What is traction control?
Have you ever wondered what this light means or what this button does? These are related to your car’s traction and stability control systems.
First it’s important to understand a few key components and terms related to your vehicles Electronic Traction Control system.
Traction is a term used to describe how much grip your tires have. Stability is referring to your vehicles vertical and lateral stability, or how much your car may be leaning or sliding. Most new cars have both traction and stability control programs. These systems work together with your car’s anti-lock braking system to give you the most grip, stability, braking power, and overall control in even the most uncontrollable situations.
How does this all work?
Your car’s various computers monitor the speed that each wheel is turning, and if it detects that one or more wheels is turning faster or slower than others, one or more wheels has lost traction, or grip. This can happen if you’re driving in snow and ice, off road through mud or sand, or if you’re accelerating aggressively.
If your tires are spinning faster than the vehicles moving, you don’t have enough traction. This can cause a loss of control, or can cause the vehicle to become stuck. Your traction control system detects this loss of grip, and takes action in seconds to help you regain it. You’ll know the system is working when this traction and stability control light begins flashing. If it’s flashing, your car’s computers are reducing engine power and applying the brakes to the wheel(s) that don’t have grip. If you’re aggressively using the throttle and the vehicle is still moving, back off until the traction is regained. If you’re simply stuck due to an ice patch, snow, or sand, maintain about quarter to half throttle while your car’s computers work to regain forward momentum.
If your car can’t regain traction, and you appear stuck, try turning your traction control off. Apply the throttle gently and progressively and steer left and right in an attempt to find grip. This can be helpful in deep snow or sand. To disable your traction control, press the button in your vehicle with traction control symbol. It may also be labeled “TCS, ESP, VSC, or ETC” or may be in a menu on your instrument cluster. Look for your Settings or “Driver Assist” menu.
If you still can’t get forward momentum, it may be time to call a tow. You’ll also want to check that you’re using the proper tires for the situation you’re in. Winter tires in snow and ice, all terrain tires for most off road situations, and all season tires for standard, daily driving in most conditions. If you’re using the proper tires with enough tread, the obstacle you’re tackling my simply be too severe for your vehicle. It may be time to invest in all or 4 wheel drive.
The stability control system in your vehicle is designed to reduce skids and the chances of rollovers. The system is used most often when the vehicle is traveling around turns or making evasive maneuvers. Like traction control, if your vehicle’s computers detect lateral or vertical g-forces combined with wheel spin that indicate a loss of stability, engine power will be reduced, and braking will be applied to the wheels the computer deems necessary to regain control. This could be the difference between a close call, and a severe rollover crash.
Stability control systems are often more difficult to disable, and in some vehicles, can’t be disabled at all. In most driving situation, you won’t need to disable it, but you can in heavy off roading situations, or in deep snow or sand to allow for more wheel spin. To disable stability control, follow the same methods for disabling traction control. In some cases, it’ll disable just by pressing the button. With others, you may have to long press the button for 10+ seconds until an alert appears on your instrument cluster that indicates the system is disabled. As previously mentioned, some vehicles do not allow you to fully disable your traction and stability control.
With all the new tech and features in modern cars, many people have no idea what half of it does. My name’s Addison. and it’s my goal to help you get to know your car, because the more you know about your car, the better a driver you’ll become.
Oh, there’s one more reason to turn off your traction and stability control. Smoky burnouts and serving up some hot and ready donuts.
#Skrrt.
