stuck in snow: did I hurt my car?

tranquility · 12-16-2014, 03:35 AM

My car bottomed-up and I was stuck for about 45mins. To try to get out, I turned off DSC so it displayed "traction" and I tried to rock the car out of the rut in the snow (no shovel handy, so I wedged my floormats under the tires, and using my boots/snowbrush to remove as much snow as possible in the tires' path), so press gas to move it back, let it go when it couldn't go further and the car rocks forward, and, once the car's momentum starts to move backwards again, I press gas again (repeating this step), but gear left in 'R' all this time. I finally got out but when I parked the car, smelled a faint burning smell, so no idea. Any worries in terms of engine/tranny/etc? Did I do any incorrect steps or could I have done something better?

Thx in advance. Talk about frustating being stuck like that. Arrrggh.

jparnes1 · 12-16-2014, 05:07 AM

Burnt rubber?

tranquility · 12-16-2014, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jparnes1

Burnt rubber?

Is that a possibility on the snow/turned ice? I didn't bother sniffing out the source of the smell. The car seemed to run well back to the garage.

jts1981 · 12-16-2014, 06:54 AM

You'll be fine, I was stuck for over an hr and I.also smelled a faint rubber smell. Just due to friction of spinning rubber in one place, no biggie.

rking117 · 12-16-2014, 10:55 AM

No worries. The smell was likely nothing to worry about. Manufacturers take in consideration that you might get stuck which is why they allow you to defeat the traction control in the first place.

tranquility · 12-16-2014, 02:33 PM

Did I do any of the steps wrongly? Or did the best I could have done w/ what was available?

tranquility · 01-03-2015, 06:26 PM

I sometimes had to leave the car so put the parking brake on, and when I got back in to move the car, I sometimes forgot to switch it off so had the pedal press for a few seconds...no biggie also?

army_men · 01-03-2015, 11:18 PM

no biggie dude. but why not get some snow tires in Toronto? the weather today is really not that safe without it.

ManiacGT · 01-04-2015, 02:14 AM

Considering these cars are abused on a track without issue I think rocking back and forth in snow is unlikely to cause issues. The smell is either clutch or tyres. Either way it's unlikely even the slightest issue. Worry less.

tranquility · 01-04-2015, 04:30 AM

Thx guys. Yes, I do have winters, just that I bottomed out. Car's pretty solid.

12-16-2014, 03:35 AM	#1
tranquility sportscars only 3241 Rep 3,194 Posts Drives: 2011 Z4 sDrive 35i Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montréal iTrader: (0)	stuck in snow: did I hurt my car? My car bottomed-up and I was stuck for about 45mins. To try to get out, I turned off DSC so it displayed "traction" and I tried to rock the car out of the rut in the snow (no shovel handy, so I wedged my floormats under the tires, and using my boots/snowbrush to remove as much snow as possible in the tires' path), so press gas to move it back, let it go when it couldn't go further and the car rocks forward, and, once the car's momentum starts to move backwards again, I press gas again (repeating this step), but gear left in 'R' all this time. I finally got out but when I parked the car, smelled a faint burning smell, so no idea. Any worries in terms of engine/tranny/etc? Did I do any incorrect steps or could I have done something better? Thx in advance. Talk about frustating being stuck like that. Arrrggh.
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12-16-2014, 05:07 AM	#2
jparnes1 Colonel 241 Rep 2,387 Posts Drives: 2016 340i, 2012 Z4 35i Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NY iTrader: (1)	Burnt rubber? __________________ 2016 340i XDrive, EBII/black, 6 MT, M Sport, Track Handling, Cold Weather, Tech, Lighting, Driver Assistance Plus. 2012 Z4 35i, ED 2/24/2012, Melbourne Red Metallic, Black Leather, Carbon Trim, 6MT, M Sport, CW, PP, PS, NAV, CA.
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12-16-2014, 06:54 AM	#4
jts1981 Captain 213 Rep 887 Posts Drives: n54 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: NYC iTrader: (0)	You'll be fine, I was stuck for over an hr and I.also smelled a faint rubber smell. Just due to friction of spinning rubber in one place, no biggie.
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12-16-2014, 10:55 AM	#5
rking117 Lieutenant Colonel 118 Rep 1,668 Posts Drives: Z4 3.0i & 320i Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	No worries. The smell was likely nothing to worry about. Manufacturers take in consideration that you might get stuck which is why they allow you to defeat the traction control in the first place. __________________ Enjoying an E89 Z4, F30 320i and Fiat Abarth // E85 Z4 (sold), E82 128i (sold), Fiat Pop 500 (sold)
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12-16-2014, 02:33 PM	#6
tranquility sportscars only 3241 Rep 3,194 Posts Drives: 2011 Z4 sDrive 35i Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montréal iTrader: (0)	Did I do any of the steps wrongly? Or did the best I could have done w/ what was available?
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01-03-2015, 06:26 PM	#7
tranquility sportscars only 3241 Rep 3,194 Posts Drives: 2011 Z4 sDrive 35i Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montréal iTrader: (0)	I sometimes had to leave the car so put the parking brake on, and when I got back in to move the car, I sometimes forgot to switch it off so had the pedal press for a few seconds...no biggie also?
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01-03-2015, 11:18 PM	#8
army_men Lieutenant 45 Rep 406 Posts Drives: E89 Z4 35i Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Canada iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 BMW Z4 35i [10.00]	no biggie dude. but why not get some snow tires in Toronto? the weather today is really not that safe without it. __________________
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01-04-2015, 02:14 AM	#9
ManiacGT Major 85 Rep 1,448 Posts Drives: Z4 sDrive 35i Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Manchester, UK iTrader: (0)	Considering these cars are abused on a track without issue I think rocking back and forth in snow is unlikely to cause issues. The smell is either clutch or tyres. Either way it's unlikely even the slightest issue. Worry less.
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01-04-2015, 04:30 AM	#10
tranquility sportscars only 3241 Rep 3,194 Posts Drives: 2011 Z4 sDrive 35i Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montréal iTrader: (0)	Thx guys. Yes, I do have winters, just that I bottomed out. Car's pretty solid.
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