Hello:

I purchased an XC 90 T5 AWD in April and I live in a ski town in Colorado. I put on 4 Blizzak DM-Z3 snow tires and the traction is absolutely fabulous. I am wondering abou the "W" winter driving mode and how it affects the miles per gallon. What does the "W" mode actually do?

Thanks!

Jonathan

:cat: Hi there. Congratulations on purchasing such a fine vehicle. The 'W' button locks your gear box in second (or maybe third gear) to stop your wheels spinning when you start moving from a stationary position in mud, sand, ice, snow and last week's rice pudding etc. Don't drive in 'W' position. You would find it very annoying and very slow at other times.

Does nothing for fuel economy. Not designed for that aspect.

Hope that helps rather than confuses further!!

Cheers :57:

The 'W' button is indeed a very useful tool to stabilize the car in slippery, wet and snowy conditions. You may note that when you get an orange icon beside the temperature in cold / slippery days, that means that you may press the 'W' button to get more stability while driving in such situations.
I totally disagree that one should not drive in this mode as once your car attains a decent speed the button still gives your wheels stability and more road grip.
I don't think it effects the fuel economy. I however drive a SE D5 Geartronic.

Hey there,

Just coming back from a road test on an XC90. Loved it. I asked the dealer about the W button. It indeed, as Auckland said, skips over first to second gear when starting from a still position to avoid your wheels to spin on particularly slippery surface.

Didn't try it during the roadtest. Didn't have to. I stopped in the middle of a very, very steep hill. Ground was covered with fresh snow on frozen base. The XC didn't even spin a little and took back its assencion to the top as if nothing. You could feel the traction went in part to the back wheels, but there was no skidding or anything this type.

This test also tought me that as sofisticated as it is, the XC, if you ask too much, will slide of the road if you push too far. You should have seen the face of the Benoit, the sales rep. when we lost all traction in a 100deg. curve. Moving from my Odissey to the XC, I will have to learn the limits of the car before I push it.

Ciao! Ciao!

Hey all. Just had another question with this W button and its use.

I was playing in the fields the other day after it was raining and slippy and just taking it easy. I am no 4x4 expert so really wanted to see what sort of grip and limits the wagon has. I am a city boy normally - and not a farmer - so nice and slow.

I found when engaging the W button i had to rev the feck out of it to try and get anywhere and it felt like I was riding the clutch (yes its an auto).

Question - does this have any long term negative affect on the car or is it entirely normal. I wasnt sure if it was healthy or not and that it was ok to keep pushing along like this at high revs and a crawl. It did make a difference to traction though but I felt I needed to back off - subsequently to a crawl and then a stop. I didnt have the balls to push the engine to hard for to long at a crawling pace up some of the bigger hills.

Any thoughts...?

if you had read the previous post, it states that the "w" button causes the tranny to start in second gear. that is why you have to rev it to get it going. if you are going to go 4wheeling, i would choose another vehicle, one that has a dedicated 4 wheel system. you aren't going to be challenging the moab. in less than ideal weather, it' great, for scaling mt everest, use a jeep. :grin:

Thanks for your insight. I did read the post before and know it runs in 2nd gear.

My question was relating to the health of running it at high revs at a crawl - in this gear and if this was ok for the vehicle?

Actually I went for another play yesteeday and think I have worked out I have a problem with the 4x4 system. I cant get the 4x4 system to kick in when in manual or in drive - it only comes on when the W button is on, or at least it climbs the hills when the W is on otherwise the front wheels will just skid.

it's not that type of system. i mean, you aren't going to be able to lap the "ring" in blinding rain, but i think up to 50 mph it is safe on the tranny. my brother and brother in law both have one and love that feature, granted my brother got stuck in his driveway one winter, but that was his own fault by thinking that his ground clearance was higher than the mound of snow blocking his driveway. it took many months for him to live down that escapade. even now we bother him if it looks like snow :grin: