We had, what they declared as the snow storm on the century last Saturday, only 15 inches of snow, but winds of up to 100KM/h (60M/h). I was driving down a residential street and came up to an area where the wind was blowing snow on the road; I hit a section where there was about 12 inches of packed snow. The car started to slow down and I could tell that I wasn’t going to make it through, so I just lifted of the gas to make sure not to spin the tires, put it in reverse and nothing, the car did not move at all. Got out look around the wheels, didn't look like anything was preventing movement, but I was wedged up on the packed snow, so not much I can do without removing the snow under the car.
I was about 1km from my house, so I walked to get a shovel. By the time I got back the wind had blow more snow, on the down wind side of the car the snow was now half way up the door. On the street behind and in front of the car their was 15 inches of packed snow on a distance of atleast 100 feet. It had been warm before the storm, so there was a layer of ice under the snow. At that point I figured that even if I get the car moving, I'm not going anywhere.
I called roadside assistance, when I explain where I was they said that they couldn't do anythign for my since I was on a street that wasn't plowed and the tow truck would probably just get stuck.
I decided to leave the car there and wait until they plowed the streets; I left the hazards on since the conditions made it hard to see the car.
When I got back to the car the next morning (I had to walk because none of the roads had been plowed)there was now about 3 feet of packed snow on 200 feet behind the car.
I eventually saw a snow plow so I flagged the guy down,he plowed the road to about 30 feet behind my car and then called a loader to finish the job. It took the loader 20 minutes to finish the last 30 feet and pull the car out.
BTW at that point the battery was dead, because of the hazards. I figured that might happen but I felt that making the car visible durring the strom was important.
One thing that I have learned about the Outlander is that, when the battery is dead, the only way you can get into the car is using the driver’s door. And in order to open the tail gate, you need to crall into the back and use the emergency latch.
And I need to buy a booster pack and a portable shovel.

 

yup, big storm and nasty weather. Just wondering if you have winter tires on the outlander? I've found that nothing makes as big of a difference as good snow tires. We have a 2005 Sienna that i have a spare set of wheels and nokian Hakkapaliitta Rsi tires for winter. We take that into some pretty remote and snowed in places to go CC skiing. It amazes me what we can get through with good tires. Those conditions are perhaps beyond the capabilities of most vehicles. Tow trucks out here are 4wd and if they don't want to come to you, it has to be quite bad.

 

Wow what a terrible situation. Living in so-cal I have never driven in snow and can't imagine it. People here can't even drive in the rain! Glad everything is ok though.

 

It sounds like the way your Outlander got stuck, snow tires or chains would not have mattered.Your car basically got "high-centered" on the deep snow. You would have needed a lift kit or Inspector Gadget suspension to get through it. Usually happens to people when they go off-roading,but it takes a heck of a storm like the one you had for it to happen in snow!

 

Did you disable the ASC and switch to 4WD Lock? These are the recommended settings for deep snow. Now, 12 inches of packed snow is significantlly higher than Outlander's ground clearance (8.5 inches) and without snow tires you have remote chances to get through regardless of those settings.

 

I have four Toyo G02+, I've gone through a lot with these, but I think that the Ice under the packed snow, was just too much.

 

I tried everything, no matter what I did it wouldn't more 1 mm. To bad I didn't take pictures.

 

I know what you mean. I had to dig out my Outlander last Sunday too. The snow was up to the rear bumper and up to the middle of the door on the side exposed to the wind. Luckily the car was safe on my driveway.

 

I went back to the scene this morning and snapped a picture. I took the picture standing up, you can see that they only cleared one lane and the snow bank in that area is higher than my Thule box, everywhere else it's now about roof high.



[IMG]local://upfiles/15238/D962105D1B7148D6B8A1A50ED0067C0F.jpg[/IMG]

 

Come on the snowbank is higher than your thule box and you got stuck? LOL. I think you could of pushed it out. Well atleast you got stuck for a good reason.