Last tuesday I was driving on freeway at 60MPH in 70MPH zone. As you can see, I already slowed down, because of slippery road. I was going straight, then all of a sudden, the car spun, and hit the snow wall. When I got out of the car, the road was quite slippery indeed.

But everyone was going the same speed as I did, some even faster. Why my car spun? My car has traction control. Was that because I didn't have snow tires? Or would a LSD have prevented it?

EDIT: Or would the "vehicle stability control" that's on more expensive cars have prevented it?

 

Chances are you simply hydroplaned. Just be careful to not drive across any standing water.

If there was snow on the ground, 60mph is wayyyyy to fast to be going in a RWD vehicle.

 

+1 and you have already posted this and everyone told you even if you had "snow tires" you still can't be going 60mph... its all about RWD no matter what you can't fix that. Most of the people passing you probably had all wheel drive

 

the traction control on the car isn't really going to help in that situation. all it really does is when it senses that the car doesn't have traction, it doesn't allow you to give it more gas and spin the tires even more, thus creating more of a hairy situation.

in dry weather, i drive in the left lane on the highway with all the other people who want to get from A to B as fast as possible. when it gets messy, i move to the right 2 lanes generally because i know that driving a RWD car i cannot make sudden moves as quickly with as much control as a FWD or AWD car. like everyone else says, keep in mind that you're now driving a RWD vehicle and it's a different beast. it's tough that you had to learn it the hard way, but now you know what you car is capable of doing.

 

If the rear spun around, it is because the back-end was going faster then the front. This happens when there is less grip in the back then the front. This is why brakes are disigned to lock-up in the front before the back.

Why your car did this? My crystal ball is broken, but something caused your rear-end to have less traction then the front.

 

Yeah, come to think of it, maybe I was driving too fast. This is my first RWD car, I drove all my previous FWD cars at that speed there, no problem at all. When the car started to slide, then spun, I really couldn't do anything. The hardest thing is, I won't be having the car for at least a month! I miss her already...

My question is, would the "vehicle stability control" that's on BMWs, Lexus, etc, have prevented it? Or would LSD that's on the Mustang GT have prevented it as well?

 

I didn't hit the brake, or steer the steering wheel. I set the cruise at 60, going straight. Then all of a sudden, the car started to slide, then spun and hit the snow wall.

 

theres your problem right there. you're NEVER supposed to use cruise when its wet or icy. as soon as you lose traction, its just gonna make your tires spin faster and faster to try and get up to speed.

 

Oh wow! I never would have thought of that! Thank you.

 

if it's so obvious then why the **** were you using cruise control?? clap, clap, clap, nice work

 

unless of course you werent being sarcastic then you're welcome

 

Bingo! You were accelerating because of the cruise control and the back end got going faster then the front.

 

... No I wasn't being sarcastic.

 

Okay, so on slippery road, the wheel started to spin, right? Then the traction control tried to reduced the engine power, but the cruise still trying to maintain at 60, so the car lost it. Right?

So that being said, the accident happened because of the cruise control, not the tires? Right?

 

the car is only as good as the person driving it.... Do you catch my DRIFT?

 

my bad i thought you were being a smart ***. sorry bout that

 

What?

 

This is the first time I learned that NEVER use cruise control in slippery conditions or rains. Is this unique to RWD cars? All my previous cars were FWD, I always used cruise control during rain, and never had a problem.

Must be a special RWD characteristic. Right?

 

uuhh i don't think you are ever really supposed to use cruise control in an vehicle just because. i dont think it happens too often but it still can happen. FWD would cut down on it a lot. the tires may still spin uncontrollably but it would be easier to retain control.

 

I have a new theory. Could it be the live rear axle that makes the car spins suddenly?