Why is our BMW X3 struggling on ice?

My wife has a 2005 BMW X3 2.5i and in Minnesota winter she can't make it up our driveway with a five-foot incline if there is snow and ice present. Today I watched her try to come up the driveway and watched the rear wheels spinning but the front wheels did not move; what does that mean?

Mike (Mn.)

Jan 2026 Filed under: winter driving

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Expert answer

Hi Mike,

BMW set the X3 up to send its engine output to the rear wheels unless slip is detected. It should then send torque to the front wheels as well. It's not instantaneous, but it should be visibly happening in the situation you've described.

Just make sure that the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) is not switched off, as this can apply the brakes to a spinning wheel, with the effect of sending torque to the others. The BMW X3's all-wheel-drive system does not have any locking differential so the wheel with the least resistance will get all the drive torque.

If you haven't already, we'd strongly recommend switching to winter tyres at this time of year.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Advisor