“Defroster is broken along with his spirit.”
A video of a Toyota Camry owner snow drifting through a nighttime blizzard has captured the internet’s attention, racking up over 7.7 million views since being posted on Jan. 8.
Lukins Garage, an auto enthusiast creator based in Idaho, shared the 15-second clip on Facebook showing his 2003 Camry gracefully sliding through heavy snowfall while Wham’s “Careless Whisper” plays in the background—and viewers couldn’t help but notice some unusual details in the frame.
The video shows a dashcam perspective of controlled drifting on a snow-covered mountain road at night, with the driver confidently maneuvering the front-wheel-drive sedan through the storm. What started as an impressive demonstration of winter driving skills quickly earned over 163,000 likes and more than 3,400 comments from viewers who were equally impressed and concerned about what they saw.
While the smooth drifting caught most viewers’ attention, some eagle-eyed commenters noticed several concerning details. The dashboard shows multiple warning lights, but also a lit scented candle in the cupholder, and one window is cracked despite the snowstorm raging outside.
“Drifting in the snow, in the middle of the night, with a LIT scented candle, and the engine light on… Who hurt you bro, soft whispering who hurt you?” wrote Christopher Roberts in a comment that earned thousands of reactions.
Lukins Garage responded to the candle observation with humor, writing, “Was trying to get rid of the smokers’ smell lol.” Another commenter, Melissa Hayne, immediately caught on, “Definitely a joint cover-up candle.”
The candle captivated the comment section. “The candle is his heat source. He just bought a beater, not a beater with a heater,” joked Dustin Bresler. “The candle is there to keep the windshield from fogging up. Notice the open window. Defroster is broken along with his spirit,” Rhonda Rogers speculated.
The video resonated deeply with viewers from snowy regions. For drivers who contend with harsh winters, snow drifting in empty parking lots or quiet roads is a rite of passage—part practical skill development, part pure entertainment.
“I’m from Chicago… driving like this is the most fun, most terrifying thing at the same time LOL,” wrote Kells Muldowney. “All midwest people know this feeling.”
This sentiment was echoed by drivers from cold climates. “I’m from Alaska, this is just a Tuesday,” noted Garrett Henry, while Canadian commenters found the Americans’ excitement amusing. “Laughing in Canadian,” wrote Miscellaneous Sam, with Desiree Adams adding, “Laughs in East Coast Canadian We call that a regular Tues lol.”
Lukins Garage’s video demonstrates what many Toyota owners already know: front-wheel-drive Camrys can be surprisingly capable in snowy conditions. The vehicle’s weight distribution, with the engine positioned over the drive wheels, provides better traction in snow compared to rear-wheel-drive vehicles.
When a commenter asked whether the Camry was automatic or standard transmission, another user, Isaac Mcneeley, confirmed it was automatic based on the PRND symbols visible on the dashboard. “I got a manual n ngl it’s hard to drift that thing,” Mcneeley added, noting his own manual Camry has 238,000 miles.
The discussion prompted questions about other Toyotas’ snow capabilities. Haleigh Reichen asked, “Would a Toyota Corolla do this?” Lukins Garage confirmed: “Absolutely.” Multiple Corolla owners shared their snow-driving experiences. “My Corolla’s were AMAZING in the snow! I’d even drive over big piles of snow,” wrote Jerrica Jade.
Several commenters recognized the brake technique employed in the video. “Ripping that E brake lol,” wrote Chris Collins, to which Lukins Garage responded, “You know it.”
Using the parking brake to initiate drifts in front-wheel-drive vehicles is a common snow-drifting technique. By locking the rear wheels with the e-brake while maintaining throttle with the front wheels, drivers can break traction and control slides more easily—a basic maneuver that requires practice to execute smoothly.
“It’s all about feeling and knowing your car and how your wheels work when they don’t,” explained Anthony Bowman, to which Lukins Garage replied, “Real.”
Rob Tenney shared his approach to mastering winter driving: “This is how I learned to drive in the snow in Maine! I would literally go on side roads and up on the Blueberry barrens and test every possible condition and situation in the snow! Probably practiced what to do in certain situations at least 1,000 times.”
While many commenters celebrated the driving skills on display, others expressed concern about the proximity to what appears to be a guardrail at the edge of a cliff. “It was the drifting near the cliff,” wrote one user. “I barely seen what was in his car because I was looking out his window making sure he wasn’t getting closeeeee.”
When asked about his location, Lukins Garage responded “PNW,” indicating he’s in the Pacific Northwest. The mountainous terrain and winter conditions shown in the video are characteristic of the area’s challenging winter driving environment.
The combination of elements in the video—the smooth drifting, the romantic 1980s ballad, the lit candle, the dashboard warning lights, and the overall vibe—tickled millions of viewers.
“He’s driving in cursive,” quipped Jasmine Roberson, earning a laughing emoji from Lukins Garage himself.
David Grothe imagined an amusing scenario: “Imagine walking in the woods to hunt and get to your tree stand and you just look in the distance of this car drifting and dude’s just singing his heart out. Lmao.”
Multiple commenters referenced their desire to see British content creator Josh From England (Life With Josh) react. Josh and his father, Jase, have become popular for their reactions to American winter driving videos, often expressing shock at the conditions Americans drive through. “I need those British dudes who get on Americans’ snow driving videos to watch this one. They would have a FITTTTT and I think it’s majestic,” wrote Amanda Fricke.
For many commenters, the video represented the reality of winter driving in rural and mountainous regions. “Just an average school run in the Midwest lol,” wrote Tyler Hall, while Jhon Plunkett related it to his work experience: “Me in my FedEx truck rolling through rural Vermont.”
Atlanna Elkins shared, “This is how I drove when I lived in north Idaho (not on purpose),” with Lukins Garage replying, “It’s just part of driving in Idaho during winter.”
The sentiment captured an important truth: what looks like dangerous stunt driving to viewers from warmer climates is often just another commute for those living in snow-prone regions. The difference is that some drivers, like Lukins Garage, have learned to embrace and even enjoy the challenge.
The fact that Lukins Garage is drifting a 2003 Camry—a vehicle over 20 years old—while showing dashboard warning lights highlights another aspect of Toyota’s reputation: their vehicles’ legendary durability.
When Jonas Shaw suggested the check engine light might be “probably just an O2 sensor,” and another commenter wrote “In Toyota we trust,” it reflected the brand’s reputation for continuing to run despite maintenance issues.
Consumer Reports research has found that well-maintained Camrys can last between 200,000 and 300,000 miles, with Toyota ranking as the top brand with 17% of its vehicles expected to surpass 250,000 miles.
While Lukins Garage’s video shows controlled drifting on what appears to be a relatively empty mountain road, it’s worth noting that deliberately inducing slides should be practiced only in safe, controlled environments, away from traffic and hazards. Some experienced winter drivers do practice controlled slides in empty parking lots to better understand how their vehicles behave in low-traction conditions.
Understanding how your vehicle responds when traction is lost can be valuable in emergencies. However, the proximity to guardrails and cliffs in this video represents significant risk that most safety experts would not recommend.
For those new to winter driving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends key safety principles including: reducing speed and increasing following distance to eight to ten seconds behind other vehicles, avoiding sudden movements with the steering wheel or pedals, and understanding that front-wheel-drive vehicles like the Camry generally handle better in snow than rear-wheel-drive vehicles due to the weight of the engine over the drive wheels. According to the Federal Highway Administration, about a quarter of weather-related vehicle crashes occur on snowy, slushy or icy pavement, making proper winter driving techniques essential for safety.
Motor1 reached out to Lukins Garage via Facebook direct message for additional comment. We’ll be sure to update this if he responds.
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