A4 Allroad esp off in snow?

[DafC]

Hello all. Just wondering, I'm lucky enoughg to own an A4 Allroad (new model) with s tronic. Do I switch esp off for driving in snow or leave it on. Audi handbook seems to suggest switching it off as the allroad has some off road detection system.

By the way I find going to manual helps rather than leaving in auto, especially on descents. I've read that some members prefer putting s tronic in sport mode, but surely that raises the revs and risks losing traction? I've tried comfort mode and manual for driving in the snow - works brill. It's just that, could it be safer with esp off?

Having owned many an audi over the years, this A4 Allroad is the best. I should qualify that by saying I've gone through the sporty s line phases, 3 litre Tdi's etc and have happily settled into wanting comfortable, jiggle free ride with power if need be (2.0 Tdi 177bhp). Am very impressed with the Allroad.

[Guest 2]

Leave it on .. unless you want to have some fun (drifting ;)) then switch it off.

[gregpot2000]

Think it depends on the situation. I was trying to get up a steep road today, and the ESP kept kicking in to the point of nearly making the car stall. So I had to turn it off to make any progress

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[SunnyBard]

Leave it on .. unless you want to have some fun

Leaving work last night (most people had been sent home after lunch) I had fun driving down a long un-gritted driveway, finding the limits of ABS in the snow, a couple of times after getting off the brakes I found the car (s-tronic/quattro/sports-diff) had got itself into a weird "kangaroo" mode, where it wouldn't drive smoothly until completely stopped and then set off again.

[Fly100]

Leave it on, my A6 allroad sent me 90 degrees down the road the other day, soon corrected it only to end up 90 degrees the other way. Extremely quick and with little warning. All at the embarissing speed of sub 10mph. Hit a lamp past , no damaged to it other than lifted the based out the soft soil. Allroad needs new door!

Lesson learnt, ran out of traction and talent at about the same time!

[Longdog]

Leave it on, my A6 allroad sent me 90 degrees down the road the other day, soon corrected it only to end up 90 degrees the other way. Extremely quick and with little warning. All at the embarissing speed of sub 10mph. Hit a lamp past , no damaged to it other than lifted the based out the soft soil. Allroad needs new door!

Lesson learnt, ran out of traction and talent at about the same time!

Winter tyres would have prevented that. I've garaged my 19" wheels from my S4 and have replaced them with a set of 18" wearing Dunlop winter sports, I was out on Friday night and the car was very capable. Don't get me wrong you could still end up in bother if you drive like an idiot but 255 width summer continentals would have been interesting to say the least.