Traction control can be fitted to a front-, rear- or all-wheel drive vehicle and the principle is the same no matter which wheels are driven. In some cars this can almost feel as if there is a slight hesitation in the power delivery, or even feel like the engine has developed a misfire, but generally speaking modern traction control systems are so sophisticated that their intervention is often not detected from behind the wheel.
In addition to traction control, most new cars also have an Electronic Stability Control system often called ESP or ESC which takes traction control one stage further by momentarily applying the brake to the wheel that is rotating faster than the others.
As with many safety systems, the traction control system has a dashboard warning light that will briefly illuminate on startup to show that the system is operational.
If the light stays on and does not extinguish when the engine is started, then this is indicating a fault with the system, so this will need to be checked by a professional - A permanently illuminated traction control warning light will be an MoT failure, too. If the warning light briefly illuminates when driving, the system is in active operation and working to prevent wheelspin. Traction control is most likely to activate when driving in inclement conditions - such as heavy rain, snow or ice - or it may indicate a diesel spill or loose road surface under the tyres.
If the system starts to kick-in more frequently, this could be a sign of excessively worn tyres. When turned off, you may notice that your vehicle handles differently than you are used to when driving on slippery surfaces. This is why you should leave your traction control on at all times.
You should leave your traction control at all times so that you can benefit from this important safety feature. However, in very rare circumstances, you may need to turn the traction control off temporarily. These include the following:. Like what you see? Anti-lock braking systems ABS help you steer in emergencies by restoring traction to your tires. They either apply engine braking to reduce power to the wheels or apply the brakes on each wheel that is spinning.
How does the vehicle know a wheel is slipping? There are various sensors on the vehicle that can detect a difference in each wheel speed and the speed the vehicle is actually moving at. For example, say the vehicle is traveling at 30mph, however, one wheel starts to spin. That one wheel might now be doing 50mph. The sensors detect this and traction control will kick in to reduce the speed of that particular wheel.
When the system is actively applying the traction control system, the light will flash on your driver information display.
So why on earth would you want to turn off a system that is designed to keep you safer? When attempting to travel through deep snow or mud, reduced power may end up in the vehicle getting stuck. Reducing power or applying brakes to a spinning wheel s in these circumstances is counterintuitive. When you might need traction control off in deep snow.
Photo: L Baures. This may vary by the manufacturer of your vehicle.
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