I sponge bathed my Fit today, despite that it was snowing a little bit. I couldn't look at the salt and crap on it any longer. 4 mop buckets of water, 3 for rinse water and 1 for suds, and it's nice and clean. Micro fiber towels to a great job of drying everything off, so that the snow can melt and wet it again.

 

I was finally able to clear my wiper fluid lines of the non-freeze-rated fluid the dealer used in the PDI. I had topped my reservoir off with -35*F fluid, but didn't run it enough before really cold weather set in, so I've been frozen up! Ran front and rear a good 30 seconds each this afternoon (got up to 31*). Supposed to be back in the negatives the next few days so we'll see if that fixed it for good.

es

 

that sucks. i have had enough new cars over the last 10 years that i know that drill well. as soon as i get a car now, i drain it of all the dealer filled water sh!t and put in rainx fluid. very happy with the results.

 

Here's another "Fit in the snow" pic - went out to feed the cows the other morning and everything was covered in a layer of hoar frost. Made a nice backdrop!

es

 

Any former GD owners in this thread? Is it just me or did the GD feel more confident in snow than the GK does?

I'm not sure what it is but my GD felt so at home in the snow. My GK doesn't feel as comfortable. I make that comparison with all seasons on both cars.

As someone mentioned previously, turning off VSA does seem to make it feel a little better but still not as good as the GD.

I could be crazy though. I will spring for snow tires for next winter though. The stock Bridgestones won't cut it during a heavy snowy winter. The Goodyear Eagle GTs all seasons that I ran on the GD were perfect.

 

you are correct. it is because of the stability/traction control. it reenables at speed, at least 3rd gear+.

once all of stabilty control is *really* disabled, the car works very well. it is very predictable in moderate to deep snow on general altimax snow tires.

 

Is there a way to totally disable the system? My mind goes straight to just pulling the fuse.

 

Try using ECO fit the snow, I think helps limit the amount of power, particularly from a stop.

 

if you pull the fuse, it disables all traction/stability control (good) but takes out ABS (bad). i am fine with it, but i do not want the wife driving without ABS is she takes the car out, heaven forbid something happens.

on manual trans cars, you can disable only the traction control/VSA without disabling the ABS. but only for a few ignition cycles, then the car does not start. this is my go to quick fix to get home in the big storms, only which i have had to do twice this season.

i haven't found a perfect solution yet. when i do, i will post up.

 

That's a bummer. I would have no problem disabling traction and stability, but I won't go without ABS.

Interesting Honda put both systems on the same fuse. I'd sure hate for that fuse to blow and loose all the safety systems all at once, especially for amateur drivers.

 

yes, i agree. it is only a 7.5 amp fuse too...

that is the way the manufacturers are doing it nowadays. my work car is a focus, and both systems use the same fuse. but it is a 5 amp on the foci. in that car, i can't even disable traction control, as there is no button to defeat it. at least in the fit, you can disable traction control in a straight line at lower speeds.

 

I pulled the 7.5 amp fuse and I had no power steering and since it has electric steering I wasn't sure it would be ok to drive it that way???