Traction control switch. How does it work.

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webeleafowners

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Hi all. Can someone explain to me in layman’s terms how the traction control button works. I know I push it to select off and then there is a little orange triangle that comes on on the upper display and a traction control off symbol that illuminated on the lower display. But what actually happens when this is selected. The book is unclear to me. Does it reduce power, sync the left and right front wheels. Walk me through it.

Thanks in advance.

John and Angela.
 
I can only give my butt feel experience of it, but that button seems to turn off stability control and extends that amount of 'lost traction' that you can have slightly. to completely disable the driver aids you need to actually pull some fuses. There is a thread here of a guy who autocrossed his leaf and did just that.

with the traction control engaged if the car senses a slide it brakes individual wheels to straighten itself out, it also allows very little wheel spin.

with the traction control disengaged, it allows a little more wheel spin (only about a second though, before cutting power) and does not seem to correct for slides (I was able to do donuts in a snowy parking lot with the ebrake and it didn't interfere).

Marko
 
The button isn't for traction control only. It's for traction control and stability control (aka VDC).

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCRLKRluk1w and https://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle-Shoppers/Rollover/Electronic-Stability-Control.

If you don't have access to a track, maybe in a very wet flat (snow is even better) parking lot with no concrete blocks and away from speed bumps, you can experiment w/VDC on/off like trying to do donuts, very abrupt steering inputs while traveling at moderate speed, flooring the car from a standstill, etc.
 
estomax said:
I can only give my butt feel experience of it, but that button seems to turn off stability control and extends that amount of 'lost traction' that you can have slightly. to completely disable the driver aids you need to actually pull some fuses. There is a thread here of a guy who autocrossed his leaf and did just that.

with the traction control engaged if the car senses a slide it brakes individual wheels to straighten itself out, it also allows very little wheel spin.

with the traction control disengaged, it allows a little more wheel spin (only about a second though, before cutting power) and does not seem to correct for slides (I was able to do donuts in a snowy parking lot with the ebrake and it didn't interfere).

Marko
Click to expand...

So why would they give you a button to turn off a safety feature. What possible advantage is there In turning it off.

Thanks in advance.

John.
 
TomT said:
It can help you get out of snow where some wheel spin is desirable...

webeleafowners said:
So why would they give you a button to turn off a safety feature. What possible advantage is there In turning it off.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
+1 and it works. I've had several occurrences being stuck in snow or ice and pushing that button has gotten me out :)
Of course it's not as good as 4 wheel drive, I like to think of it as my 4x4 button for getting unstuck :D
 
The Gen III Prius lacks the TC Off button, and on ice will just sit there and groan softly. You have to perform a little dance with the shifter and brake pedal, IIRC, to turn it off.
 

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