Driving with Traction Control Off
Driving with Traction Control Off
12-21-2013, 02:14 PM
#3
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: IL
Posts: 61
no it will be fine. however driving in BC during winter and snow, you may find your tires slippin everywhere. I always found traction control a pain when my tires chirped a bit and it kicked in, but a life saver during awful conditions
12-21-2013, 02:53 PM
#5
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Panama City, FL
Posts: 1,214
What they said.....but as an fyi.....driving with overdrive off will not hurt the car. It will lower the mpg and maybe create a bit more wear if done over the entire life of the car. I drive with it off a lot in traffic as it has better throttle response for stop and go......less brake peddle action.
12-22-2013, 11:59 AM
#7
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
Posts: 406
In the CVPI police cars I had since 1998 I wired a switch in across the two wires to the TC momentary switch, and with very rare exception, I left this new switch in the "on" or "closed" position so every time I started the car, it was like I depressed the TC button and TC was almost always OFF. My last car I just had a jumper across it, TC never on.
Others who left it "ON" were going through rear brakes a lot.
Also, in those same Ford CVPIs, I used that OD button to kill OD all the time as desired, to slow down and not use up brakes, better response at low speeds, and to this day I use it at will in my '01 Mercury GM, my '95 Thunderbird, and my '07 F150 FX4 .... am addicted to that button I think .... especially on those long coast downs and such.
That last CVPI went to 160K+ miles before being turned in and still on original transmission. I worked it as a road trooper for 86K of those and the guy who took my place when I retired wrecked his car so they reissued him mine .... he was harder on it than I. Never yet any issue with any of them.
Others who left it "ON" were going through rear brakes a lot.
Also, in those same Ford CVPIs, I used that OD button to kill OD all the time as desired, to slow down and not use up brakes, better response at low speeds, and to this day I use it at will in my '01 Mercury GM, my '95 Thunderbird, and my '07 F150 FX4 .... am addicted to that button I think .... especially on those long coast downs and such.
That last CVPI went to 160K+ miles before being turned in and still on original transmission. I worked it as a road trooper for 86K of those and the guy who took my place when I retired wrecked his car so they reissued him mine .... he was harder on it than I. Never yet any issue with any of them.
12-26-2013, 12:18 PM
#8
Welcome to the forum! Here’s the info I found in your Owner’s Guide:
TRACTION CONTROLY (IF EQUIPPED)
Your vehicle may be equipped with the optional
Traction Controly system. This system helps you
maintain the stability and steerability of your
vehicle. It is especially useful on slippery and/or hilly
road surfaces. The system operates by detecting and
controlling wheel spin. The system borrows many of
the electronic and mechanical elements already
present in the anti-lock braking system (ABS).
Wheel-speed sensors allow excess rear wheel spin to
be detected by the Traction Controly portion of the
ABS computer. Any excessive wheel spin is
Driving controlled by automatically applying and releasing
the rear brakes in conjunction with engine torque
reductions. Engine torque reduction is realized via
the fully electronic spark and fuel injection systems.
This process is very sensitive to driving conditions
and very fast acting. The rear wheels “search” for
optimum traction several times a second and
adjustments are made accordingly.
The Traction Controly system will allow your
vehicle to make better use of available traction on
slippery surfaces. The system is a driver aid which
makes your vehicle easier to handle primarily on
snow, ice covered and gravel roads.
During Traction Controly operation, the traction control
active light will illuminate, you may hear an electric motor type of
sound coming from the engine compartment and the
engine will not “rev-up” when you push further on
the accelerator. This is normal system behavior.
The Traction Controly on/off switch, located in front
of the gearshift, illuminates when the system is OFF.
The Traction Controly system will revert to the ON
position every time the ignition is turned OFF and
ON.
If you should become stuck in snow or ice or on a
very slippery road surface, try switching the Traction
Controly system off. This may allow excess wheel
spin to “dig” the vehicle out and enable a successful
“rocking” maneuver.
If a system fault is detected the warning indicator
lamp is and your vehicle should be serviced.
I hope this helps.
Deysha
12-26-2013, 05:48 PM
#9
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Glens Falls,New York
Posts: 32
When it's snowing out here I shut it off. I grew up with mostly rear wheel drive without TC so I'm quite used to it and things just feel messed up with it on. Plus I like kicking the *** out when the roads are all snowy, makes people think your losing control and they stop tailgating you real fast, lol.
12-26-2013, 10:31 PM
#10
I take mine off when we have a day thats not raining in Seattle..... Because what will happen sometimes when you take off to fast the car will pop the TC just because. Which will cut power to the engine and slow it down, when in reality the tires may of never spun in the fist place......