A6 Driving in the wet

[fernar]

Driving along country roads, I was a bit surprised to find out how badly my A6 responds when the car drives over a puddle at 'high speed' i.e. around 50 MPH... the road is narrow so could not avoid, so I found myself having to drive over a puddle on the side of the road - the water was not deep - maybe 2" at most - but the car pulled over to the left badly...

I fully understand that since the car is front wheel drive, the imbalance of the wheel hitting the water at speed must have some effect - but i was surprised at just how much the car pulled over to the left - if I had not caught it on time, I am sure that I would have ended up in the hedge.... I have not noticed such a extreme reaction to puddles in my previous cars - mind you they were all rear wheel drive...

I was wondering if other people see the same - I am assume if you have quattro, then the 4 wheel drive solves this..... or is there some sort of tracking chamber problem with my car?

[Wuffles]

Aquaplaning surely?

[Doctle Odd]

Water will have a braking effect on whatever wheel is in it, only 1 side braking on a car would be extremely dangerous, luckily you were holding onto the wheel at the 01:50 position!

[Eshrules]

^ Ditto.

In rainy/wet conditions, one ought to alter their driving style, it doesn't take a great deal of water to remove the friction from between your tyre and the road.

And we all know what happens when we lose the friction between our tyres and the road.

[zollaf]

the wider the tyre the greater the effect and i bet your car has some pretty wide tyres on it. less noticeable on something with a 165 on as there is less tyre hitting the water so it can cut through it better. it also depends on type of tread and tread depth.

[ScottyA6]

My old C6 suffered the same but was FWD too. My C7 is Quattro and in terms of stability in naff conditions they do exactly what they say on the tin. They were both brilliant compared dto my old XF on big wide 20's, it just wanted to let go on wet roads, that said the DSC system always pulled it back into line.

[Allroad_2013]

I think there maybe something in the fwd / rwd situation here. In a rwd car, when you hit the puddle with the front wheels, the rears are still driving forward and so help keep the car going straight, whereas in a fwd car the drive is effectively cut to the wheel(s) that is/are aquaplanning and hence the larger steering movement.

Not sure if the following illustrates the point, but it's pretty scary all the same!


http://youtu.be/mERAaeCrj0E

[tadziak]

I noticed something a bit weird raing/water behaviour when driving through heavier rain. The is a lot of water accummulating on the edge (lower corner) of the side mirror and I get a constant stream of it splashing on my side window which creates unpleasant effect. I believe it has something to do with the fact that the vipers are wiping water towards the driver's side.

[jon.gordon]

I believe it has something to do with the fact that the vipers are wiping water towards the driver's side.

I'd get rid of the snakes, then

[tadziak]

I'd get rid of the snakes, then
very funny :))

[fernar]

So it sounds as if RWD is good in wet/raining condition and FWD is better in snow.... and of course 4WD best in all conditions...

[tadziak]

I'd get rid of the snakes, then

Click to enlarge ;)

22735

[Mike41]

I drove through quite a lot of standing water in my new c7 and was remarking to myself how much better is seemed than my old car (honda civic). Perhaps the significantly longer wheel base helps I don't know. The car is only a month old so obviously new tyres but is only a 2.0 so I imagine the width of them isn't particularly wide.

wir wollen ein auto mieten mit vipers before ze war.

[Bash D Bishop]

My Disco 3 was great in the wet but it had a major design fault with regards to deep puddles. It was as steady as a rock going through them but the water would wash dangerously up over the windscreen temporarily blinding you. Other owners on the disco3.co.uk website complained of the same.

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[Wuffles]

For a moment there I thought you were going to say dangerously sloshing about your ankles, then I realised you were talking Discovery, not Defender.

[Eshrules]

My Disco 3 was great in the wet but it had a major design fault with regards to deep puddles. It was as steady as a rock going through them but the water would wash dangerously up over the windscreen temporarily blinding you. Other owners on the disco3.co.uk website complained of the same.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 4

<nods>

Exactly the same issue with my polo.

At one point I thought the dog was going to get out and swim.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[ScottyA6]

Hell, if it was washing over the bonnet in a Disco it would have made the A6 a U-boat !

[Bash D Bishop]

Hell, if it was washing over the bonnet in a Disco it would have made the A6 a U-boat !

Not really. It must have had something to do with the design of the wheelarches and/or underbody. I've gone through some large puddles in my Allroad and the water has stayed under the car.

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[Eshrules]

Not really. It must have had something to do with the design of the wheelarches and/or underbody. I've gone through some large puddles in my Allroad and the water has stayed under the car.
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psst - I think he was joking :naughty:

[Doctle Odd]

Don't mention the war!
Hell, if it was washing over the bonnet in a Disco it would have made the A6 a U-boat !

[ScottyA6]

Don't mention the war!

Jawohl mein Kapitan ! (Klick)

seriously, I am surprised at the Discovery. It doesn't sound very pleasant at all. If I ever saw water coming over the bonnet however it turned out it would be followed shortly later by a pit stop to rectify a 'trouser related incident' !

[retired99]

My Disco 3 was great in the wet but it had a major design fault with regards to deep puddles. It was as steady as a rock going through them but the water would wash dangerously up over the windscreen temporarily blinding you. Other owners on the disco3.co.uk website complained of the same.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 4

I remember that! Always had the wipers set to auto so they came on instantly when this happened, after the first butt clenching experience.

[MarkTM]

A lot has to be said for the type/compound of tyre, so for instance driving my (rwd) jag at motorway speeds in rain I'd feel the slight 'lift' or vagueness when I was getting into aquaplaning territory and ease back. Fitted a complete set of Uniroyal Rainsport 2's and never felt it again. As to the RWD/FWD/AWD argument I'd say that once it lets go either in wet or icy conditions everyone's in the same boat and I've seen 4x4 drivers (particularly the Range Rover fraternity) loose grip in spectacular style due to their complacency. That said my greatest fun drives in my youth was in an old mini clubman on ice :)

[Passatier3]

A lot has to be said for the type/compound of tyre, so for instance driving my (rwd) jag at motorway speeds in rain I'd feel the slight 'lift' or vagueness when I was getting into aquaplaning territory and ease back. Fitted a complete set of Uniroyal Rainsport 2's and never felt it again. As to the RWD/FWD/AWD argument I'd say that once it lets go either in wet or icy conditions everyone's in the same boat and I've seen 4x4 drivers (particularly the Range Rover fraternity) loose grip in spectacular style due to their complacency. That said my greatest fun drives in my youth was in an old mini clubman on ice :)

I'm with you there! When it snowed I used to take my Mini out purposely to have some fun.

Did go into a hedge though once, but fortunately between two timber posts! :D

Also used to enjoy scrabbling up hills which those in RWD, which was the norm in those days, couldn't make.

[MarkTM]

I'm with you there! When it snowed I used to take my Mini out purposely to have some fun.

Did go into a hedge though once, but fortunately between two timber posts! :D

Also used to enjoy scrabbling up hills which those in RWD, which was the norm in those days, couldn't make. Mainly used to go out with brother in passenger seat with both front windows down and heater on full blast, so if we found ourselves gently drifting to either side we'd be able to push off other parked cars and avoid collisions...a complete hoot! :p

[k6rff]

I've just chopped in my TT Quattro but I bought it with factory Bridgestones (which have never impressed me in the wet) but found the aqua planing difference between the Bridgestones and my winter Dunlop winter sports absolutely amazing. Puddles that you would normal clench your buttocks for would present no problem. I eventually sold the Bridgestone REO50A's part worn on eBay and changed to Vredestein Centracs for the summer. Good wet or dry and I'm told their winter tyres attract acclaim. Much under-rated small Dutch manufacturer.