Wow, these continentals are really crap in the rain. I was driving in really heavy rain today and, until these tires warmed up, I was all over the road. I'm not usually easily frightened but I was soiling my shorts and thinking of turning back to home when the car finally settled down. The tires heating up is the only thing I can think of to explain how bad they were hydroplaning. I first tried shutting off the PSM thinking it was something there but it continued until I had driven about 5-10 miles. Then was gone. They still weren't great, but it was controllable.

So, what do you guys think?

 

It must be the tread. How worn are your tires? I have Michelin cups and they run amazing in heavy rain.

I also drove my car all winter with Blizzaks and it handled as good as my hummer. (minus the clearance obviously)

Gotta be the tires...these cars run really well in any weather given the right tires.

 

YOUR TIRES ARNT BAD......
Dont you know that when dry tires hit wet water there gonna be slippery, they didnt warm up they just got wet, and then there was more water on the ground , plus when it first starts rainging all the oil comes up from the ground which makes it slippy just to walk on, hope that helps

 

It was raining cats and dogs when I started out and had been for a few days. I drove about four miles in fairly slow (30-40 mph) traffic before hitting the freeway. There was quite a bit of standing water on the road all the way for the next 15 miles. After just a few miles, the hydroplaning slowed way down, the weather didn't.

You might be right about getting wet, but could that take that long????

I've never experienced anything like this before on any other P Car I've owned. But then I never had Conti's before either.

 

Once there is enough standing water on the roadway to flood the tread (more water than the tread can disperse), then take the tire pressure, double it, minus about 10% -- and that's the speed at which your tires will completely lift off the pavement. It's progressive, so slower speeds may still not have full contact. A simple skid is not the same as hydroplaning.

The wider the tires, the easier it is to have more water than the tread can handle. The more worn the tires, it happens at lower speeds/less water. In effect, the grouves that are cut into some roadways acts to deepen the tread on your tires.

 

I have Continentals on mine, and never experienced the kind of problems you are describing.