ECT Snow is a safety feature that reduces torque and slows down the power flow from the engine to the wheel to help your car get a better grip on a slippery road. ECT Snow mode can be activated by pressing the ECT Snow button, typically located on the center console near the shifter.
Don’t go yet. This article will cover more on what the ECT Snow button does and when you should or should not use it. So, let’s talk about all the facts related to the ECT snow button in your car in detail.
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Table of Contents
- What Does Ect Snow Mean?
- Do ECT Snow and ECT PWR Mean The Same?
- How Does ECT Snow Work?
- Which Models Have ECT Snow Features?
- When to Use the ECT Snow Button?
- Icy Or Snowy Roads
- Muddy Road
- Heavy Traffic
- How To Turn On and Off The ECT Snow Button?
- Does ECT Snow Save Gas?
- FAQS
What Does Ect Snow Mean?
ECT snow is a safe driving mode where it automatically controls the car’s throttle position and transmission to help your car get a better grip on a snowy road.
ECT stands for Electronically Controlled Transmission (ECT). When the road is slippery, snowy, or icy, the wheels of your car tend to slip and lose control. That’s why Toyota introduced this safety feature in some of its models.
Do ECT Snow and ECT PWR Mean The Same?
Many people confuse ECT Snow with ECT PWR. But they are not the same thing. The ECT PWR slightly increases the transmission’s shift point before the car shifts to the next gear. As a result, the engine will rev at a comparatively higher RPM and it will be easier to carry heavy loads and climb sloppy roads.
How Does ECT Snow Work?
The ECT Snow Mode launches your vehicle with less torque and power by controlling the transmission and throttle response to prevent wheels from slipping.
When you start the car in first gear, it drives a high torque (force) on the wheels. If you drive the car on a snowy or slippery road with this much torque, the wheel will jumpstart and slip as it can’t grip too much traction.
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With the ECT snow mode on, and you start the car, the car transmission adjusts in a way that ignores the first gear. Instead, it starts from the second gear, which imposes less torque on the wheels. As a result, the wheels don’t slip off or lose grip on the snowy/muddy road.
Moreover, the ECT snow makes the throttle response slow down. As a result, your car gets more gradual acceleration on ice and snow to help prevent wheel spin.
Here’s a thing. The ECT won’t cause the “No acceleration issue,” it will just slow the acceleration. So, if you are facing no acceleration problem while turning the car or in other situations, it indicates a different problem.
Which Models Have ECT Snow Features?
Here are some Toyota car models that have the ECT Snow feature.
- Toyota Camry
- Toyota Highlander
- Toyota Landcruiser
- Toyota Premio
- Toyota Harrier
- Toyota Mark X
- Lexus RX 350
- Lexus RX 330
- Lexus RX 300
When to Use the ECT Snow Button?
There are three situations when using the ECT Snow Button is recommended. Here is the list-
Icy Or Snowy Roads
When driving on roads covered in ice or snow, the ECT Snow mode can help improve traction and stability by adjusting the transmission. As a result, the car won’t lose balance.
Muddy Road
Similar to a snowy road, a muddy road can also cause slippage to the car. That’s why turning on the ECB Snow on this type of road will provide the car with better control.
Heavy Traffic
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In heavy traffic situations, the ECT Snow can be useful for maintaining a steady, controlled pace. When you have to start and stop the car frequently in heavy traffic, it’s really annoying to frequently change from first gear to second. ECT Snow will help you in this situation.
Now, when should you not use the ECT button? You should not use the ECT button on dry pavement. As soon as you pass through the snowy road, you should turn off the ECT snow button.
How To Turn On and Off The ECT Snow Button?
To turn on the ECT button, locate it beside the gear lever and press it once. If you notice the ECT Snow light turn on(at the dashboard) that indicates that the ECT Snow mode is activated.
Note that, the light will be turned on when the ECT snow feature is engaged and not blink. If the light blinks, it can indicate problems with the feature just like when the traction control light keeps blinking.
On the other hand, to turn off ECT snow, press the ECT Snow button once again. This will disengage the system and return the vehicle to normal operation.
You may need to press the button twice to turn off the snow mode in some vehicles. So, it is good to go through your vehicle’s user guide or ask questions on a forum related to your vehicle model.
Does ECT Snow Save Gas?
Yes, ECT snow mode reduces your vehicle’s gas consumption since it decreases torque during acceleration. If you keep ECT mode turned on all the time, it will give you 15-20% more mileage based on where you’re driving.
The following video will help you understand how ECT snow helps with saving gas.
FAQS
Source: https://t-tees.com
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