Driving With Traction Control Off

hotdogjohnny

hotdogjohnny

Well-Known Member
1,378
755
USA
Vehicle Model
Civic Si
Body Style
Sedan
Is there a down side to this? How many of you do it regularly? I don't like how the car behaves when it's engaged. I'd rather test the limits of adhesion on my own, and know what the car is going to do in response. Is there any reason not to disengage it every time I start up the car?
 
I drive with mine off for the same reasons, and there is no issues turning it off. You should become familiar with the handling characteristics of the car at the limits in a safe spot, like a deserted parking lot, etc in all weather conditions, snow, rain, dry pavement. More people should do this, IMO.

Manufacturers are removing the 'skill' in driving.
 
webby said:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlvm3sLTmq0


^ Guy had the brz for like a week I believe. Took traction off and lost control on a highway ramp curve. Granted that's rwd versus fwd of the civic. If it detects wheel spin, it'll cut power. You won't harm anything by turning it off. It's a safety feature.
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I drove a 2013 FR-S.... the traction control really pulls back the fuel and timing, making it suck IMO. That said, once you have a few miles under your belt, I would switch it off. When you are near the limits the tires will let you know with plenty of feedback. The factory tires aren't that great in the cold or the rain, but they are summer performance tires.
 
I don't need pictures of smashed up cars. I've been driving longer than dorks have been adding code to traction control modules. I just wondered if it affected mileage or something.

I do remember nearly sending my gf's 2 week old '84 GTI into the weeds (oversteer) because I'd never driven fwd. I had a '73 2002 tii at the time, that '73 may be my favorite driver ever.
 
There are some race-drivers, cars and bikes that don't use it........... as far as a down side, I can think of one, and that is pulling out into traffic from a dead stop.... There's a hesitation with it on that could mess up "your" timing(talking merging timing).
 
colint said:
I just wondered if it affected mileage or something.
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I would say it does effect mpg , on acceleration depending on your foot control. How much of a difference, I don't have a clue.
 
Monk said:
There are some race-drivers, cars and bikes that don't use it........... as far as a down side, I can think of one, and that is pulling out into traffic from a dead stop.... There's a hesitation with it on that could mess up "your" timing(talking merging timing).
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That's one instance that I've noticeds something and wondered if my SRI was bogging down -- pulling out into traffic from a stop. I'd rather have the wheels tell me they're slipping a little than to lose throttle response. It's rare that it happens, but disconcerting to think there's something wrong with the car.

Thanks everyone for the replies.
 
When I had my '07 Si, I always turned off the traction control, and never had an issue.

Since I've been driving the vette, I have learned to compromise. It has 3 control settings: full-on, competitive, full-off. If I'm driving it to work in the morning, and it's cold, I'll leave it on. When the weather conditions allow, I switch to competitive. I've driven it with everything off, and it can be a handful, so I rarely ever have it full-off.
 
I have a question about this...... When turned off, does it effect the abs ? I can't find anything that says it's got anything to do with it........BUT.
 
vsa works by applying the brakes to specific wheels & cutting power...

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traction1.png


traction2.png
 
webby I read all that last night, and it says it controls the braking and gas to the wheels........ I'm wondering if it effects ABS as well if its off.

What you posted is good info, but 'd like to know about the abs, I'm guessing we can't cancel abs ever.......
 
I think it is perfectly fine, maybe except for some harsher tire wear.
I find the stability control actually dangerous when driving fast since it tends to correct your course without taking in consideration what you plan to do. For example while taking a fast corner too fast it results in a left right shaking of the car once traction is lost due to the fact the driver responds to the skidding by 'steering in' yet the car decides apply breaks on some of the wheels. Not horrible but instead of a clean controlled drift you get a shaky, possibly dangerous maneuver.

Threshold breaking tends to be affected as well if not on a straight line with the 'smarts' on.
 
I was out playing with my VSA control(on and off) :
The positives while "OFF" is the lack of hesitation from a dead stop or crawl.
The negatives are jerkier throttle control, and braking(which "can" be controlled with a smooth foot).

With it "ON" :
I see no problems, except for the throttle hesitation.

Even with the econ on and the vsa off, the throttle was still smoother, than vsa on, and econ off.

That's my two cents worth.
 
^ on the SI it's much more pronounced with the added hp/tq - wheel spin
 
webby said:
^ on the SI it's much more pronounced with the added hp/tq - wheel spin
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This is true. I don't have an lag or hesitation, maybe because its a manual. But with tc off all it wants to do in first is spin. I looked at tc like abs just for accelerating instead of braking. It helps me get more traction by mostly stopping the wheelspin.
 
I turn off the traction control in my Si regularly.

I had a situation where I was making a left turn on to a very busy 2-lane highway when leaving work. The traction control was on so when I made a quick acceleration, the traction control engaged and made the car hesitate significantly. Needless to say, I was trying to merge into traffic and this hesitation made me very uncomfortable (feeling like a being stuck on train tracks when a train is coming).

I understand the safety nature of the the traction control, but when it engages (at least in this context), it clearly can become a safety hazard. I had a distinct feeling of powerlessness and irritation because the car was not doing what I was telling it to do. The saving grace here is that Honda gives you the option to deactivate it...I hope this is always the case.
 
I don't get what this talk of hesitation is. At least with the Si. I've tested it both ways. With TC on ripping first it engaged but I was still accelerating hard. With it off I spun tires all the way through first and it was pulling hard, but total acceleration was SLOWER than having TC keeping the wheels from spinning to far out.
 
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