Murano CVT in cold weather
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The CVT is a great cold weather performer....the torque converter does not lock until the CVT reaches operating temperature, which doesn't take long even at-40...other running gear; differentials / wheel bearings / power steering are initially a little stiff but no problems whatsoever....very smooth...
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The Murano performs quite well in the snow, given that it's a front wheel drive.
The heater performs quite well too. We get down to about -30C here in Ottawa.
The heater performs quite well too. We get down to about -30C here in Ottawa.
...ah..nothing like that new car smell....Mo is a great winter vehicle... the HVAC system heats well and keeps windows clear...traction and handling in snow is excellent(I did replace Goodyears with Yokahama G0 52's)...love those heated cloth seats...2 little quirks: when accelerating around a corner in slippery conditions, when front wheels lose traction and AWD kicks in, rear end tends to hang out..takes a little getting used to, and, the large exhaust sytem (2 mufflers/resonators) combined with dual exhaust at rear creates a lot of exhaust fog...the rear styling allows this "fog" to accumulate around the rear window hampering visability...
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4,599 Posts
Hmmm... Never noticed the fog in the two winters I've driven... I'll have to watch for it this one.senza said:
The rear end hanging out, as you put it, is when you're pushing the vehicle beyond what I would consider normal driving for slippery conditions, but it's very predictable and if you understand it and master it, can make for some fun corners in the snow.
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Yeah, it gets there, but not an awful lot.. It'll hit -40 for maybe a couple of days a winter and -20? Hmmm... Maybe a week or so in total?
I have a home office as well, so when I go out, it's from the garage and not every day. It's good to be working instead of stuck in traffic, but today I was stuck in traffic for 90 minutes. The Murano was a good place to be!
I have a home office as well, so when I go out, it's from the garage and not every day. It's good to be working instead of stuck in traffic, but today I was stuck in traffic for 90 minutes. The Murano was a good place to be!
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293 Posts
this will be my third winter in the MO, and a few observations are
1) The seat heaters take too long to warm up
2) the car feels very "stiff" in very cold weather ( which car does not?)
3) the block heater cord is not really in a good place for daily usage
4) the feel and kick in of the AWD takes some getting used to..
5) watch out for ice on the inside of the rims (going through a large snow bank , which sits, melts and refreezes on the inside of the rims)
6) winter wipers where a pain last year ( not available) hope they have them this year
7) the rear wiper does not have enough tension on the window for my likeing (more noticeable in the winter)
Don't get me wrong.. I love my MO.. I just wanted to point out a few things..
1) The seat heaters take too long to warm up
2) the car feels very "stiff" in very cold weather ( which car does not?)
3) the block heater cord is not really in a good place for daily usage
4) the feel and kick in of the AWD takes some getting used to..
5) watch out for ice on the inside of the rims (going through a large snow bank , which sits, melts and refreezes on the inside of the rims)
6) winter wipers where a pain last year ( not available) hope they have them this year
7) the rear wiper does not have enough tension on the window for my likeing (more noticeable in the winter)
Don't get me wrong.. I love my MO.. I just wanted to point out a few things..
Learn how to drive again....
Hi,
I bought my Murano after having a Crown Victoria in the winter. The Murano of course takes the snow better but I DO think you have to learn how to use the Murano. At first I found it had to much under-steer in slippery corners. But it was more my overenthusiastic optimism what made that happen I think. I also think that pulling up in a corner works better. I think the AWD Kicks in then and pulls you better through the corner. I love my heated seats and do not really notice they take a while to heat up. I might be able to get some real winter tires next winter.
I do know the Murano "secretly" already saved me from some nasty situations and I feel MUCH safer in this vehicle....
The SE suspension is really stiff but I am sure it will get less over time like my VW Golf GTI already showed after 50K.
Overall I think this car is great.
Pim
Canada
Hi,
I bought my Murano after having a Crown Victoria in the winter. The Murano of course takes the snow better but I DO think you have to learn how to use the Murano. At first I found it had to much under-steer in slippery corners. But it was more my overenthusiastic optimism what made that happen I think. I also think that pulling up in a corner works better. I think the AWD Kicks in then and pulls you better through the corner. I love my heated seats and do not really notice they take a while to heat up. I might be able to get some real winter tires next winter.
I do know the Murano "secretly" already saved me from some nasty situations and I feel MUCH safer in this vehicle....
The SE suspension is really stiff but I am sure it will get less over time like my VW Golf GTI already showed after 50K.
Overall I think this car is great.
Pim
Canada
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82 Posts
when accelerating around a corner in slippery conditions, when front wheels lose traction and AWD kicks in, rear end tends to hang out..takes a little getting used to
what does "hang out" mean. I don't haave my mo but don't feel like having any winter surprises either.
what does "hang out" mean. I don't haave my mo but don't feel like having any winter surprises either.
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118 Posts
I agree with senza. It is not a matter of pushing too hard around a corner and its not a matter of inexperienced drivers. In packed snow or ice the MO switches from oversteer to understeer as the AWD kicks in and out making it difficult to stay in your lane in a turn, unless you crawl through it. I have driven many AWD vehicles and this is the only one that requires practice or "getting used to it". The MO is a good warm weather vehicle, but in winter conditions it leaves a lot to be desired and the pathetic wipers are the "icing" on the cake.
JeffC
JeffC
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118 Posts
AWD Lock cuts out at 6 mph which is pretty slow for packed snow conditions or anything short of glare ice. Watch your speedometer next time you turn thru a nice wide 4-lane intersection. I will too. Maybe I'm wrong.
In any case, I have not had to drive that slowly in any other AWD that I have driven.
JeffC
In any case, I have not had to drive that slowly in any other AWD that I have driven.
JeffC
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470 Posts
If you are turning on a snow packed road I would think the AWD would be engaged automatically because the front wheels would be slipping and so the result would be the same whether the AWD lock is on or off. If you accelerate going into a turn physics is going to take over and you better have good traction from the tires.JeffC said:
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