So I wiped out last weekend on black ice and am thinking about this situation I was in, and trying to take the most out of my learning experience. I have only driven for 13 years, all front wheel drive and this is my first rear wheel. I've only had my mustang since July '09 so I'm still learning the in's and outs of it.

I reviewed the manual again yesterday about traction control. It stated that traction control only works when you are accelerating. In my situation after I started to lose grip, I let go of the accelerator and tried to cruise it out. (I've never slipped like this before, but it works with fwd to cruise). Now traction control did kick in, but then I slipped again, and I'm not sure if I finally wiped because traction control possibly shut off? I can't verify if it did shut off or not, I was unable to focus on the dash or even glance at it. Ice is ice, there is no traction, but what I would like to know if I could of still saved myself if I had done something different. I almost regained control but something happened..

 

Traction control won't save you on ice, regardless of accel or decel.

 

You ask a tough question and I have to agree with Diabolical. There's no telling how you got into the situation to begin with, least of all figure out what you did, did not do or could have done. One thing is for sure, staying off the brakes and accelerator and steering into it were probably about all you COULD try to do. Unless you had studded tires all around you pretty much are just hangin' on for the ride.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I needed to put some closure on this and move on with my life.

Now I look forward to seeing my repaired and upgraded pony

 

Any word on when your car will be done? It would drive me nuts to go more than a day without my Horsie...

And at least you have 13 years' driving experience. Try 4 months with this being my first winter in RWD! Previously I drove when I could borrow a relative's FWD car, usually on weekends to run errands for them. So of course I'm a bit nervous about driving in winter conditions being such a n00b and all...

From what Nuke said, it sounds like you handle a RWD car much in the same way as FWD--lay off the brake and the gas and steer into the skid. Right? But somebody told me recently that with RWD, you're supposed to give it a little acceleration when slipping to transfer weight back over the rear wheels. Is this true or total BS?

 

Traction control will keep your wheels from breaking loose out of control when you one the gas. Stability control and abs will help on ice but we don't have stability control

 

I wanted to go driving today I have to follow up with the body shop. Last thing I heard was they would install my parts. I gave them the permission to work on my pony so I assume they have disassembled the damaged parts and ordered the other replacements. Gonna call them on Monday. On the estimate, they required 12 +/- days.

 

 

You get rain on the road and hit an area of oil on the road, it sucks as well.. TC didn't kick in for me either.. after $14k damage and repair, 2 months later, and i'm out a deductable, i got mine back on the road.. just no time to take them picks i promised.. It sucks.. i knwo what ya mean wanting to go turn the key over and its not there.. I can't complain, the body shop done a solid job on it.. Good luck..

 

The traction control on our cars sucks *****. I can spin my tires all the way through first gear and hit second before T/C knows I've lost traction. If you want a good stability control system, look at bmws. If it is physically possible to regain control of the vehicle, then the BMW stability control system will make it happen. BMW has gotten their system so good that on the M cars, they have a special setting that lets you hold a powerslide without spinning. Their system is actually useful. I always turn Ford's system off b/c its so worthless