Not sure this is the right forum for this question but...

I was watching the local news Thursday when we had 147 vehicular accidents in the county that day and the newscaster was giving tips for winter driving. One tip was if your car goes into a slide you should put the vehicle in neutral. That doesn't sound right to me. Gearing down might be okay but if I understand correctly when you are in an all wheel drive (I have an A4) when you put the vehicle in neutral it disengages the four wheel drive and you lose any traction that any wheel might have. Is that right?

 

If you are absolutely sliding and 100% have no control you should go to neutral. Otherwise you are exactly correct.

 

The neutral thing doesn't apply so much to AWD, especially an Audi Quattro. With a RWD vehicle, going to neutral when stopping on snow or ice makes a HUGE difference. In drive, the rear is still trying to push the vehicle forward while the fronts are sliding. I drive a 2WD Dakota (rear wheel ABS only) and in gear the front tires will lock and you just keep right on going (even with brand new winter tires). Put it neutral and the truck stops right away. Been using this technique for years and it's never failed, especially since I've never had anything but RWD vehicles.