Ask Honest John

Honest John Ask Honest John » ABS/EBD winter driving advice
What do you think of Elon Musk? Have your say | No thanks

ABS/EBD winter driving advice

I have Yokohama W Drive drive fitted to my 4wd diesel auto Nissan Qashqai; when driving in snow should you have the ABS/EBD turned on or off - I am receiving conflicting advice?

Also is it better in these conditions to drive in manual mode rather using the auto box?

Asked on 13 November 2012 by janusg

Answered by Honest John
In snow and ice best to switch it off. While it is very helpful in wet conditions, on snow and ice it can counter your natural reactions and (basically) 'fight' you, and send you off the road. I'd rather be in charge of the car than leave it to electronics.

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide

Cold-snap snow-how: Advice on coping with the freezing weather, including videos, facts and winter driving advice.

Honest John's Guide To Winter Tyres
Similar questions
With regard to fitting winter tyres, would this affect my insurance premium?
I noticed that you have endorsed the use of snow tyres recently. I have been Michelin Alpin, M + S rated tyres in winter since 1997 and swear by them. However, I have seen reports in the press that some...
Please can you remind me the recommeded websites, and the relative advantages of tyre change, or complete wheel change for winter tyres?
Related models
Slightly larger version of Qashqai with seven seats, impressive economy from most engines incuding 2.0-litre petrol, pleasant to drive.