What Traction Control Button Does and Why You Would Turn it Off

I explain how traction control works and when you should turn it off!

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[overdafencejc]

When did Leonard from Big Bang Theory start doing car science?

[MrSuzuki]

You must also turn the traction control off to do a burnout before a drag race. He makes a great point about turning it off when you are stuck in snow or mud. Well done!

[drrjohn]

Every car manufacturer should invest in a personable sales rep like yourself, to go over every single option their automobiles could have on them and have them available on YouTube for understandable instruction, like you have done here, for traction controls. Excellent video.

[jackdumas]

I read the Manuel and turned it off along with the ABS assistant switch- I want full control of the car- I don’t want to slip and slide because of a dumb computer- and yes I know how to drive-

[kalel]

If any salesman tells me they don’t know what a button does I’m not buying the car.

[christianperspective]

Depending on the vehicle there can be up to 8 software programs living in the ABS module.
ABS -Prevents any wheel from locking while braking
Traction control - reduces engine power when a drive wheel begins to spin
Roll over mitigation - if a car is up on 2 wheels (rolling over) it locks up the wheels that are on the ground causing them to lose traction allowing the vehicle to fall back on 4 wheels
stability control - corrects oversteer by locking up the rear inside wheel corrects understeer by locking rear outside wheel (or any combination to correct the maneuver)
Traction enhancement - some AWD models do not have limited slip differentials, instead they use the ABS module to apply braking to the wheel that is spinning thus giving the effect of limited slip
crash detection - will apply brakes if it detects an obstruction ahead
drift mitigation - if the car is drifting on a turn it will reduce engine power and engage stability control algorithm
trailer sway mitigation - if you have a trailer improperly loaded and it goes into a death wobble (scary situation) ABS will detect this in the steering angle sensor and engage an algorithm to correct it.
rollback mitigation - with a manual transmission the brakes will stay applied for a few seconds when taking off on a hill ( so you dont roll back while engaging the clutch

[dexterfurman]

This was the only video that actually explained traction control and why you would turn it off. Thank you!!

[Judgement]

Thank u for this. Recently I got stuck in the mud and it helped to turn the traction off to get out of the mess.

[ODH]

Nicely done. Two additional comments: 1) Traction control works differently in different vehicles-- the cheapest versions just use your brakes (often only available at lower speeds), while more sophisticated systems moderate power output or power distribution to other wheels. 2) In sports cars, expert drivers can get faster acceleration with Traction control off.

[athenasblueprint]

Thanks for the no-B.S. video! Now I know to:
Keep Traction and Stability Control ON during bad weather and regular commutes &
Turn OFF Traction and Stability Control for driver-controlled maneuvers like rocking out of hole, burning out, doing donuts or even drifting.
Please use caution and drive safely no matter what but especially around others! So many new drivers out there these days (and old ones, bless their souls 💕)

[hhch]

I got stuck in the snow one time on the side of the road driving from Vegas to Idaho. Not realizing what Traction Control was for I was going through all the driving Modes the Rav4 had to offer and I couldn't get out after a good 15 minutes. Once I got Traction Control off, the car got out in like a minute. Every self-proclaimed "good" driver (99% of us) should learn about all these safety features their vehicles have to offer because one day you may just need it.

[CamdenBloke]

I've definitely had the traction control kick on a few times, usually on wet roads. Having had most of my driving experience without that feature and having had experiences correcting for skids, I must say that I'm glad I have it - esp given that my current car is the first car that I've ever purchased new.

[porkfat]

I have a 2011 Camry LE, I live in a area with some mountains. FWD & Traction control together with good tires gets me home every time. I am on my second set of Goodyear Assurance all season tires. All you have to do is have a slow foot on the pedals and you sorta putt-putt through the rough spots. But when it gets real bad, with FWD you rock the steering wheel back and forth. This allows your tires to bite into the snow. The Camry is a champ ! I love sedans.

[TonytheGr]

This was very informative. Keep up the work. Respect from Jamaica.

[notyoung]

Turn it off if a long upward grade is involved - even a slight grade. Having "Traction Control" drop the engine speed back to zero when you're halfway up the hill does NOT get you to the top! That's a place where controlled wheel spin (controlled by the driver) is more useful than having the "smart" technology stop the vehicle and then try to start up again when halfway up the hill. Been there, done that, on a 200 yard long path uphill through a pasture (hill + wet grass) from an outdoor wedding that didn't quite get rained out. Tried it with TC on twice (2012 Highlander with 6 speed automatic) and TC FAILED MISERABLY both times, bringing the vehicle to a complete stop halfway up the hill. Turned TC off and took yet another clear path up the grade and did fine with me controlling the amount of wheel spin - yes, that's an art, and it's learned from driving manual transmission vehicles on roads covered with black ice.

TC might be OK for inexperienced drivers trying to get started on snow/ice - but anyone who needs that kind of help shouldn't be driving an unstoppable vehicle - and they're not experienced enough to know how long that next stop will take.

[robertmino]

This has been around a long time . When it first came out, the manuals said it applies the brakes slightly all the time it is on. In other words, your mileage is cut down and it wears the brakes out faster. When I am professionally moving vehicles, I only turn it on in rain, ice or snow.

[imtherealjoeyd]

Jeff if I’m ever in the area I can’t wait to come in a meet you. Keep up the great work!!! Really really enjoy your videos

[alexsamuel]

On my 2013 Corolla, the traction control worked phenomenally; when I had to take an associate to work at BAXTER industry on heavy raining days, and the plant was an hour from my house in a mountainous area. However, I did seem to notice a spike in gas mileage when I didn't keep it on. I wouldn't get a car now without it!

[jg]

I love when I find the exact video I needed, simple and to the point. Thank you.

[stevenmerlock]

Toyota Tacoma manual 4x4 mine is off 99% of the time = results in better gas mileage. When the roads are wet, I might turn it on? When it’s nasty outside or I’m making Jeep owners see their poor choices I use 4Wd 🤪