Traction Control Too Conservative

[SPF 0]

While trying to accelerate from a dead stop, during wintery conditions on an incline, the traction control would not allow me to get into traffic. I had something similar when I needed to get out of my garage and past my snowed-in driveway.

In both cases, turning off traction control worked but I have to wonder if Toyota didn't set the "allowed spin" too low. It's too bad that the TC can't be adjusted for different conditions.

[ThatVietGuy]

Reading your plight reminded me something I read about the Prius:

Some owners of Toyota's Prius hybrid are reporting having problems getting moving in snow due to the car's aggressive and permanent traction control system.



"When my car is on any kind of slick surface that causes one of the front wheels to slip, all power to the drive system is stopped," Prius owner Christopher of Reston, Virginia told ConsumerAffairs.


He said his first experience with the problem was "on a sloped gravel driveway in July but [I] discounted it as a temporary thing."


When snow fell, the problem became apparent. "This past weekend I was on a snow-covered road with about an 8- to 10-degree grade. Driving at 20 miles per hour, one tire began to slip on the snow and the car came to a stop. The wheels then refused to engage, because one would slip a little, regardless of throttle position," he wrote.


Christopher said he "had cable style tire chains and installed them properly on the front wheels and tried again. Still, a tire would slip on the 4 or 5 inches between the cables and the car would refuse to move."


Toyota insists the system works as intended, and spokesman Bill Kwon believes without it, drivers would still be stuck.


"A vehicle without TRAC in those conditions," Kwon said. "would probably just start spinning in place and eventually spin out of control. In my opinion, it's better to have the vehicle stop then to have the wheels spinning and out of control."

Courtesy of leftlanenews.com

[SPF 0]

I have to wonder what people in really hilly places do in this sort of weather.

It also begs the question if ESC is disabled when traction control is switched off.

[SPF 0]

Any one from Pittsburgh care to comment?

[Biggi_e]

well im from maryland, it didnt snow that much but it did enough to lose traction, well i take my traction control off and my car seemed to handle better with my driving skills. just my .02

[HID04V6]

I have to wonder what people in really hilly places do in this sort of weather.

It also begs the question if ESC is disabled when traction control is switched off.

NO, VSC stays active anaytime the car is on.

[SPF 0]

NO, VSC stays active anaytime the car is on.

Glad to hear that. I'd hate to think I was putting up with leather seats (needed to get the stability control option) for nothing.

[PXLpainter]

I thought that TRAC was supposed to ADD power to the other wheel when one is slipping - not stop the car!

Hey SPF - Like the new avatar!

[SPF 0]

Traction control cuts power when the vehicle senses wheel spin. If it has a viscous coupler, I'm sure not noticing its presences.

[crimson blades]

Any one from Pittsburgh care to comment?

I'm from Michigan and I solved the problem with Blizzak's. It's fun to out accelerate 4WD's on snow and ice with the car

[Biggi_e]

^ whats blizzaks?

[SPF 0]

Blizzaks are Bridgestone's snow-specific tires.