You are right. It still amazes me how many people still do not have an under standing about an ABS system, even after how many years of cars with ABS. There are also those that will still pump the brake pedal on a car with ABS.
One other trick that I have found that will help when trying to stop on ice, especially when moving slowly at say a stop sign, is to put the tranny in neutral. This will immediately take the power off of the wheels.

 

My abs doesn't work when I'm on ice. I think it has to have some resistance to pulsate, because the wheeels just locked up and slid. I guess if that happens again I'll just pump the brakes myself to gain some control ?
That's wierd that you guys are saying don't downshift, because I live on a dirt road that is just solid packed snow and ice in the winter, and just before I get to the main road it has a decline to the stop sign. If I downshift when I start going downhill instead of riding the brakes, it slows down nicely and I'm able to stop a lot easier.(there are always a ton of potholes at the end of the road there and it is necessary to be going slow or you can't stop). I don't drive the XF too often in the winter, but when I let off the gas to coast to a redlight(no matter what season) it slows down by itself, almost like it has an engine brake on it. Is it downshifting by itself?(I have an autostick)
Catman,
What do I do if I'm on ice and pushing the brake pedal through the floor and it's sliding with no ABS action at all?

 

My abs stopped really working about twenty years ago; I guess I will have to stop laying around the pool and start doing more sit-ups.

 

Yea, alright, rub it in SnowBird! I do 1000 crunches a day, let me know when you catch up!

 

[QUOTE=
What do I do if I'm on ice and pushing the brake pedal through the floor and it's sliding with no ABS action at all?[/QUOTE]
You need to get your ABS checked out. While braking, you should never lose grip with the road without your ABS activating. That would be a sign of a problem.

 

See if the dealer will switch tires/wheels for you fom a Xfire on his lot. The $160 optional Continental tires are all seasons and people here have had good luck in snow with them. I'd suggest to try your great powers of negotiation and tell the dealer you are willing to pay for an hour's of the techs time for the switch since he (the dealer) is geting a deal. The PS2's are worth more money than the Continentals. Despite the fact Chrysler charges for the Conti All seasons as an option... personally I feel they should have charged more for the PS2's and made them the option.

 

I was wondering about that. Tirerack has the Continentals for about 1/2 price of the Pilots. Figured people had bought them on their own and the optional A/S were the Pilot A/S.

How bad would it be to have non matching tires front/rear? Thinking of getting some rims and Continentals for the rear, but leave the Pilots on the front for now. Just change back to rear pilots once spring arrives.

 

I would not. There are no sipes (tiny groves in the tire that provide biting edges that grab on to pavement) in the PS2's. I'd suggest STRONGLY you switch all 4. Think of it like this: What would you rather have when running accross a frozen pond? Dress shoes or Golf shoes with sharp metal spikes?

P.S. The Pilot is not an A/S tire its a SUMMER only high performance tire.

P.P.S. If your sprining for rims than get a 17" rim and winter tire package.

 

There are Pilot Sport A/S tires. They are not the same as Pilot Sport, and the Pilot Sport PS2 are also different.

Go to http://www.michelinman.com/catalog/index_3.html

 

A set of Continentials on the back does nothing to aid in your turning and braking on ice and with more drag on the back only, it may give you more problems.
Spiitz is right about the ABS system also, if it doesn't work on ice, then it isn't working!
You need a good set of snow tires like the Blissaks and then in the summer put on the Pilots. Putting on Continentals will give you so so winter tires and the Pilots are great summer tires. The Continentals like I have, are OK as I can use them for both but if you are going to keep the Pilots then don't get the Continentals as there are better "winter only" tires.

 

where do you get all these smilies LOL

 

ABS isn't magic - it can't create traction where there isn't any! All is does is modulate the braking action when it senses wheel lockup. On glare ice, ABS or not, you're not gonna stop for a long time.

 

Thank-you!

 

christo76 - Right. I should have said the Pilot Sport 2 is not an....
Anyhoo I like the look of the Pilot A/S and the Pilot Sport better than the PS2...

 

My daily driver for a few years was a 1968 Mustang fastback. Now talk about sledding, but without ABS, traction control or anything except learning how the car handled (or didn't handle) in the snow was a real experience. Never wrecked it in the snow or ice, but had a few close calls, so driving the XF with all of it's driver assistances is infinitely better.

 

I'm with MI Roadster. I have driven the Contis through the snow with no difficulty. I keep the car no higher than third and downshift to second so I don't have to step on the brakes. As soon as you step on the brakes (unless hard enough for ABS) the rear starts moving around.

So far, so good. On the other hand, I haven't been anywhere near an emergency situation.

 

I live in wisconsin and have an 05 crossfire 6 speed with performance tires, all i know is that i can't drive my car even with like an inch of snow, a few days ago i almost slid through a red light, and then after stopping at the same intersection i almost got stuck going through the instersection ( have a 100 pounds in back for added weight (very busy 3 lane highway intersection going all 4 directions(scary). so i am looking to possibly trade it in for a 01 audi tt quattro roadster. (posted this elsewhere). all i know is this car was not made for snow, but its fun as hell in the summer.,

 

The answer is simple get different tires. I am going through inches of snow no problem with my winter wheel and tire set up. Up to about 8 inches so far.

 

Yes, but you're a madman! Isn't that about all the clearance under the car? I can't get to mine to measure it.

 

its called pushing the snow with the front end, becomes my lil' own plow. At least till it stopped when i hit that foot and half snow bank. I had to try it.