2009 Toyota Matrix tires and scanner question

CRESENT9

MEMBER
2009 TOYOTA MATRIX
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
3,200 MILES

I had a close call on some thin ice on asphalt and wondered if it's me or the car/tires. I applied the brakes and the car kept a straight line and proceeded to continue through a red light at very slow speed. Luckily, no one was there to hit me or to be hit. The ABS was noisy, as expected, but still, the car wouldn't stop. Do I need better tires and if so, which kind? Or, do I need to work on my driving technique? The current tires are Goodyear P205/55 R16 SBRadials. P.S. I allowed plenty of room to stop. My part two question is that the car seems too new to buy an import code scanner for diagnosis. When is it too soon to think about getting one for a 2009 model?

Sunday, January 4th, 2009 AT 12:24 AM

2 Replies

BLUELIGHTNIN6

MECHANIC
16,542 POSTS

Hello
Thanks for the donation.

First off, there is NO tire that can keep traction on ice. It just doesn't happen. The only thing you can do with the tires to grab any traction at all on ice is chaining the tires. This is an oldschool technique which honestly I haven't seen done in years so I don't even know if people do it anymore? You shouldn't second guess your driving skills becuase of this little mishap, although it could have obviously been very bad, there was really nothing you could have done to prevent it. Thousands of people wreck because of black ice every year, even the most experienced drivers.

I believe your vehicle uses the OBDII program. Verify this with your local Toyota dealer first. You can purchase any OBDII scanner and it will be compliant with your vehicle.

Hope this helps.
Thanks for using 2carpros. Com !

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Sunday, January 4th, 2009 AT 2:10 AM

GRSMNKY

MEMBER
33 POSTS

The factory tires are probably Goodyear Eagle same as on my 2007 Matrix. They are low quality tires just like the factory Goodyear Integrity that came with my Corolla. I would recommend buying a set of winter tires that would handle driving on ice and snow a lot better. Winter tires are softer and will grip the icy road rather than just slide on it. You can switch back to the factory tires once the winter is over and then just upgrade to better brand when they wear out.

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Sunday, February 8th, 2009 AT 12:33 PM