Dangerous headlights in winter weather

[joshcarter]

I can only speak to my own experience here in Colorado, but I've driven two hours straight in heavy snow, at night, never cleaned the headlights, and I didn't have a problem. There was snow accumulation on the shelf below the light, but not a bunch and not enough to affect headlight performance in a noticeable manner. Blowing snow affects visibility way more than any diminished headlight performance. IMHO worry about tires before you worry about headlights.

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[Crissa]

People from the south and california will tell you the lights just fine, just wait

The concept 'you have hours more to drive' in a place as small as New England is nonsense.

Especially when you have camp mode.

If you expect to be able to drive in sticky, clinging blizzard conditions, you're going to have to modify your vehicle to do so. There's no vehicles on the market which come off the lot perfect for such conditions. You need winter tires, You need chains. You may need winches and plow blades to keep the snow level under your vehicle. You will need more lights than DOT base, and you'll have to select ones that don't get fouled.

I live in lazy mountains where we don't get snow, sure, but I have not always lived here. I grew up where winter vacation meant going up into the deep mountains to cross-country ski in the back country. Where getting to the office on winter storm days meant chains and extra gas just to get to the other side of town.

It's baffling to me, having dealt with these issues and watched people prep and select their specific winter-storm capable vehicle... to see people whining that this vehicle didn't instantly work.

I don't know any that instantly work!

Solutions will be found. Having heat tape around the lights or some sort of heated goggles seems reasonable to me. Every snow storm and trip is different and will need slightly different solutions. Is it sticky? Is the ice deep? Is the powder deep? Is there a hard surface for your tires to reach or is it poorly packed? Is there a hard ice layer?

Just like selecting skates, skis, snow shoes, and crampons are each for 'snow' they're for entirely different kinds of snow and ice. And so the solution to your snow problem isn't universal for everyone.

-Crissa

 

[trentsize]

My Subaru, 4Runner, and even Model 3 gets snow plastered on the headlights in the very specific type of snow that sticks on LEDs, but it wasn’t trendy until Cybertruck?

 

[MyOtherTruck]

The concept 'you have hours more to drive' in a place as small as New England is nonsense.

Especially when you have camp mode.

If you expect to be able to drive in sticky, clinging blizzard conditions, you're going to have to modify your vehicle to do so. There's no vehicles on the market which come off the lot perfect for such conditions. You need winter tires, You need chains. You may need winches and plow blades to keep the snow level under your vehicle. You will need more lights than DOT base, and you'll have to select ones that don't get fouled.

I live in lazy mountains where we don't get snow, sure, but I have not always lived here. I grew up where winter vacation meant going up into the deep mountains to cross-country ski in the back country. Where getting to the office on winter storm days meant chains and extra gas just to get to the other side of town.

It's baffling to me, having dealt with these issues and watched people prep and select their specific winter-storm capable vehicle... to see people whining that this vehicle didn't instantly work.

I don't know any that instantly work!

Solutions will be found. Having heat tape around the lights or some sort of heated goggles seems reasonable to me. Every snow storm and trip is different and will need slightly different solutions. Is it sticky? Is the ice deep? Is the powder deep? Is there a hard surface for your tires to reach or is it poorly packed? Is there a hard ice layer?

Just like selecting skates, skis, snow shoes, and crampons are each for 'snow' they're for entirely different kinds of snow and ice. And so the solution to your snow problem isn't universal for everyone.

-Crissa

Here they come to tell us!

Sorry to have baffled you. But seriously, come up to Vermont in a snowstorm and I will get you some syrup, a heady topper, and show you the issues I experience in person.

If it is as. you say, "just like selecting skates, skis, snow shoes, and crampons". In winter, the lights on the CT isnt it.

If anyone has driven in a snow storm, they know this now or soon will. The ledge in front of lights fills up endlessly in the snow, is not the right tool. This friday onmy way to VT, the ledge filled up and snow so fast, about 20mins each stop and when it was filled I couldnt see 5feet in front of me. I was using other cars to illumnicate the way or I was doomed. It sure is easy to get out and uncover them but the issue is it is SO danergous on these mountain roads- genuinely scary and a real risk of life!

I am here for a fix - not to argue if my issue is real or not with someone not in snowy VT. I'm just stating the issue and looking for a fix.

Also - this is not a thread about tires, diff locks, etc. It is about the lights during snow or ice build up after snow. If your experience in non-my conditions has been different, we are happy for you.

I will say this, (dont tell anyone on my other forums,...) when I had the lights uncoverd from snow, the cyber truck left me more confident that my Gwagon and it sorta of pains me to say it. (Both on blizzaks, both with rear lockers going up the same hill...)

 

[bosshog]

The concept 'you have hours more to drive' in a place as small as New England is nonsense.

Especially when you have camp mode.

If you expect to be able to drive in sticky, clinging blizzard conditions, you're going to have to modify your vehicle to do so. There's no vehicles on the market which come off the lot perfect for such conditions. You need winter tires, You need chains. You may need winches and plow blades to keep the snow level under your vehicle. You will need more lights than DOT base, and you'll have to select ones that don't get fouled.

I live in lazy mountains where we don't get snow, sure, but I have not always lived here. I grew up where winter vacation meant going up into the deep mountains to cross-country ski in the back country. Where getting to the office on winter storm days meant chains and extra gas just to get to the other side of town.

It's baffling to me, having dealt with these issues and watched people prep and select their specific winter-storm capable vehicle... to see people whining that this vehicle didn't instantly work.

I don't know any that instantly work!

Solutions will be found. Having heat tape around the lights or some sort of heated goggles seems reasonable to me. Every snow storm and trip is different and will need slightly different solutions. Is it sticky? Is the ice deep? Is the powder deep? Is there a hard surface for your tires to reach or is it poorly packed? Is there a hard ice layer?

Just like selecting skates, skis, snow shoes, and crampons are each for 'snow' they're for entirely different kinds of snow and ice. And so the solution to your snow problem isn't universal for everyone.

-Crissa

Lol here we go again the people who live in the sun explaining to us all the different types of snow and what modifications we need to drive in the different types of snow .
I have a maserati and a mercedes both with headlight washers never once has a problem with snow (all the different types of it ).

 

[SentinelOne]

colorado here and no problem to date, but expecting an issue later in March / April when it's the wet / heavy snow that sticks on the side of the house and jacks up my other trucks lights (no shelf).

I'd pay for something that's effective!

 

[Crissa]

Lol here we go again the people who ...

Noted, troll, you found zero things wrong with my statement but instead decided to criticize my choice of places to live.

I learned how to drive in the snow. I didn't learn to drive in California, but even then snow is not absent from California. Although I have never lived outside the US, I grew up north of most Canadians.

But when you find something actually untrue about my words, point it out instead of just being a troll.

You own two expensive vehicles made in Europe. They don't represent all, do they? It's only required for extra-bright headlights there, so no, not even all from there, either. Also note 'required': They aren't required in North America.

Here they come to tell us!

Sorry to have baffled you. But seriously,

You clearly did nit read my post.

If you're depending upon other vehicles to light the way, you'e doing it wrong.

You said you wanted solutions, and then you read zero of the solutions I offered.

The most dangerous snows are when it's on the edge of freezing - when some of it can melt and some of it can freeze. Freezing rain mixed with snow, black ice, sticky snow all require fluctuations in atmospheric temperatures to create these hazards.

If it were just cold, it'd be dry and it wouldn't stick to the vehicle.

Prepping a vehicle to work in a blizzard is a real thing, which a Canadian or Vermonter should know.

If you don't, you're the source of those spun-out vehicles blocking the roads.

You always have the option of not driving.

-Crissa

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