If you've seen the news lately, the east got dumped on. Here in MD/VA we saw over 10" on average, which I know the rocky mountain folks scoff at, but here on the east, that's a significant amount.

While everything in the area was shut down, those in uniform still had to report in. So as a result, I had to drive my mini through this mess

So here's what happened to me...and I'm posting to see if anybody might be able to explain what/why it happened? And please save the "you're an idiot for going out there in that weather" I didn't have a choice. I will admit a fail on my part though, I wasn't armed with a shovel. I just didn't think I'd need one; I didn't trust the predictions of this much snow. If you're a MD/VA/DC resident, you'd know how infamously off our weather folks have been this winter.

Over the course of being stuck multiple times...I'd maneuver my car out, either by rocking it, turning the wheels left and right while they spun, or quite simply, giving it a good shove from the back or A pillar (lol these cars are ridiculously light)...and I was able to free myself each time. However, these were the warnings/lights that popped over the duration of the commute:

1) During one particular instance, The ABS light came on. I'm assuming snow caused this but I'm not sure in what way. It remained illuminated and I didn't test whether or not I still had ABS functionality or if the light was a false positive. I just breaked very carefully the rest of the way. When I got into the parking garage, the light randomly disappeared. Weird. but I'm happy. One light down.

2) During a seperate instance, I got an amber "!" that appeared in the tach screen after I stalled. I've stalled before and never saw that. But, I have no idea what that was about...I didn't use the stalk to drill down into it...I was more concerned about quickly moving the snow in front out of the way so I could not be a sitting duck on the road. But by the time I got back in the car and cranked her over again, the ! was gone.

3) This was weird..and perhaps my biggest concern. My power steering went completely out. By the time I got to the garage, I REALLY had to crank on the wheel to turn anywhere and that's where I noticed it...however, I may have lost it a while ago but the snow masked the feeling; I may have attributed the difficult steering to snow buildup at the wheel as a cause. Good news is, I just went out to check on the car (after about 9 hours of it sitting there)...and the power steering is back. I did a loop around the garage and it's all good. I read that we have an electronic steering assist as oppose to an hydraulic system...and a bud here at work said the snow could very well have been the cause. Again, I'm hoping someone could explain this..

Anyway, sorry for the book, I'm just curious to see what people have to say or if anybody experienced the same thing. I doubt that there are many owners out there that would take their mini out in over a foot of snow but who knows...

Thanks in advance!

1) Differential movement of the two front wheels would cause abs to activate (?)
2) ! means that a fault is stored (?)
3) This one I am sure of. Buildup of snow in the wheel wells. Later snow melted or otherwise dumped

When confronted by slippery conditions of any stripe just turn the ABS off. It will save you frustration and help get thru the excitement with less effort. When you get back to solid ground, turn it back on.


Same thing with flying at night. In the case of a forced landing just before you think you're close to the ground turn on your landing lights. If you don't like what you see, turn them off.

That's the only other explanation I could think of...thanks man

ah good point, haha, I need to figure out to turn off the ABS, I never thought to do that before therefore never thought to look for the button. Is it a button? Thanks for the input!

the DSC and DTC can be turned off, but ABS is always on

scott

ah...that explains why I don't remember seeing that button

Well, yea, that's right. When one drive gear spins and the other doesn't lights start flashing. The solution is to turn off the automatic nanny control, ASC or DSC - mine's got ASC, which tells the ABS to panic.

10 inches? Try 22. I guess I just live in a snow pocket...Lol then we got 6 more last night, and we're supposed to get 3-5 more tonight...

I'm really sick of this crap.

haha, hey Rich! I guess we'll have to postpone that rsb/shock install for another weekend!

Just curious as to what type of tires are you driving on. I know with performance tires I will slip on any snow, and with all-seasons I seem to plow thru the snow.

That much snow is not unusual in the east. It's unexpected in the mid Atlantic where you are. It seems to be getting more common though these days. Anyways I had the first two happen to my 2008 and it was the emergency brake cable. It happened in the deep snow and caused the rear brakes to freeze then release. The lights would go off after releasing.

hey tjank...I've got all seasons on. Plowing through the snow wasn't a problem...until it reached a certain height lol. The times where I just couldn't move forward anymore and my tires were spinning, I'd get out to clear what was in front and it easily be as high as the grill, maybe a little higher! My car isn't even lowered...I can't imagine how a lowered mini would fair.

Ah I see, so the emergency brake cable...that makes sense. I guess in my situation, that brake cable was frozen for a good bit...all the way until I got to work, got inside the garage, and finally gave the cable some time to melt because that's where my light went off randomly. Thanks!

Well, it's snowing...AGAIN....