[6days]

Finally got my car, I filled it up twice with the same kind of gas. On the 1st tank of gas I left the trac control on, and had it off for the 2nd tank of gas.

I got 60 mile more with the traction control off. Since I'm still in my break in period, I took it very easy for both tank of gas. All the milage came from going back and forth from work, so both were all freeway milage.

Is it just me or do you guys feel that the traction contol is useless. With it on/off it feels the same to me. Could it be broken? For now, its just another extra button to press.

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why worry, be happy!

 

[HIBBoyScott]

Maybe you don't drive the car hard enough to invoke the traction control...

 

[mrclam]

i can tell the difference but you have to drive hard to notice it.

 

[DonCorleone]

traction control= saves your ass
especially if you dont know what you are doing. try pulling a titty at a decent speed on smooth or wet roads somewhere secluded and with a lot of pavement with traction and then without traction....

 

[TEG]

If the traction control engages it will be wasting gas. Some of the power your motor is making will be turned into heat as the brakes are applied when the traction control engages.

I change my traction control switch to be "normally closed" so that my traction control defaults to "off" when I start the car...

 

[Sweetzzzz]

turn the trac on and hit the gas in mid turn at about 10-15mph. The do the same with trac off. Thats how I learned it works just fine. My heart is still pumpin for 3 people!!!

 

[jiggafett]

That's good to know.

 

[sigss]

brakes wastes gas too as power is turned to wasted heat in the brake rotor. suggestion: make it inoperative unless specifically switched on.

 

[TEG]

Yeah - as a gas saving measure I make it a point never to brake. I roll through stop signs and drive along the median when I hit traffic

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I wouldn't be "bashing" the traction control if there weren't alternatives (LSD, AWD) that could keep that one rear wheel from slipping without having to resort to applying the brakes...

Besides, I like being able to fish-tail my car now and then.

 

[HyperMKIV]

TEG, since you already have your trac button to default to off...where is the relay for this? and can you tell me exactly which wires are the signals, power, and ground for this relay? i'm a little too lazy to go checking this with my DVM. my supra has an ECU upgrade and this feature is always off. so i guess i'm pretty much used to sliding all around anyways. thanks...

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2001 IS300 Graphite Grey
94 Supra/6-speed/HardTop
90 Integra
86 Corolla GTS (AE86)

 

[TEG]

I just popped out the TRAC off switch, and replaced it with a "normally closed" momentary switch. That did the trick.

I don't think there is a relay between the switch and the trac circuit - I would guess that the trac on/off switch just triggers a signal line in an ECU that then controls all the actual Trac components.

 

[laughingboy]

6days -- If you just got your car, expect to have noticable deviations of total miles per tank. I didn't get a consistent (meaning +/- 20 miles) miles per tank until about 1500 miles. May seem like a lot for the car to "stabilize," but that's what I've observed. Being at the mileage I'm at now (14.5K), having the traction control on or off doesn't really effect my gas mileage.

 

[HyperMKIV]

hmm, i thought since it was a momentary N/O switch that it had to go to a latching relay or something. oh well. where did you get the N/C switch from anyway??? maybe i should go look at mine before asking you all this huh??? anyway, i'll try to see if i can modify my switch too. thanks for the reply.

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2001 IS300 Graphite Grey
94 Supra/6-speed/HardTop
90 Integra
86 Corolla GTS (AE86)