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Traction control on or off for winter?

8.5K views 18 replies 16 participants last post by  chad spender  
#1 ·
Hey guys! I own a AWD sxt charger and was wondering is it more benifical for me to keep traction control on while I drive it around during stormy, greacy/slick road conditions? Or would it be more benefical to have it off? I have been driving it around with it off the last 2 years and have had a few close accidents (mainly due to mine or other peoples stupid driving decisions) but the AWD usually kicks in and saves my butt.
I know it is best to turn traction control off if you are trying to rock your car out of a icy patch you are stuck on, but what about driving around snowy slick roads?
 
#2 ·
Better to leave it on. Traction control helps control the power to every wheel in your case four. So if one wheel starts slipping but the other doesn't it takes the power away from that slipping wheel so you can regain control.
 
#3 ·
You should leave it off. Your reflexes are much faster and more precise than a computer. You also should remove the air from the tires, the engineers were just effing with you when they said you need air in them. And also oil is so overrated, take that out of the engine when you remove the trans fluid.
 
#4 ·
Leave it on unless you are stuck in deep snow.
 
#13 ·
x100


TC is far more capable at adjusting control parameters than the average driver can ever hope to be. It is your best friend and makes the car far more capable than it inherently is. Ask any pilot who has to land a large passenger jet using ILS if it's more capable than they are. ;)

The only reason to over-ride is when the conditions become so severe that you need to do things well outside if it's algorithm like rock the car out of a deep snow drift by spinning the tires in forward and reverse repeatedly and at various speeds.
 
#5 ·
With the AWD, leave it ON. I had good, all-season tires on mine and never had to turn off the TC. No problems at all. :bigthumb:

With the RWD, you would probably have to turn it off more often, especially on hilly roads.
 
#10 ·
Duly noted, I just cannot imagine, even for the most unknowledgeable amongst us, what else "traction control" could possibly mean and how you could possibly take that to mean "don't use it on icy, slippery roads". The phrase is pretty much self explanatory. But I will apologize for my remark.
 
#12 ·
Yep... leave it on. The only reason why you would consider turning the traction control off is if you are a professional driver and you were used to driving a vehicle that doesn't have it. In that case, you might be fighting the computer in some instances where you expect something to happen and you correct for that—not knowing that the computer would take care of it. In those instances, you would just need to train with a vehicle that has traction control/stability control so you learn how, why, and when it works ;)
 
#14 ·
I would guess there are quite a few drivers that don't realize that they do need to turn the traction control off once they get stuck. Otherwise they will remain stuck. Yeah, the owner's manual mentions it, but how many people read the owners manual? These observations don't apply to gearheads though.

GTO_04
 
#16 ·
Below is the wording from the manual.


To improve the vehicle’s traction when driving with
snow chains, or when starting off in deep snow, sand,
or gravel, it may be desirable to switch to the “Partial
Off” mode by momentarily pressing the “ESC Off”
switch. Once the situation requiring “Partial Off”
mode is overcome, turn the ESC on again by momentarily
pressing the “ESC Off” switch. This may be done
while the vehicle is in motion.
 
#15 ·
I drive a two wheel Charger and I turn ESP off when pulling out from a street on to the hiway when there is traffic. I am able to spin the snow tires and clear the tires and get a better acceleration on to the hiway. I grew up with rear wheel and have driven nothing but (except for a couple years) so I am use to it. I dont know what I would suggest to a person that has only driven front wheel. Thing to remember is to turn it back on when on the hiway.
Other then that I leave it on all the time