I got stuck in the snow yeaterday.... and the darn thing wouldnt let me power brake it for a hole shot. Of the 4 rigs that went wheeling yesterday.... my xterra should have been the best one. BUT no, I got stuck the most!!! And not becuase I tried either.

Do you have VDC?

And did you try turning it off?

It will cause havoc if you want to do "unsafe maneuvers" like spinning your tires. Which is a really good thing... it will help you clean out your tire's treads. That probably caused the most problems for you, right?

When manuvering in the snow, one is hardly ever really "STUCK" fast. the vehicle can move foreward a little and then in reverse a little... the object being to get as far one dirrection as possible....then pre-load the wheels with torque (gas with the brake on) and then use momentum to get you unstuck. Well in 4x4 low it wouldnt do it...In fact you cant power brake this thing in any gear combination with or without VDC off. Peddle to the floor with brake applied gives you about 1500 RPMs, not enough to spin the wheels.

... and did you air down?

HMMM... user error. Get used to your vehicle before claiming it sucks. Remember, its 95% driver, 5% vehicle. Really...

In 4-lo, the throttle curve is changed. Until you go more than about 1/2 throttle, there's little chance of you spinning tires, VDC engaged or not.

I'd try leaving it in 4-hi, which doesn't change the throttle response, and turning the VDC off. I have enough power to break all 4 tires free in mud, so you shouldn't have a problem in snow... but if the VDC is left on, forget it.

In 4-lo VDC is turned off. I like the OR with the locker feature. Nothing like knowing you can reach down and push that little magic button.

Who said it sucks? I said the drive by wire was a pain. I would rather have a throttle cable going to a throttle body... not a computer that is trying to interpret my intentions and at the same time trying to get good gas mileage and protect the engine / transmission. locker might have helped as the slip function takes about 3 seconds to actually apply brake to the slipping tire. But still, the drive by wire will not let you power brake.

I still cant believe that a full sized Ford diesel crewcab with stock tires was doing better than I was...... oh the humiliation!

--Please don't misunderstand me, but after 10 years of driving in the Sierras (snow)in Dodge and ford 4wd's, I NEVER/NEVER spun the tires. You have to air down and drive GENTLY like you're carrying NITRO. Now mud is totally different

I will be out snow "wheeling" soon, just curious to what tire pressure is best to not hurt the tire and get the most snow traction safely. Thanks!

One more reason I'm glad for my selection of a six speed trans. I haven't tried to dig a hole to china in low range yet, but it hasn't acted strange and I can burn the tires in 2wd with the VDC off.

True the nice thing about the MT is I just place it in low, let the clutch out, and just go. No real need to touch the gas.

I totally agree with the no wheel slipping rule in the snow.... normally. But this snow was that frozen powdery stuff that wont compress because its so cold. Here we just call it "bad snow". I was wheeling a couple of weekends ago by myself when this snow was NEW and I was pretty impressed with the results from the Xterra. Actually Im still impressed... except that accelerator by wire thing.

I just still cant get over how my heavy Ford performed over all better. I would have bet money before Saturday that the diesel would be stuck at the bottom of the hill while the lighter rigs frolicked in the snow.

If you dropped it down to 4w-lo and 1st gear you couldn't crawl over that stuff? Obviously from the picture you can't tell the condition of the snow, but it doesn't look bad. I have not had the chance to have the X out in real snow (except on the street) so I am not real sure how it acts.

If my truck got stuck in snow like that, I'd find the nearest cliff, light a match, and push it off! That's just embarrassing.

I'm hoping there was worse stuff than that pic?? If not, trade that puppy in before you embarrass yourself any more.

The snow here was about 1 1/2 ft deep. In the picture, you can see the hole that my Ford pulled my Xterra from. The Ford passed over that same place just a few second before the Xterra got stuck.

I think maybe new tires are in order.

Last week I was in western Wyoming and was playing in about 2 to 2 1/2 feet of bone dry powder. At the time, was in 4hi with the VDC on and had absolutely zero problems until I tried to turn around. Managed to back into a deep drift that had been packed and got the spare and rear bumper stuck. All I did was turn off the VDC, drop it into 4lo and turn the locker on. Just touched the pedal then eased it to about half throttle...she popped right out and continued on her merry way like nothing happened.

Your X does kickass in the snow. I am in Alaska and it is one of the best trucks I have ever driven in the snow. In that situation with a 6spd I would put it in 4HI and 2nd gear with VDC turned off. Your X would walk up that hill. The VDC is what reduces the wheel speed. With that turned off you can spin the tires as much as you want, but the limited slip (ABLS) will still work.

You might need better tires.

Hmmm...would airing down help?

Those tires looks really full of air.

With my old 00 integra (200k mi), i whipped my friend in his 95 5 series, his 90 3 series, and his old 89 subi turbo wagon.

An automobile is only as good as the driver.

Your story is embarassin though.

You have four functions at work on your X. They are:
ABS Anti-Lock Brake System
EBD Electronic Brake Distribution
TCS Traction Control System
VDC Vehicle Dynamic Control System
with VDC "on" all of these systems work together to eliminate wheel spin especially when turning by electronically applying the brakes and limiting fuel input. These systems are designed for the lowest common denominator, the soccer mom/dad who never takes the SUV off road but makes radical maneuvers at highway speeds or in the supermarket parking lot and want to sue if they roll it over.

If you want, I can post a description of each of these systems. For off-road and slippery surface operation, turn "off" the VDC.

You can't do a power stand burn out. I could with my 03 F250 SD diesel. It would do a pretty good two wheel burn. If you try it with the X, the computer will back off the throttle and apply brakes automatically. I haven't been able to verify it yet, but I understand that in 4-lo the above systems don't work the way they do in 4-hi or 2 WD.