It has been raining a lot since yesterday in my part of So Cal and I was wondering since the roads are wet and slippery if I should be in Winter mode until it dries up over here? Today my sister who is visiting noticed my little yellow triangle light that flashed for about a minute and said I should have been driving a little more slowly because my traction kicked in? She also drives a MB, new S class herself. I might have been giong a little too fast for the wet streets. Sometimes I don't realize it. Just got a NASTY speeding ticket for going 65 on a 40 mph road and I really didn't notice I was speeding. That will be some big dollars if I go to traffic school which I will Anyway, I will drive carefully. At least I have new brakes and tires on my car. I was car sitting last week for my friend's new 2008 BMW 328i. She didn't want to leave it in her open parking structure for several days that she was gone so I let park in my garage and she said I could take it to work if I wanted. I know this is off the subject of my E class but I was pretty impressed with it! Solid car and it handles great despite the road feel on bumps. She has the sports pack. I couldn't figure out the nav if my life depended on it though!
As Kent points out, W mode starts you out in second gear; it also modifies your shift points, all with a goal towards reducing wheel slippage on very slick surfaces, particularly snowy/icy/sleet-covered. However, spirited driving in any mode on any surface with less than ideal traction may well result in the flashing triangle. When you see it, that is not only a warning to slow down (not just speed, but all control inputs), it is also an indication that the car's brain has already decided that it is smarter than the brain behind the wheel and has begun actuating the many features designed to protect us from ourselves.
I don't think you would really see much benefit using it on a road that is merely wet, it would just feel really sluggish to you.
You already know this, but for the younger drivers in here I will toss in two items of note. First, the posted speed limit is typically calculated for a dry road under clear skies in daylight with a reasonable safety margin, so driving in less than optimum circumstances means don't assume the posted limit is safe. Second, the first 20 to 40 to 60 minutes after rain starts falling following a decent time period of no rain offer very limited traction and are quite hazardous, so if you must drive under those circumstances them use extreme caution and yes, engage Winter mode.
Take care and enjoy the ride,
Greg
__________________ If the only prayer you say in your life is thank you, that would suffice. Meister Eckhart
When you learn from your own mistakes, that's experience.
When you learn from the mistakes of others, that's wisdom.
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If you can drive for a minute and it takes your passenger to notice the warning light is flashing, maybe you should ask yourself why? Doing 65 in a 40 and you did not realise you were speeding? Should you be allowed in a car? Don't take this personally, but I fear a big accident is waiting for you if you don't alter your driving style.
Well when I was speeding it was on the way to work and not many people were on that road. Everyone in So Cal speeds all the time, people here in my neck of the woods are reckless as I see it everyday, I don't plan to be one of them. Cops are everywhere with their radar guns. I am not stupid enough to continue my driving faster then I should because A. I don't need another speeding ticket and B. I value my life as well as others. So now I am watching it. Greg is right about the wet roads and speed. I was actually driving speed limit but I should have slowed a bit because the roads were wet. Didn't feel like I was slipping or losing control but my car was a step a head of me. Honestly, when I got caught speeding on the radar gun I was rushing to make a conference call because I had got stuck at a long traffic light and I know it is no excuse for it. The winter mode, if we get more wet weather I might try it and see if I notice the difference. I always drive in Summer mode.
only for when you start out,limits torque to the rear wheels and starts you off in second gear,to get you moving on ice or snow.Thus it does not say R for rain.If you are loosing traction and hydroplaning on rain slick roads and the light is lighting up,you are exceeding the limits of traction of the tires and overdriving the road conditions.Slow down!!!!! W mode will do nothing for you Except for a few brief seconds move you at a crawl away from the stop light.
ask her how happy she is with her bmw in about a year ,when it has spent a few months at the dealer for various repairs.................
If you can drive for a minute and it takes your passenger to notice the warning light is flashing, maybe you should ask yourself why? Doing 65 in a 40 and you did not realise you were speeding? Should you be allowed in a car? Don't take this personally, but I fear a big accident is waiting for you if you don't alter your driving style.
Russ
calm down dude. 65 in a 40 is nothing for roads in the usa. they are a lot bigger than scotland roads. no accidents are waiting for anyone, relax.
debbi, the winter mode probably works better on snowy/icy roads, and like ohlord said, i don't think will make any difference in a wet road in socal. i drive on snow 3-4 months a year and always leave it on standard mode, the winter tires are what makes the big difference, but you don't have to worry about that. just don't drive a lot faster than the other cars on the road when it is raining and you will be fine.
i have driven the new 3 series bmw also, and they are really nice, their shape doesn't appeal to me though. my favorite is the e39 (older 5 series), i used to have one but too many electronic issues. if you want your ride to feel like a bmw sport, than lower your car with h&r springs and bilstein sport shocks, your car will feel the same as a bmw.
calm down dude. 65 in a 40 is nothing for roads in the usa. they are a lot bigger than scotland roads. no accidents are waiting for anyone, relax.
I'm well aware of what roads in the USA are like, I frequently visit both Florida and New York. I have also noticed that in the USA, a lot of people drive as if they are invincible, especially when the road conditions deteriorate.
And every evening the local news channel shows an item about a nasty accident or pile up on the freeway. If someone is driving with the ESP & traction control light flashing for a minute in heavy rain, they are the ones you should be telling to calm down, not me dude.
Anyway, I will drive carefully. At least I have new brakes and tires on my car. I was car sitting last week for my friend's new 2008 BMW 328i. She didn't want to leave it in her open parking structure for several days that she was gone so I let park in my garage and she said I could take it to work if I wanted. I know this is off the subject of my E class but I was pretty impressed with it! Solid car and it handles great despite the road feel on bumps. She has the sports pack. I couldn't figure out the nav if my life depended on it though!
and B. I value my life as well as others. So now I am watching it. Greg is right about the wet roads and speed. I was actually driving speed limit but I should have slowed a bit because the roads were wet. Didn't feel like I was slipping or losing control but my car was a step a head of me. Honestly, when I got caught speeding on the radar gun I was rushing to make a conference call because I had got stuck at a long traffic light and I know it is no excuse for it. 
Linear Mode
