Stuck in snow + AT - Toyota Yaris Forums

Maxh91 · 08-09-2010, 12:35 AM

Hi everybody!

Some time ago i tough that i got a transmission problem but it was only a little problem with the ECU and the problem went away.

Because of that, i have read many thing about the AT and then i have a little question:
When you are stuck in the snow with an AT and rock the car, you can damage the transmission because of the overheat of the trans fluid if you are revving slowy?

The last winter, i got stuck 2 times in snow. I tried to rock the car back and forth.

Most people say that its is dangerous to spin to much but when i try to get out of the snow, i press the brake when the tire begin to spin.

How much can you rock the car without damage the transmission if you are not driving crazy?

Gr8ful_Ken · 08-12-2010, 05:08 PM

don't spin, once you break traction all you are doing is shortening your tire life.. carry a small (folding) shovel with you in the winter, dig whats behind your tires, and slowly back out the same tracks you drove in on.

Maxh91 · 08-12-2010, 07:57 PM

I already have a small folding shovel. It is because at my appartement, there are a lot of snow after a snowstorm and the car are close form the other in the parking so we dont have a lot of space to put snow away. I remove the snow around the tire but with 1 - 1 1/2 feet of snow everywhere and the landlord dont clean the parking until everyone park their car outside the parking.

So yes i need to rock the car a little. As i said, i dont spin. When the tire losse traction i brake and accelerate again slowly. Its just when the car move and that i know that i can get out and the tire beggin to spin slowly, i continue(maybe 3 or 5 sec).

But i dont think that i could damage the transmission if i stop imediately after the tire spin and i do that 1min. (After i get out of my parking space, i need to reach the road.)

I wanted to know how much i could do that. but is is only 1 or 2 times in the winter.

Betrivent · 08-13-2010, 02:57 AM

Whenever you get stuck when using an auto, just lightly tap the gas, like. Really, really lightly. As if you were pressing with your finger. Make sure to try this FIRST. If you do it later, you'll likely just dig yourself into a deeper hole as opposed to getting out if you try it immediately.

Maxh91 · 08-13-2010, 11:52 AM

Thanks for yours answer.
It is not something that happen to me everyday buy i wanted your opinion about that.

Yaris Hilton · 08-13-2010, 12:59 PM

Light braking does help to keep one tire from breaking loose and spinning wildly while the other tire gets little torque. On rear drive cars, putting the parking brake halfway on has long been recommended to help get out of very slick spots. The problem with using the foot brake on a front wheel drive car for that purpose is that now the back wheels are harder to pull with braking on them, too.

thebarber · 08-13-2010, 09:03 PM

i used to live in fredericton - -we bought our yaris @ clake toyota, actually

never got stuck in the snow w/ the yaris (or aveo) but you won't ruin the tranny rocking the car. but really, if you're stuck, put it in 1 or low or whatever the yaris has and press teh gas lightly as not to spin the tires...you don't need to shift in/out of gear

i wouldnt worry about over heating the transmission when its winter...

08-09-2010, 12:35 AM	#1
Maxh91 Drives: Red 3 Dr HB 2008 Auto. Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: New-Brunswick , Canada Posts: 60	Stuck in snow + AT Hi everybody! Some time ago i tough that i got a transmission problem but it was only a little problem with the ECU and the problem went away. Because of that, i have read many thing about the AT and then i have a little question: When you are stuck in the snow with an AT and rock the car, you can damage the transmission because of the overheat of the trans fluid if you are revving slowy? The last winter, i got stuck 2 times in snow. I tried to rock the car back and forth. Most people say that its is dangerous to spin to much but when i try to get out of the snow, i press the brake when the tire begin to spin. How much can you rock the car without damage the transmission if you are not driving crazy?

08-13-2010, 09:03 PM	#7
thebarber daily driver View User's Garage Drives: the #wrecho Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 5,877	i used to live in fredericton - -we bought our yaris @ clake toyota, actually never got stuck in the snow w/ the yaris (or aveo) but you won't ruin the tranny rocking the car. but really, if you're stuck, put it in 1 or low or whatever the yaris has and press teh gas lightly as not to spin the tires...you don't need to shift in/out of gear i wouldnt worry about over heating the transmission when its winter... __________________

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08-12-2010, 05:08 PM	#2
Gr8ful_Ken Drives: 2010 Yaris 5 door Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Havre de Grace, MD Posts: 25	don't spin, once you break traction all you are doing is shortening your tire life.. carry a small (folding) shovel with you in the winter, dig whats behind your tires, and slowly back out the same tracks you drove in on.

08-12-2010, 07:57 PM	#3
Maxh91 Drives: Red 3 Dr HB 2008 Auto. Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: New-Brunswick , Canada Posts: 60	I already have a small folding shovel. It is because at my appartement, there are a lot of snow after a snowstorm and the car are close form the other in the parking so we dont have a lot of space to put snow away. I remove the snow around the tire but with 1 - 1 1/2 feet of snow everywhere and the landlord dont clean the parking until everyone park their car outside the parking. So yes i need to rock the car a little. As i said, i dont spin. When the tire losse traction i brake and accelerate again slowly. Its just when the car move and that i know that i can get out and the tire beggin to spin slowly, i continue(maybe 3 or 5 sec). But i dont think that i could damage the transmission if i stop imediately after the tire spin and i do that 1min. (After i get out of my parking space, i need to reach the road.) I wanted to know how much i could do that. but is is only 1 or 2 times in the winter.

08-13-2010, 02:57 AM	#4
Betrivent Not quite a noob Drives: e46 325 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: edmonton Posts: 1,408	Whenever you get stuck when using an auto, just lightly tap the gas, like. Really, really lightly. As if you were pressing with your finger. Make sure to try this FIRST. If you do it later, you'll likely just dig yourself into a deeper hole as opposed to getting out if you try it immediately.

08-13-2010, 11:52 AM	#5
Maxh91 Drives: Red 3 Dr HB 2008 Auto. Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: New-Brunswick , Canada Posts: 60	Thanks for yours answer. It is not something that happen to me everyday buy i wanted your opinion about that.

08-13-2010, 12:59 PM	#6
Yaris Hilton Half a Bubble Off Plumb Drives: 2009 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bristol, Tennessee, USA Posts: 1,593	Light braking does help to keep one tire from breaking loose and spinning wildly while the other tire gets little torque. On rear drive cars, putting the parking brake halfway on has long been recommended to help get out of very slick spots. The problem with using the foot brake on a front wheel drive car for that purpose is that now the back wheels are harder to pull with braking on them, too.