traction control... off in the snow?
Discussion
Dropped the Mrs off in town last night and did exactly this on the way home, TC off see what happens, TC back on see what happens.
Was quite surprised and really had to give it the beans to get the TC cutting in, but it varied depending what speed etc the car was doing. For example, 30 mph dead straight open road, unless you plant your foot and get the tyres spinning up to quite a degree the TC does not even blink. On the other hand, if the wheels spin up in 1st gear from a standstill the TC cuts in straight away.
Its the first time I've driven this car in snow and personally think it's very important to 'feel' what the car is doing to do etc.
Was quite surprised and really had to give it the beans to get the TC cutting in, but it varied depending what speed etc the car was doing. For example, 30 mph dead straight open road, unless you plant your foot and get the tyres spinning up to quite a degree the TC does not even blink. On the other hand, if the wheels spin up in 1st gear from a standstill the TC cuts in straight away.
Its the first time I've driven this car in snow and personally think it's very important to 'feel' what the car is doing to do etc.
I had to turn the t/c off once in the megane, was attempting to drive up a bank in traffic. The traffic stopped (roundabout on the top of the bank) so I stopped, losing all momentum. When I tried to get going again, t/c cut in and I started rolling back towards the car behind me.
I tried pulling away in second, same problem, the Vredestein tyres just couldn't grip.
Turned the t/c off and tried giving the car some beans, plenty of wheelspin but forward motion too and I managed to get home in one piece (having turned the t/c back on)
The Renault system was just being intrusive in this instance, I'm dreading driving the 6 as it's looking very icy today.
I tried pulling away in second, same problem, the Vredestein tyres just couldn't grip.
Turned the t/c off and tried giving the car some beans, plenty of wheelspin but forward motion too and I managed to get home in one piece (having turned the t/c back on)
The Renault system was just being intrusive in this instance, I'm dreading driving the 6 as it's looking very icy today.
Some cars do allow you to switch it off, some however over-ride your decision if it thinks it needs to.
Instead of having a LSD, as Thin said, it brakes spinning wheels and adjusts timing and rpm at an attempt to regain traction.
Personally if the conditions are bad I would leave it be - though my Accord did make a little better progress with it switched off trying to climb a snow covered hill last year, though realistically even if I had got up it, the roads further on would have removed the front bumper!
On the other hand - you are Richard Hammond AICMFP....
Instead of having a LSD, as Thin said, it brakes spinning wheels and adjusts timing and rpm at an attempt to regain traction.
Personally if the conditions are bad I would leave it be - though my Accord did make a little better progress with it switched off trying to climb a snow covered hill last year, though realistically even if I had got up it, the roads further on would have removed the front bumper!
On the other hand - you are Richard Hammond AICMFP....
A lot of cars will do better on snow/mud/gravel without TC and ABS as the computers just aren't optimised for those conditions, especially older cars - I'm told newer systems are better but haven't tried them.
Find somewhere safe to test your car and see how it feels, then decide for yourself instead of letting the internet tell you whether you should or not.
Find somewhere safe to test your car and see how it feels, then decide for yourself instead of letting the internet tell you whether you should or not.
Edited by GravelBen on Sunday 5th February 08:59
thinfourth2 said:
Not even vaguely
The traction control will start braking the spinning wheel if you keep the throttle pegged which will shuffle power across to the wheel with traction.
Thought this might not work in all cars
I thought TC just worked by cutting the power?The traction control will start braking the spinning wheel if you keep the throttle pegged which will shuffle power across to the wheel with traction.
Thought this might not work in all cars
If you want active braking then that's called ESP or something?
Either way, there's loads of different systems out there and on different cars they intervene in different ways. I'd leave them all turned ON unless I got to a particular trouble spot and was "out of other ideas!"
Massively depends on the system fitted to the car.
I had a play in my wife's XC90 in a car park a few years ago.
With the systems on a quick play became a huge uncontrollable incident as the car kept reacting differently to my inputs as it kept varying things.
So I'd definately have turned everything off.
On a (at the time brand new) 406 its ABS wouldn't let me brake in the snow and I sailed out into the road at 5mph in only 1 cm of snow.
Hopefully newer cars are better.
I had a play in my wife's XC90 in a car park a few years ago.
With the systems on a quick play became a huge uncontrollable incident as the car kept reacting differently to my inputs as it kept varying things.
So I'd definately have turned everything off.
On a (at the time brand new) 406 its ABS wouldn't let me brake in the snow and I sailed out into the road at 5mph in only 1 cm of snow.
Hopefully newer cars are better.
There is normally an option for turning it off which is to be used when trying to rock the car out if it is stuck in mud or snow. Generally it should be left on although you will find it doesn't function much in the snow because both whells will lose traction almost completly and the wheels spin freely.
doogz said:
In an Outback, i'd switch it off.
Partly because it's fun, partly because i don't see how a fairly basic TC system is going to help, when you already have 4WD and 3 diffs doing their best to get you where you're going.
But mostly because you don't understand the subaru T/C braking the spinning wheels gives more traction then open dies dumping all the torque to the spinning wheelPartly because it's fun, partly because i don't see how a fairly basic TC system is going to help, when you already have 4WD and 3 diffs doing their best to get you where you're going.
not all traction control systems are created equal
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