The snow is here in earnest and i went to work in my 97 c class c250TD and it was bloody scarey the way it was sliding and wheels spinning when i put the foot down

 

My last GV, a 2004 2.5 TD (manual) had traction control but the last time we had any 'real' snow in 2010, it wouldn't climb a steep hill near where I live, while other saloon cars and light vans seemed to climb it with ease.

I know ABS is a waste of space in snow or ice so perhaps traction control is the same. And yes, I did try the tried and trusted method of selecting a higher gear and using fewer revs.

 

Do you know if there is a way of checking if it has it

 

It came into being around '97 and as far as I'm aware is on all LX & Ltd Euro GV's [not short wheelbase minivans] as standard to this day. You will know its only low-speed traction control [under 35 mph] and that if you accelerate the arass of it in low speeds it will terrify you as several hundred times a second it swaps braking around your road wheels to avoid wheelspin.



GV or SWB, and even then it depends on which spec of GV, quickest clue is does it have the 'traction [off] control button' on the steering wheel cowl ?

 

The GV is the first front wheel drive vehicle I've ever owned and I'd assumed it would be reasonably good in the snow with all that weight over the front end but its proven not to be the case, so even with traction control, I don't know if that would make enough of a difference.

On summer tyres its useless; I owned an AMG C55 touring and a Jaguar XJR Arden, both high powered rwd cars and both of which were better in the snow on summer tyres and they weren't at all good. LOL! As for winter tyres, I use the same Dunlop Winter Sport M's on my GV that I used on the cars and even with these, its a little disappointing although at least usable.

 

I definitely not got that switch on above my steering. Does this mean I have not got it

 

- unless someone with your exact year and model wants to chip in - I'd say no you don't have traction control
- it became standard on the Grand Voyager around 01-08, as far as I'm aware its not standard on the Voyager only

BTW, any sporty car with RWD is guaranteed to be hopeless in the snow, equally top of the range flying machines plummet down the mechanical reliability ratings in the winter. So its not just the GV lovers.

 

My trusty old MB 190E 2.3 has RWD but also has ASD, I had loads of fun with that car during snow last winter and strangely enough the only car capable of leaving our neighbourhood after freshly dropped layers of snow last winter.
I'm curious how this coming winter will be in my GV since I did not drive this car in winter yet.
I did some off road driving tho, and the Chrysler did feel like a driving a tank through the mud but it ploughed through all rough terrain so far..