Disabling Traction Control

furtive · May 30, 2003

The "fun control" on my car is really starting to ***** me off. I keep forgetting to turn it off and so it cuts the power just when I need it (accelerating hard from roundabouts etc)

Is there any way to permanently turn it off?

Fidgits · May 30, 2003

Yep...

Press the button every time you start the engine... :P

furtive · May 30, 2003

It's not exactly permanent though.

Kavey · May 30, 2003

I really wouldn't turn it off permanently if I were you... as a RWD car, any time it gets too wet, you'll be in a ditch/lampost etc.

I drive sometimes with it off, when its damp, as I like to drift sometimes, and commonly i drive with it off in the dry, but in the wet, it's definately saved me some scary moments....

NigeSt · May 30, 2003

I really wouldn't turn it off permanently if I were you... as a RWD car, any time it gets too wet, you'll be in a ditch/lampost etc.
I drive sometimes with it off, when its damp, as I like to drift sometimes, and commonly i drive with it off in the dry, but in the wet, it's definately saved me some scary moments....

well said Kavey

furtive · May 30, 2003

I really wouldn't turn it off permanently if I were you... as a RWD car, any time it gets too wet, you'll be in a ditch/lampost etc.
I drive sometimes with it off, when its damp, as I like to drift sometimes, and commonly i drive with it off in the dry, but in the wet, it's definately saved me some scary moments....

You seem to be confusing me with someone who can't drive. :iraqi-info-minister:

I've never had TC before, driven lots of RWD cars, and have never ended up in a ditch.

My other car doesn't have TC and I manage to handle that in the wet very nicely.

Fidgits · May 30, 2003

Maybe you should consider getting RaceLogic Traction Control, you won't find it as invasive, but lets be honest, traction has saved all our skins once or twice in winter.

dark_is200 · May 30, 2003

i always drive with the traction control off - even in the wet. i've got into the habbit of pressing the trac off button everytime i get in the car. if you want to do something more permanent:

Disabling TRAC by default (from is300.net), I don't agree with the knife bit - you don't need it but anyway:

Use a knife to pry the TRAC switch out of the plastic panel.

Once the TRAC button is removed use your finger to pull the three switch panel out. This will expose the bolts that hold the stereo head unit in.

The TRAC switch has four conductors: two are used to power the internal light when the headlights are on, and the other two are triggered by the TRAC disable switch. This switch is a normally open switch. Buy a normally closed switch and swap that for the normally open switch.

Note that the dash indicator lights may be slightly brighter than normal.

Please note that this modification will default your TRAC to off when the car is started. The factory default is for TRAC to be on when the car is first started.

Fidgits · May 30, 2003

You seem to be confusing me with someone who can't drive. :iraqi-info-minister:
I've never had TC before, driven lots of RWD cars, and have never ended up in a ditch.

My other car doesn't have TC and I manage to handle that in the wet very nicely.

hmmmm.....

75% of the Uk's drivers class themselves as 'above average'....

Now I'm not disputing your driving ability, but I've driven loads of cars without ABS without an issue... but I'm not going to switch it off, because you never know when you might need it...

But it's your car mate, and your choice.

Matthew_McNally · May 30, 2003

Disabling TRAC by default (from is300.net), I don't agree with the knife bit - you don't need it but anyway:

not going to comment on the turning of the TC.

but - would be very interested in what your insurance company would think (and maybe the police) if you were to be involved in an accident with a major safety feature turned off.

you would defintely have to inform your insurance company if you did this - their pricing will be factoring in the fact that you ar driving a RWD car with traction control - removing that from the equation would have to be notified to them.

Bazza-old · May 30, 2003

why do lexus provide a button so that we can turn it off ????? :iraqi-info-minister:

Fidgits · May 30, 2003

why do lexus provide a button so that we can turn it off ????? :iraqi-info-minister:

So that Top Gear presenters can powerslide and doughnut them....

Matthew_McNally · May 30, 2003

why do lexus provide a button so that we can turn it off ????? :iraqi-info-minister:

as there may be legititimate situation where you choose to not use the trac.

Why do you think Lexus have it turned on by default - and only provide you with a button to turn it off?

Fidgits · May 30, 2003

Out of curiousity... what does the snow button do??

I guessed it made it more sensitive or something? but if anyone knows..

Matthew_McNally · May 30, 2003

Out of curiousity... what does the snow button do??

I believe it reduces the amount of power delivered when you press the go pedal - by about 15% I think.

Its to help reduce wheel spin in ice - *** knows you need all the help you can get at the merest suggestion of ice

Bazza-old · May 30, 2003

as there may be legititimate situation where you choose to not use the trac.

like.........

Matthew_McNally · May 30, 2003

like.........

driving like a nutter on private land?

track days?

I dunno - I only said may

dark_is200 · May 30, 2003

i think that the standard traction control is dangerous since its too agressive, it doesn't really behave like a progressive system its just on or off - once wheelspin starts it totally kills the revs rather than reducing the power slightly.

Fidgits · May 30, 2003

I dont find that, I find it just cuts the revs back by about 1,000RPM.....

Dobbin · May 30, 2003

i think that the standard traction control is dangerous since its too agressive, it doesn't really behave like a progressive system its just on or off - once wheelspin starts it totally kills the revs rather than reducing the power slightly.

Totally agree

Why have a system that is so intrusive as to take control AWAY from the driver.

If you are pulling away from a junction and suddenly lose power, because the traction control has kicked in to prevent the wheels spinning, you are exposed without sufficient power for a longer time than if the wheels spun and you controlled it with a moderate lift of the accelerator to get grip (or just nail it to keep the power slide going!!)

I was always taught that you should feel what the car is telling you and act accordingly - if you do this and suddenly an intrusive traction control system cuts in without warning how can you tell what to do? More gas or less and when to apply it ? You just don't know because you haven't a clue when the system is going to cut in or out. Pathetic system

I always turn off the TRC as soon as I get in the IS300 becuase I like the car too much to have my driving enjoyment spoiled by it.

By the way you shouldn't be driving fast enough in the wet for the TRC to be cutting in.

And, I can't see why you would have to tell the Insurance comapny if you turned it off permanently - if this was the case then you would have to phone them every time you chose to push the button and turn it off

Just my 2p's worth

tony_hetherington · May 30, 2003

Agree with above about the traction control being very intrusive.

HOWEVER......you have to remember that we are an owners club.....consequently everyone here loves driving, and has a better understanding of driving (irrespective of whether they're a good driver or not) than the rest of the population.

The TRC being so limiting is....and this really is just me making loads of guess work......to help out those who do not understand driving theories, for example. How about Mr. Sales Rep who has a Lexus. His wife drives it. This is not in the slightest having a go at women drivers, but what I'm trying to prove is that for that lady, the TRC will stop her power sliding (accidentally) out of a junction which a lorry's spilt some diesel on.

My point here is that I think the TRC was designed to help out people such as I mentioned above, rather than the equivalent of TRC in a E46 M3 which is designed to allow long flowing powerslides while still keeping traction.

Did that make sense !?!?

Hope so !!!!

Steve · May 30, 2003

makes sense to me...

thats why their is an option.. but if the TRAC was modified at the switch then the insurance company still need to know.

thing is if you had an accident and the TRAC is on by default everytime you start the engine , how are the insurance company gonna know that TRAC was turned off?

if the TRAC was modified to be permanent then your asking for trouble. They obviously are not gonna pay out!

NigeSt · May 30, 2003

Out of curiousity... what does the snow button do??

I believe it does reduce the sensitivity of the accelerator pedal, taking advantage of the fly-by-wire throttle linkage.

I tend to use the Snow mode in heavy stop/start traffic as it gives smoother starts.

Without it I find the take-up a bit abrupt and requires more clutch control - which is probably more wear on the clutch than can be achieved when in Snow mode.

YMMV,

Nige