low speeds?
I usually just put it in a lower gear down the really steep hills, which we have plenty of here in Duluth.

 

Glad its good in the snow!

 

DAC works great. Yep, need it in the seriously sloped long driveway.
I've had cars slide down my driveway after some freezing rain. Pretty funny to look out the window and wonder why/how the car ended up sideways on the sidewalk 75 feet from where it was originally parked.

Anyone know what the 'snow' button actually does? Don't care to use it since all the other eletronic nannies work great. Maybe when we get really snow I'll be forced too.
Is the snow button a dumbed down center diff lock?

 

DAC works great. Yep, need it in the seriously sloped long driveway.
I've had cars slide down my driveway after some freezing rain. Pretty funny to look out the window and wonder why/how the car ended up sideways on the sidewalk 75 feet from where it was originally parked.

Anyone know what the 'snow' button actually does? Don't care to use it since all the other eletronic nannies work great. Maybe when we get really snow I'll be forced too.
Is the snow button a dumbed down center diff lock?

While I haven't had the occasion to try it yet, my interpretation of the "SNOW" button is like a yaw damper to an aircraft. It takes the "shapness" out of the controls, like preventing jack rabbit starts. Again, that's just the interpretation of someone who is still waiting on a chance to try it out.

DeWat

 

Drove in the snow this morning and it was just fine. Need more snow to have more fun.

 

It seems we've been getting 3-5" of snow every couple of days here in Mpls/St Paul, which, oddly to say, has been a pleasure. I haven't needed to play with DAC, but I will say I like the 'snow' mode. I know the owner's manual indicates that it's just a 'start you in second gear' mode, but I think it's actually something more, as well. Like DeWat said, it seems to change engine performance, or at least shifting characteristics of the vehicle. (Hard to say on steering, but I certainly notice that acceleration changes even in the upper gears.)
I noted that if I engage it around 40-45, at constant speed, the tach drops a couple hundred RPM almost as if it's shifting down for me to keep torque lower. I also notice that the electronic throttle seems less 'responsive' but you never know if that's because your vehicle is pushing through 5-6 inches of snow, too. Hard to say, these are just impressions...
I was concerned how the 19" Toyos that come with the Limited were going to do, but they've tracked exceptionally well and I've not had an instance where the vehicle started to slide... And I've be pushing the envelope a few times, in an unpopulated parking lot, just to see where that edge is.
I've also used the 'manual' shift transmission to lightly engine brake if I'm approaching traffic or going down a big hill, at which point the speed would be higher than what the DAC is designed for. This probably isn't recommended, but it certainly works.

On a related note, just in case anyone else noticed this paradox and wondered what would happen: If you put it in "snow" mode (which starts you in second gear) and use the "manual shift" to limit the transmission to first gear, Yes, the vehicle still moves.

 

but I will say I like the 'snow' mode. I know the owner's manual indicates that it's just a 'start you in second gear' mode, but I think it's actually something more, as well. Like DeWat said, it seems to change engine performance, or at least shifting characteristics of the vehicle. (Hard to say on steering, but I certainly notice that acceleration changes even in the upper gears.)

Great report.:clap:

Gotta love having to reverse engineer this feature.

From your report it sounds like the Snow button also activates different TCM/ECM profiles. Makes you wonder if the EPS profile changes as well.

This is one sophisticated computer controlled system we are driving :thumbup:

I wonder if there is a undocumented warning message that pops up on the display that will say "Grab your Ankles and pray,,,All is lost!!" if you really lose it.

If we keep the reports coming maybe we will understand what it is doing more.

 

I was playing around a bit today with the 'snow' button and along with letting you start in 2nd, it also seems to change the shift points. It reminds me of my '99 Tacoma with the button to change the shifting (power/normal).

Cruising at 45-50 or so and turning the snow button on and off, it changed the RPMs. So it seems it gets you into a higher gear sooner and probably longer. It might do other stuff too, but I don't know what yet.

 

Had a good chance to try the HL out today on sheer ice compliments of Mother Nature here in the Northeast. It handled VERY well. The DAC helped me get down my in-laws pitched driveway which was 1/4 inch of sheet ice...it crawled down nicely! I then used the snow mode to get back up, and with very minimal slipping. I got up fine, and we are talking a skating rink here folks. So far, I am very impressed with ice/snow traction and control.

 

Out of curiosity...why do they call it a 4WD and not an AWD ? I usually associate 4WD with the ability to shift from low to high and even into just rear.

 

Snow here in Denver and the Snow button seems to work well. (It does turn off when you turn off the engine and you must engage it at every engine start.)

What I am less impressed with so far is the ABS. It seems to engage quickly and I feel I'd get the beast stopped sooner in some cases with old fashioned pumping of the brakes.

 

Stability Control

Got a chance to get out in the snow today. It was pretty easy to get the '08 HL to lose grip, but the Stability Control kicked right in. It would give 3 beeps and an indicator would light up on the dash. Then the HL would be straight again. Anybody else hear the 3 beeps yet?

Overall, I thought that the HL was adequate in the snow, but did not handle as well as my '04 Murano. Could be the tires. I had Michelin Crossterrains on the Murano, and have the Toyos on th HL.

 

Overall, I thought that the HL was adequate in the snow, but did not handle as well as my '04 Murano. Could be the tires. I had Michelin Crossterrains on the Murano, and have the Toyos on th HL.

Exactly! My previous Mercedes ML320 had Michelin CrossTerrains, and to me they pretty much handled like snow tires. I was a little disappointed when I first had my Highlander out in the snow, and found that it was VERY easy to slide sideways on turns, as well as getting the ABS to kick in, etc. This is with the stock Toyo tires. This promped me to look into getting Michelin CrossTerrains as replacements, but the 19" size is too new that the only other tires offered are the Bridgestones. Blah! I did see that they offer the CrossTerrains in the Base 17" size.

I would have seriously considered looking around for a set of stock 17" rims just so that I can get the CrossTerrains, but the darn tire pressure monitors would have to be switched out. Much more hassle than it's worth, I think.

 

In my area the HL's Limiteds appear to be shipped with Bridgestone Dueler H/L 400's

Don't know if they are any better/worse yet than the Toyo's posted here

 

I have the Dunlop Grand Trek30s on my base model and it seems to go OK in the snow etc. Where they really suck is stopping on slippery surfaces, otherwise they are OK.
Just my opinion. The stability control, ABS, etc. work really well, IMO and I will be looking for better tires in the future.
EDIT: I also get three beeps from the stability control.

 

I have the Dunlop Grand Trek30s on my base model and it seems to go OK in the snow etc. Where they really suck is stopping on slippery surfaces, otherwise they are OK.
Just my opinion. The stability control, ABS, etc. work really well, IMO and I will be looking for better tires in the future.

At least you have the option of replacing them with the Michelin CrossTerrains, which come in the 17" size. Having had them on a previous vehicle, I would highly recommend them. I'm just hoping they eventually come out with these tires in the 19" size.

 

The Toyo tires on ours were lousy in the snow. We get between 100-200 inches a year & there was no way my wife was driving on them this winter after I went out and played with it in our first snow. The Toyo's are like being on big ski's. I found some Blizzak 19"- work great- back to Toyo in april.

 

I got the hybrid version, so I don't have the 'snow' button! You guys are making me a little jealous.

 

Lots of snow... no problem

I drove my new 08 HH up to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. (sea level to 6k feet and back)(19" Blizzak tires). Snow/ice for 40 miles of trip. Parked in lot for 10 hours. Had about 10 inches new fall on car. Never a problem. Pulled right out of lot. Drove around in lot and tried to spin out/get stuck. No problem. I was very impressed with snow ability. 150 mile total trip (up and down) and averaged 24.5 mpg.:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

Snows vs All Seasons



Just think how much better the HL would have been with winter tires. I have used 4 winter tires on both my '02 and my current '06 HL. All season tires begin to lose their grip at 7 degrees C or 44 degrees F, whichever you prefer. That is why they say that the worst snow tire is better than the best all season for winter driving. I watched a program the other day in which a tire rep actually said that there really is no such thing as an 'all season' tire. Winter tires have a softer compound that allows for better traction in cold temperatures. It isn't all about the tread! I live just outside of Ottawa and we have had more than our fair share of snow so far. 12" just the other day. By the way, if anyone is planning on driving in the province of Quebec next winter, better have your snows on. It becomes the law and you will need 4 snows on your vehicle. Not sure if it takes affect next winter or in '09.

 

The Toyo tires that are fitted on '08 HLs in the Northeast really are not good. I was in a half-inch of snow this morning, and the HL was all over the place (I have 4WD). A light touch on the brakes would kick in the anti-locks, and turning corners would cause major sliding.

I have owned many 4wd vehicles in the past, and this is so far the worst, though from reading others posts, it seems to be the Toyos that are shipped with the Northeast HL's.

Anyone else have similar experiences? I really don't want to put winter tires on, since that should not be necessary. I have never even done that on FWD cars that I have owned, and I have driven in snow forever!

 

In my case (Sport with Toyos) I was fine in Snow mode driving, but experienced the same stopping problems you did.

I'm afraid we'll have to wait for a more aggressive all-season tread to appear in the 19" wheel size. For now, I can compensate until these Toyos wear out.

 

Hi all, new to Toyota Nation and currently in the market for a new or slightly used SUV. My choice is currently falling on the Highlander '08, likely Sport or SR-5.

I tried both (17 inch all-season on the SR-5 and 19 inch Blizzack winters on the Sport). Wheel size excepted, there is a huge difference between the winters and four seasons on this vehicle, as on any vehicle.

Any summer or four seasons tire is useless below 40 degrees F unless you are on dry asphalt (even then, braking distance is greatly increased). Since our temperatures in Québec are averaging at or below this 5 months out of the year, the Province requires 4 winter tires on all vehicles licensed in this province effective next fall. Ontario, British-Columbia and a few others are looking into this as well.

With all the electronic stability/safety/braking benefits on our cars today, it's best to use them the least possible. They all use your ABS brake system to keep you going where you want to go. However, when using 4 season's instead of winters, your vehicle will automatically sollicit your brakes everytime it senses some kind of slipage/sway/hard braking. On the other hand, with winters on, traction will be maintained and all the electronics and brakes will be much, much less sollicited. Braking distance will also be shortened by at least 25-30%.

If you are looking for a long lasting vehicle with reduced maintenance cost, winters may actually be a very good investment.

The only drawback is with the TPS. Putting tires on is best left to people who know your vehicle has TPS and know how to reprogram it.

 

Hi all, new to Toyota Nation and currently in the market for a new or slightly used SUV. My choice is currently falling on the Highlander '08, likely Sport or SR-5.

I tried both (17 inch all-season on the SR-5 and 19 inch Blizzack winters on the Sport). Wheel size excepted, there is a huge difference between the winters and four seasons on this vehicle, as on any vehicle.

Any summer or four seasons tire is useless below 40 degrees F unless you are on dry asphalt (even then, braking distance is greatly increased). Since our temperatures in Québec are averaging at or below this 5 months out of the year, the Province requires 4 winter tires on all vehicles licensed in this province effective next fall. Ontario, British-Columbia and a few others are looking into this as well.

With all the electronic stability/safety/braking benefits on our cars today, it's best to use them the least possible. They all use your ABS brake system to keep you going where you want to go. However, when using 4 season's instead of winters, your vehicle will automatically sollicit your brakes everytime it senses some kind of slipage/sway/hard braking. On the other hand, with winters on, traction will be maintained and all the electronics and brakes will be much, much less sollicited. Braking distance will also be shortened by at least 25-30%.

If you are looking for a long lasting vehicle with reduced maintenance cost, winters may actually be a very good investment.

The only drawback is with the TPS. Putting tires on is best left to people who know your vehicle has TPS and know how to reprogram it.

 

VSC & Trak control

We had real good storm this Saturday; Little over 13" of snow and sleet, blowing and drifting snow...a winter heaven when you like the snow like I do.

I have the SR-5 model AWD with 4 winter tires. Here's my observation on a 30 miles trip during the middle of the storm. I think the HL is more secure and handling improved if you turn-off trak-control and the VSC. When I got on the freeway throught what the plow had left in the exit ramp around 24"snow at about 35 miles per hour the VSC took over and shut down my rpm, abs kicked in and so on. Result I almost got stuck!

In my opinion and after having it turned off the HL handles way better. You can feel it and anticipate it's behavior. The VSC is a good thing to have in every day driving situation, but, tought winter driving conditions should be left to the driver. Yesterday I went back out to try it out again; the traction on the HL is OUTSTANDING!! probably the best 4WD i've driven in 20 years.

 

The Snow Button and DAC

I was glad to read about the Snow button. I had a terrible experience with my Highlander during a recent big snow. We live 3 miles up a mountain at 3200 feet, with half of it gravel road with three big switchbacks. My wife was driving her Saturn VUE and I was behind her in my Highlander trying to beat the snow home. She did not have any trouble, but I began slipping and sliding sideways towards the cliff as the buzzers and bells went off telling me I was slipping and sliding. My wife said my wheels were straight, but the left side was spinning and the right side tires weren't moving. I had the vehicle in the 1 gear, but still it did not help, and I did not engage the Snow button. I ended up pulling it off the side of the road and retrieving it two days later. I called the local Toyota dealer and asked if there was a way to manually lock in 4WD. The computer obviously was not programmed for really difficult mountain driving. Toyota 4WD pickups had no trouble. Then, I read about the Snow button, but the Owners Manual was scarce on details. I do hope that this is the answer, but really do not want another big snow to test it. Also, regarding the DAC: it works great. Going down our mountain can be dicey, too, but engaging DAC and keeping my foot off the brake keeps the Highlander at 5 mph. A win for the Highlander on that one.

This is my first post on Toyotanation. There is great information here, and thanks for the info on the Snow button. Any more technical details would be appreciated.

 

I'm guessing you have Toyo Open Country A20 or Bridgestone Dueler 400 tires on the Highlander. If so, that is your problem. Pressing the snow button just starts the vehicle in 2nd gear to minimize wheel spin when initially accelerating. Other than that it does nothing else.

You need decent tires...

 

NCJim, I believe the Highlander has a relatively simple 4WD system in that if both tires on the same side of the car loose traction torque cannot be transferred to the opposite side. It sounds like you were caught in this scenario.