First turn off your PSM and you might be able to better control the truck. If you're on ice or icy hardpack - siping doesn't help, only studs that carve into ice, do.

This PSM thru me for a loop, it might have been your problem.

 

scott-you seem to not want to say what tires you are using, but if you are using 19" performance rubber, than i agree with everyone else. in the cold weather, those tires act like round metal discs. since you can't get any friction when you hit your breaks in the slippery stuff, your abs will continue to prevent lock up, thus they will continue to pulse and you will continue to slide. if this is the case, buy softer m+s or winter rubber, and then you will get the friction and traction to stop and let your abs work for you.

 

I have 19s with Yokohamas, and they work fine in the snow. It's about the same as the wife's Volo XC with all seasons.

 

I am sorry but I find it hard to believe that some Cayenne owners are driving around in winter in the snow and ice on summer tyres.
Quite unbelievable. Porsche published a booklet a couple of winters ago showing why you need to be on winter tyres in winter.
Ciao,
Adrian.

 

They will learn the hard way

 

adrian.. You have to read the book...........

Unless there is a TSB on ESP........

 

How about this?
Why not go out, write down the tire sidewall information for the tires on the Cayenne and the X3, post it, and in about 10 seconds you'll have your answer.
(Hint: If you see a Snowflake Symbol on the sidewall, you get extra credit)

 

Apparently Porsche is the only company who's $60,000.00 AWD vehicle needs snow tires in order to drive correctly in the snow. Every other AWD or 4WD vehicle I've owned over the last 18 years since I've been driving did perfectly fine. I've had Jeeps, Toyotas, Chevys, Fords, Audi's, Ranger Rovers and BMWs...*none* of them with snow tires....and they all did perfectly fine in Washington State snow without snow tires. But yet, I need them for my Cayenne in Virginia with far less snow?

Now I've heard it all.

 

How many of the cars you mention go 130-160mph? The original S & TT were "spec"ed for those speeds. That entailed performance plus tires for an SUV. Which in my opinion were too performance oriented (wide and sticky). I'm going down to H tires next time round.

Additionally how many of them were over 5,000lb? Laws of physics still rule.......

 

My Ford Excursion weighed in at 9,200 lbs. I never had snow tires on it, drove it in 2 winters that had deeper, slicker snow than I had here in VA...and never once had the problems I had with my Cayenne in only one night of relatively light snowfall. The same can be said for my other vehicles as well. One of which was a Chevy Suburban which weighed over 5,000 lbs.

I'm not doubting the Cayenne's performance on the road. It's the best SUV I've ever driven or owned when it comes to that...bar none. But all the posters saying you "must have snow tires" on a AWD vehicle that has arguably the most technologically advanced AWD and stability sytem in existance...in order to drive it in 3 inches of snow, when "lesser" vehicles are handling much deeper snow on their stock *non* snow tires far better...is ludicrous.

I don't know...maybe you guys are right. Maybe I need snow tires. But the fact that my BMW M5, with it's 200+ speed rated performance tires and RWD, does better than my Cayenne does with it's performance tires in the snow...well that just bothers me to no end.

 

Would it be better with dedicated snow tires? Of course. Do you have to have them? In my opinion, no. I drove my Boxster S on summer tires for one winter, and that was unliveable, mostly because it would get stuck. My Cayenne with 19s can get up the steep hill in my neighborhood no problem in the snow. In fact, when I first drove it, I purposely stopped 1/2 way up the hill just to see how it would do. No slipping, no issue. Granted, I do have quite a bit of snow driving experience between my days in Minneapolis, Ottawa and in upstate NY.


Driving those speeds on public roads in the summer is dangerous, let alone in winter conditions. I drive a reasonable speed (~70 on the highway) if the conditions permit. If they don't, I slow down.

 

So, I take it the tires are summer type.

I drove this morning from Portland to Bend with snow on the road with some freezing fog and black ice. I have 18's with Pirelli Scorpion Ice and Snows and love them. I use the ABS, in a safe area, to see how slippery the road surface is. Just love the ol' pepper in the snow!

 

Sorry but you need to consider what you just said. The Ford and Chevy pass their weight to the road thru small cross section tires, therefore you are getting full benefit of their weight.

The Cayenne in comparison passes a much smaller weight to the road (per square inch) yet it has the body weight above the road = inertia = something your not used to. The M does not have the weight.

If you do not increase the weight per square inch and/or take into consideration longer stopping distances you will crash as some did last winter. Anyone still got the photos ?

 

Points taken. And as frustrated as I am about hearing them, as well as the fact that my SUV *needs* snow tires...I appreciate everyone sharing their advice.

 

I didn't suggest that folks should drive those speeds, I suggested that PAG specified equipment for those speeds.

If you drive 70 on the freeways with your Pepper - Park it and buy a 4runner. You thru your money away.