My traction control is broken

[WeatherB]

Anyone notice that the traction control in our car doesn't do anything in snowy or icy conditions?

This morning I was on an uphill and the street was iced over, so naturally the tires start spinning when I try to accelerate from a dead stop in 1st gear. At this point I noticed that the traction control isn't kicking in to reduce the wheel spin.

I hope I'm doing something wrong. Probably would help if I read the manual but I figure you guys are more knowledgable than the manual. :chuckle

[Fobio]

my friend...deal with the powa! =)

you on snow tires? I spun my tires a little today just getting out of the garage onto the street...I think there's only so much the traction control can do, but I am interested in others' opinions as well...

[Unoriginalusername]

on pure ice it seems to give up... not that it does much when its on anyways. The stability works pretty well, yesterday was the first time my car has seen snow and so playing around with it on the way into work and it seems to work pretty good

[Malcolm991]

At least you guy's have it!

[Unoriginalusername]

At least you guy's have it!

because we need it :chuckle

[Malcolm991]

because we need it :chuckle

Still have those big heavy work boots on huh!:chuckle

[WeatherB]

my friend...deal with the powa! =)

you on snow tires? I spun my tires a little today just getting out of the garage onto the street...I think there's only so much the traction control can do, but I am interested in others' opinions as well...

Ya, I have snow tires which help immensively... I must say that I had high hopes for the traction control but I think it loses it's functionality because of the limited slip.

My reasoning is that if both front wheels are spinning together (which I believe is what limited slip does), then the traction control has no idea that it's needed.

I wonder if it works better in a 2nd gear start?

[kevcol74]

Is the Mazda traction control a brake applied control? (I don't have it, but have no issues with my winters...yet....) I assume its not transmission controlled... I don't know anyone outside Subaru that controls by power rather than brake application.

[Fuman]

I wonder if it works better in a 2nd gear start?
Second gear will get better traction off the line in low friction conditions.
If you are referring to TC, I've no idea.

Malcolm991 - Although, I am unsure how sensitive speed 3's gas pedal is, Mazda 3 drivers shouldn't have much of a problem modulating the throttle.

[CamelFilters]

That's right, the VSC can only handle so much especially with all that power going to the front wheels. With winter tires, I had no trouble getting around at all even in snow storms in the GTA (last year in 07). Now i'm staring to car shop again for next year, something AWD as soon as my speed3's financed is finished this summer.

[Fobio]

In my old SVT Contour, you can just leave it in gear, and just floor the gas pedal and let the TC do its work, if it can do it...200hp, 170tq, heavy car, makes for decent traction.

Not the case with the MS3...even with TC, you have to be gentle with the gas pedal, 263hp, 280tq, no matter what car, can make for shitty traction unless you're gentle...

a 335xi would be nice tho...

[kevcol74]

In my old SVT Contour, you can just leave it in gear, and just floor the gas pedal and let the TC do its work, if it can do it...200hp, 170tq, heavy car, makes for decent traction.

Not the case with the MS3...even with TC, you have to be gentle with the gas pedal, 263hp, 280tq, no matter what car, can make for shitty traction unless you're gentle...

a 335xi would be nice tho...


What year was your SVT?? I had a 98.5, no traction control on mine!!! Lucky bastard!!

[Fobio]

What year was your SVT?? I had a 98.5, no traction control on mine!!! Lucky bastard!!

Got my 1998 in the summer of 1997, which makes it an E0...I'm pretty sure I got the first one in Ontario back then...it was a pretty cool ride from back in the day...:chuckle

[kevcol74]

And you had traction control?? Maybe I did and didn't know it, never hit snow with it before i sold it (then the kid blew up the engine 5 days later and wanted his money back.... oy!)
Yep, mine was an E1, the nicer 5 spoke rims. There is an E0 for sale that I pass on my way to work every day, wonder what he wants for it! lol Maybe I should go back is I sell my 3!

[Fobio]

And you had traction control?? Maybe I did and didn't know it, never hit snow with it before i sold it (then the kid blew up the engine 5 days later and wanted his money back.... oy!)
Yep, mine was an E1, the nicer 5 spoke rims. There is an E0 for sale that I pass on my way to work every day, wonder what he wants for it! lol Maybe I should go back is I sell my 3!

Even some of the E1's had TC...early 1998 build-dates, I believe...but it was officially deleted for 1998.5's...

I too, sold it to a "kid" about 5 yrs ago...who then put 18's on the car, which I felt the car always deserved...hehe...but I spent all my mod money on the stereo when I had it...

Sorry for the thread jack!

[kevcol74]

Even some of the E1's had TC...early 1998 build-dates, I believe...but it was officially deleted for 1998.5's...

I too, sold it to a "kid" about 5 yrs ago...who then put 18's on the car, which I felt the car always deserved...hehe...but I spent all my mod money on the stereo when I had it...

Sorry for the thread jack!

Oops, me too! :blush

[alhope34]

Our traction control it throttle controlled.

Once last year in 8" of snow in Quebec, I was starting from a stop sign up a hill in first, it spun for a second or so then traction control kicked in and put the throttle so low it stalled the car!!

I found the best and easiest way to start up a hill in snow to be turn the DSC off, put it in 2nd, break the tires loose a bit and just control the rmp to around 2-3000.

[007]

My traction control turns on all the time in snow or on ice - basically as soon as the wheels spin loose.

I found it to be a bit anoying, so, I just turn it off when driving on snow (City driving). I keep it ON when driving on the HWY.

I prefer controlling the throttle myself as described by alhope34.

[WeatherB]

Thanks everyone, looks like everyone (except for 007) has a traction control that works like mine.

[swales]

My traction control turns on all the time in snow or on ice - basically as soon as the wheels spin loose.

I found it to be a bit anoying, so, I just turn it off when driving on snow (City driving). I keep it ON when driving on the HWY.

I prefer controlling the throttle myself as described by alhope34.

Mine is exactly the same and it is very annoying

[oneurt]

My traction control turns on all the time in snow or on ice - basically as soon as the wheels spin loose.

I found it to be a bit anoying, so, I just turn it off when driving on snow (City driving). I keep it ON when driving on the HWY.

I prefer controlling the throttle myself as described by alhope34.

Since this is my first car with TC, controlling the throttle has always been my way of controlling spin, so typically in the city its off, but lately I just keep forgetting to turn it off. I do find it to be a bit of a nuissance with it on, but I can tell pretty quickly when the wheels spin.

Oh yah my TC works fine too lol.

[zmtomako]

just drove it in the snow storm tonight...
i have to say my foot works better than the DSC...
(my old car was a corolla with nothing and all-seasons, so i was used to throttle control, though not CLOSE to the same power, but still...)

the DSC is a bit slow to kick in, and when it does, it just either makes me keep spinning or makes me stall....
i was much better off just having it off and controlling it myself....

[Unoriginalusername]

just drove it in the snow storm tonight...
i have to say my foot works better than the DSC...
(my old car was a corolla with nothing and all-seasons, so i was used to throttle control, though not CLOSE to the same power, but still...)

the DSC is a bit slow to kick in, and when it does, it just either makes me keep spinning or makes me stall....
i was much better off just having it off and controlling it myself....

the stability control is pretty good however, so worth keeping it on for that feature. agree the tc is pretty useless

[cy88]

Our traction control it throttle controlled.

Once last year in 8" of snow in Quebec, I was starting from a stop sign up a hill in first, it spun for a second or so then traction control kicked in and put the throttle so low it stalled the car!!

I found the best and easiest way to start up a hill in snow to be turn the DSC off, put it in 2nd, break the tires loose a bit and just control the rmp to around 2-3000.

I second that. The traction control capped my throttle so much that i almost got stuck in the snow today..

I almost had to floor my gas to get it up to 2-2.5k rpm.

[007]

I was leaving work this week and decided to have some fun with the Handbrake. I took off and begun steering in a wide turning radius when I decided to pull the Handbrake to slide. As the car begun loosing grip during when I was flooring it, the TC came on, it took control of the throttle by cutting down power, and the EBD/ABS kept the rear end of the car from going sideways.

So, that TC does really work. Only thing was that I forgot to take it off before I begun my sliding exercise:chuckle

Once off, I could do anything I wanted with the car.

[silvermist99]

I love the DSC or whatever u call it.

It caps your wheelspin so you don't burn out, especially useful when you are travelling at high speed and not thinking when you jam the throttle in.

It allows a bit of spin/slip before it gets in the way. Try turning and pulling the handbrake, the rear will kick out a bit and the car will fix itself quickly and won't spin out.

I agree its somewhat restrictive at low speed especially in thick snow but the tradeoffs are definately worth it at all other time. You might get around and launch slower, but chances of the car fish tailing and slamming onto things at highspeed is greatly reduced.

[alhope34]

Generally in the spring, summer and fall I always have the DSC off, in the winter if the roads are clear and dry I will leave DSC off too, but if there is snow or ice, I only turn DSC on when I am going 60kmh+.

I personally hate the DSC. Sure, it stops the front wheels from spinning but it is much too intrusive for me and throttles the car down way too much. My right foot can control wheel spin much better than the DSC. I only use the DSC when there is a higher chance of spinning out. It works amazing to control a slide or spin.