How good is your Taycan at winter?

[anonymouse]

Got a message that adaptive cruise was no longer active and when I stopped at a rest stop saw why.

Brrr

On cold days, salty roads or just low light I do get various sensor warnings ranging from that one to the full-blown series of everything at once. However it always leave us guessing as to which sensorto clean. Which sensor (in a less extreme case than the photo ) does everyone normally start with? The big camera lens down low, the little ultrasonic sensors, or the windscreen camera?

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[prj]

Coming back to Ga from Pa the first week of Dec, traveled through wet snow in Virginia and the top half of N. Carolina. Got a message that adaptive cruise was no longer active and when I stopped at a rest stop saw why. Started cleaning the wet snow off the front and took a picture.

When the radar gets packed with snow like that it's game over.
Same if you go through high snow as well.

They don't really care about water, but thick layer of snow instantly knocks it out.

 

[prj]

Brrr

On cold days, salty roads or just low light I do get various sensor warnings ranging from that one to the full-blown series of everything at once. However it always leave us guessing as to which sensorto clean. Which sensor (in a less extreme case than the photo ) does everyone normally start with? The big camera lens down low, the little ultrasonic sensors, or the windscreen camera?

There is no camera down low, it's a radar.
The one causing the issue 99% of the time is the camera in the windscreen on top of the mirror.

Also the parking sensors really don't like freezing up with water.

 

[Gilla]

Yesterday, I barely made it to my car. The freezing rain did its job.

 

[ovonrein]

there is a menu item in the PCM which lets you tell the car what wheels and tyres you have fitted

I may have found the menu item you are referring to under Settings/Vehicle Settings/Tyre pressure monitoring. Not really sure what it is doing there since I had expected the TPM to be agnostic. More importantly, while it asks about the size of the rims, it does not ask about the profile data of your tyre. From the placement of the menu item and the lack of curiosity, I would think that there is no interaction with the speedo. Put another way, there is some presumption over the circumference of the wheels on a car - probably the one embossed in the door frame - and I assume that the user must ensure that alternative rim/tyre combinations always find back to that circumference.

 

[cityhpper]

For the Taycan, Porsche expects you to not deviate from the approved tyre sizes that they list. At the same time, the circumference for both front and rear axels are slightly different: if you input tyre sizes for the 19", 20" and 21" rim options into an online calculator, you will see that they are not identical. Probably the car can adhere its different systems (speedo, PSM) better when told by the user what kind of [rim+tyre] combination is being used.

Another gain is that the PCM will guide the driver on tyre pressures, which is different between both tyre size as well as tyre type (summers, winters).

I would absolutely make sure the car knows what kind of tyre size and tyre type is in use. Takes only a few seconds to input this in the PCM.

Fun fact: for the J1.1 CT Turbo S, the tyre size for 20" rims was also approved to be 255/40 and 295/35, front axel and rear axel respectivly.

 

[works]

How good is it? Godly to drive with the right tyres, so easy to slide around controllably and stupid easy to generate speed. Stopping is another thing though with this weight.

Range though, that took a nosedive. J1.1 is not the most efficient EV on a good summers day and it definitely is not that during sub-zero temperatures.

 

[ferdiaz]

There is no camera down low, it's a radar.

There is one, depending on trim/equipment, though: the night assist camera.

Admittedly, it supports a completely different drive assist mechanism, but crucially, suffers from the same fate as the rest of bumper-mounted systems when confronted with a big pack of snow.

 

[prj]

There is one, depending on trim/equipment, though: the night assist camera.

Admittedly, it supports a completely different drive assist mechanism, but crucially, suffers from the same fate as the rest of bumper-mounted systems when confronted with a big pack of snow.

The context was ACC.

Night vision camera can be completely broken and you will not have any issue with cruise control whatsoever.

 

[ovonrein]

In researching tires for winter driving I came across something I did not know existed: snow socks. Anyone got experience with those? Looks like I want 4 for both axles (eg Arcol Control L + XXL). Then select Gravel Mode? (I am yet to understand why Gravel Mode is a button on the central console and not a selection on the Drive Mode Selector.)

 

[d00d]

I did not know that either, interesting product.
Only rated for 120 km of use in snow and ice, so looks like after I reached a cleared road I'd want to stop and remove the socks.

 

[ovonrein]

Correct. Extremely annoying. BUT - if you did not remove your snow chains on a dry road, you will likely attract a fine (for ruining the road, never mind your chains). And those socks are a lot easier to handle. The manufacturer reasonably points out that you would only fit those when you turn off the main (and cleared) road just shy of your (snow covered) destination. I would consider them for emergency use only, in combination with Continental CC2s (for care-free all-season motoring). They readily store in the frunk (along with all the other cr*p I carry for emergencies).

 

[anonymouse]

In researching tires for winter driving I came across something I did not know existed: snow socks.

Those who live in proper winter climates will correct me, but I think snow socks are designed as a compromise for not having proper winter tyres. It's an imperfect temporary alternative to having 3PMSF (three peaks logo - mountain/snow/frost) rated tyres. And in some parts of Europe 3PMSF tyres are mandatory anyway.

I think even with 3PMSF tyres it can be useful to carry snow socks if entering difficult Alpine passes where chains would normally be required. But I think I will stay away from those

 

[ovonrein]

Yes, that is partially my question. My feeling is that all-seasons + socks will possibly outperform just winter tires on snow. Most of the time, I drive on cleared major roads and feel there will be no difference between all-seasons and winter tires.

 

[ct4s]

Eventually, this week I had my J1.1 winter wheels fitted with TPMS valves which work with the J1.2.

(With all the things wrong with a Taycan, why did Porsche dick about with something which worked perfectly and change the TPMS frequency!)

I contemplated buying a set of valves from Amazon and getting the local tyre place to fit them, but getting the correct part seemed to confuse many sellers who lacked product compatibility knowledge.

If you need TPMS valves for a J1.2, the part number is shown below.

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