The front-wheel drive car is characterized by high sensitivity to any movement of the steering wheel. The self-return of the steering wheel, in which the steered wheels tend to return to the direction of straight-line movement, is not constant. It increases with sharp acceleration on turns, and the stabilizing moment is clearly felt on the steering wheel. In addition, the car has excellent directional stability, including on slippery straight sections of the road.
When driving on a straight slippery road, the rear wheels of a rear-wheel drive car constantly tend to move to the side (skidding occurs). Therefore, the driver has to manipulate the steering wheel and reduce the speed of the car to maintain the course stability. A front-wheel drive car moves steadily on a straight slippery road, even at high speed, without showing any tendency to skid. This reduces the driver's stress, creates comfort and a sense of confidence. His vigilance will be dulled, he can get carried away by the speed and, if an unexpected situation arises on the road, he will not be able to make the necessary maneuver.
A sign of a critical situation is a "light steering wheel" and minor lateral displacements of the car, i.e. loss of its directional stability. This indicates slippage of the front wheels, which makes it impossible to maneuver. The car becomes uncontrollable. Therefore, it is important to always feel the steering and, by changing the engine crankshaft speed in a timely manner, prevent wheel slippage.
When turning on a slippery road, the driver of a rear-wheel drive car reduces speed in advance, and if skidding begins (loss of traction of the rear wheels with the road), then releases the gas and turns the steering wheel, if necessary, in the direction of the skid. In a front-wheel drive car, at the beginning of a skid on a turn, you cannot release the gas, since this will sharply increase the skid. After all, when you release the gas, the car is braked by the engine, the rear of the car rises, the rear wheels are unloaded, lose traction and move to the side.
The driver of a front-wheel drive car must firmly understand that it is necessary to release the gas to reduce speed before the turn, and not during the turn. It is better to drive through the turn in the "tension" mode, gradually increasing the engine crankshaft speed. When turning, sharp braking and releasing the gas should be avoided, which can lead to loss of traction of the wheels with the road. If the car nevertheless goes into a skid on the turn, the driver must turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid, without releasing, but even adding gas. In case of a strong skid, the turn should be corrected with the steering wheel simultaneously with increasing the fuel supply.
You need to be careful when adding gas to eliminate skidding on a turn, otherwise skidding may occur - loss of traction of the front drive wheels with the road, and the car will become uncontrollable. Skidding can also occur when entering a slippery turn at high speed. In this case, the car will move along a flatter curve than necessary, and it will skid to the outside of the turn. To eliminate skidding, do not turn the steering wheel in the direction of the turn, you only need to release the gas to restore traction of the front wheels with the road. After this, the car will receive a sharp jerk in the direction of the turn of the front wheels, and it will return to the intended direction of movement.
Thus, the driver of a front-wheel drive vehicle must learn the following basic rules for action in critical situations:
- when approaching a turn, you need to reduce your speed enough to ensure a reliable supply of traction for your wheels on the road;
- if a skid occurs, do not release the gas and correct the vehicle's movement by turning the steering wheel in the direction of the skid or gradually increase the fuel supply, increasing the traction force on the drive wheels;
- if skidding occurs, release the gas until the front wheels stop slipping, and then correct the vehicle's movement using the steering wheel.
After mastering the techniques of skidding and understeer control, the driver will feel all the advantages of a front-wheel drive car: driving comfort, better controllability and stability.