Mach-E stuck in snow, owners spend night in the car before they got help.

[kgautam28]

Yes low ground clearance means, FE AWD all. season tires m+s can no longer drive where the Macan used to. A yearly once route for me, dint ever see snow here before at this time of the year, just as I decided to go back after 20ft of snow, Got beached in snow late evening, and had us stuck with no cell reception nearest population was 40miles away.. Had to spend the night in the car up in gifford pinchot national forest, luckily dint snow that night. Next day morning, Was able to walk 4 miles to call 911 get a tow trailer, only to learn that in tow mode you can only tow forwards. No tow hook at the back. Had to gently tug at the wheels, cleared snow with a shovel below the car before that and it came loose and drove back all fine like nothing happened.

Was a horrifying night in the cold, only could use seat warmer for heat, the battery drains if the heater is on 2% every 5minutes. With seat warmer it was draining 1% an hour.
Me and wife were in there for 14 hours before we got out, Ford's roadside assistance would answer the call and then cancel without saying a word. We really need wider tires, and better ground clearance.

Lesson: learn to measure snow height before going on and carry a shovel. Snow chains do not help either..

Yes yes I understand I shouldn't have gone there, but the only way was to go further and turn around or stop and go back. It's when I stopped when it got stuck. No.issues as long as it was moving.

I've done this same route multiple times in a lot of cars at same.time of year, so went on with that.

Purchases made after this:
Tire Grabbers
Foldable Shovel
Heated Blanked

 

[benk016]

I'm glad you were able to get out, and had some kind of heat while you were stuck!

While I wasn't out offroading, just regular street driving, we had between 8-12" of snow here, and the car didn't give one hint of an issue with the snow. even when it was deep enough the bottom of the car was dragging. I was very very impressed with it.

One thing I did notice, I was pulling up to a charge station that hadn't been plowed. I didn't pull up enough and tried to just pull up a little more, and the car just spun the tires. I was doing this with the door open. It seems like if the door is open it won't allow the motors to have full power? or maybe only the front motor got power with the door open? As soon as I closed my door and tried it, it went right back to acting like there was no snow on the ground and had full traction.

 

[fayt349]

You could probably get the car lifted with aftermarket springs. I'm in California so it's nothing but sun for me here.

 

[AllenXS]

I have all weather tires on. Handled the snow well but not dug in like you. Pleased you are good to tell us about it.

 

[OttawaGuy]

Just wondering


Did you have winter tires on?


Obviously snow is melting so it makes things slippery.... And you seem to have gotten on a road where you hut the snow with the bottom of the car... Maybe the road wasn't accessible really in these conditions

 

[kgautam28]

Just wondering


Did you have winter tires on?


Obviously snow is melting so it makes things slippery.... And you seem to have gotten on a road where you hut the snow with the bottom of the car... Maybe the road wasn't accessible really in these conditions

All season M+S

 

[kgautam28]

I'm glad you were able to get out, and had some kind of heat while you were stuck!

While I wasn't out offroading, just regular street driving, we had between 8-12" of snow here, and the car didn't give one hint of an issue with the snow. even when it was deep enough the bottom of the car was dragging. I was very very impressed with it.

One thing I did notice, I was pulling up to a charge station that hadn't been plowed. I didn't pull up enough and tried to just pull up a little more, and the car just spun the tires. I was doing this with the door open. It seems like if the door is open it won't allow the motors to have full power? or maybe only the front motor got power with the door open? As soon as I closed my door and tried it, it went right back to acting like there was no snow on the ground and had full traction.

Yes it was stuck.when I stopped, no issues as long as it was moving.

 

[OttawaGuy]

All season M+S

Explains it ..such conditions are problematic for an all season tire

 

[sockmeister]

Yes low ground clearance means, FE AWD can no longer drive where the Macan used to. A yearly once route for me, dint ever see snow here before at this time of the year, just as I decided to go back after 20ft of snow, Got beached in snow late evening, and had us stuck with no cell reception nearest population was 40miles away.. Had to spend the night in the car up in griffith pinchord national forest, luckily dint snow that night. Next day morning, Was able to walk 4 miles to call 911 get a tow trailer, only to learn that in tow mode you can only tow forwards. No tow hook at the back. Had to gently tug at the wheels, cleared snow with a shovel below the car before that and it came loose and drove back all fine like nothing happened.
Was a horrifying night in the cold, only could use seat warmer for heat, the battery drains if the heater is on 2% every 5minutes. With seat warmer it was draining 1% an hour.
Me and wife were in there for 14 hours before we got out, Ford's roadside assistance would answer the call and then cancel without saying a word. We really need wider tires, and better ground clearance.
Lesson: learn to measure snow height before going on and carry a shovel. Snow chains do not help either..

Sorry to hear about this. In the right spot, any car would get stuck there (looks like a slight ditch with soft ground under the snow).

To get traction on that, you'd really need dedicated snow tires, or chains, which would greatly improve traction.

I would not take the Mach-E on a road like that -- it's a street car. It doesn't have the ground clearance or suspension for that kind of travel.

 

[OttawaGuy]

Sorry to hear about this. In the right spot, any car would get stuck there (looks like a slight ditch with soft ground under the snow).

To get traction on that, you'd really need dedicated snow tires, or chains, which would greatly improve traction.

I would not take the Mach-E on a road like that -- it's a street car. It doesn't have the ground clearance or suspension for that kind of travel.

I'm with you on that

I often say that the key is being smart (NOT implying OP is not smart...)

A good snow tire will help you, an AWD will help you... But if you don't drive safely, smartly ir you go where you shouldn't be going or going too fast... You'll simply find yourself stuck further out of the road than you would without these features!!!



But I'm sure the OP will remember next time and will laugh about it in a few days...we all do after such events

 

[generaltso]

Glad you made it out okay, though I'm sure it was a harrowing experience. Ground clearance likely would have helped, but I don't think wider tires would have been beneficial. Most experts recommend narrower tires for driving in snow because they cut through the snow easier to get to the traction below. Good dedicated snow tires may have made a difference.

 

[Woeo]

]

Where did the snow go?

 

[kgautam28]

Where did the snow go?

This was after the car was towed. Was busy with the car while being towed so dint take pictures there.

 

[SteveUk]

thanks for the warning!

 

[Mirak]

Good to know that the battery only drains 1% per hour using the seat warmer. Also appreciate the PSA to not drive off into the woods after heavy snow. How much snow did you say?

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