What is exactly the point of Trac Con!

trombonedemon · Oct 30, 2009

O.k. ladies and gents, it snowed here in N.C. a while back, and I said great a time to see what this traction control thing is really about. Well, as I was spinning the car kept cutting off. So, I was out cruising last night, with it on, the car wouldn't let me punch it, even with all this dense cold air around but, when it got in the high r.p.m.'s screamed like crazy. The point is, what is the point, its not useful imho, plus if I'm going to avoid an accident, I need all the horses the car could create. Does anybody have an idea how this connected to the fuel lines b/c if the tires keep spinning the car cuts off. Can somebody tell me the schematics of the Trac Control?

trombonedemon · Oct 30, 2009

Easily Confused Terms
TRACTION CONTROL, TRAK-LOK, and SECURILOCK
TRACTION CONTROL is Ford's name for its electronic braking and engine control system that monitors rear wheel slippage and prevents loss of traction when accelerating. If a Mustang has traction control, it must also have 4-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS). Traction control consists of all the components of the ABS system, plus a powertrain control module (PCM) and a traction control ON/OFF switch. Here's how it works:
When traction control is turned on, the PCM monitors the speed sensors at the wheels and at the transmission and compares rear wheel speed to the car’s road speed. If the rear wheel speed exceeds road speed (loss of traction) the PCM slows the rear wheels until they regain grip. It does that either by applying ABS braking to the rear wheels to slow them down, or by sending less fuel to the engine, which has the same effect. Traction Control is optional on all models except the Cobra. The Cobra has Traction Control as standard equipment.

Sorry, I found it but, still why?

patman0911 · Oct 30, 2009

Isn't there a button or switch to disable traction control? You have to switch it off every time you get in the car but it is defeatable.

The traction control in the Mustangs isn't very sophisticated but that's what it's supposed to do - reduce torque if it detects to much wheel spin. It won't let you do big smoky burnouts or launch with lots of spin while it's on but it should help prevent you from getting sideways in the rain. I imagine the computer doesn't think you'll be able to "power out of an accident" if your just spinning the tires and/or sliding sideways

I haven't had the chance to drive one with TC - I'd be curious to see how it feels. All the accounts I've seen indicate that it's kind of crude and heavy-handed though.

edit: You found it.

bboylobo · Oct 30, 2009

TC worked great for me on the highway in the rain. In the snow, i turn it off. does more to cause an accident than prevent one.

I was hydro plaining one time doing about 70-80, it kicked right in and save my ass. that was some scary s***

trombonedemon · Oct 30, 2009

Last night it feels like it once it was in the higher RPMs I could haul butt, but it hesitated in the lowers, could this be the throttlebody and the upper plenums?

wmburns · Oct 30, 2009

Check rear brakes.

Since you asked for an educated guess, here is mine. Check the slide pins on the rear brakes. Suspect they are galled to the bracket. This is preventing the caliper from applying clamping force to both sides of the rotor. The slide pin galling is a common problem.

In most cases some reduction in braking efficiency from the rear is not even noticed. In the case of traction control, the difference is more noticeable because traction control only affects the rear brakes.

I thought traction control also modulated engine power by taking out timing (2003 model). This puts a limit on the RPM’s the motor can rev. Use an ODB2 scanning to monitor the traction control PID. I bet you see the timing retard as well.

I have never tried to power through a traction control limited event(it is very heavy handed). I guess I am too anal. However, it is also possible that at WOT, this is over riding some of the processes. Especially if custom tune.

trombonedemon · Oct 30, 2009

Yea, you're right Wmburns +2 on the brakes,it was eating my ceramic brake pads on one side, that is a common problem, took a friend and I an hour to get the slide pin un-stuck but, we put ant-seize on all of them. I couldn't tell you if i had a custom tune or not, got the car used. It seems that the traction control on the vehicles is monster nobody seems to talk about. I don't know, it seems to affect the whole car, I can't seem to find the schematics of it, even looked in the Haynes manual. It definantly restricted me in the snow, it kept cutting my engine off when the tires would spin too much. PITA!
Bboylobo, yea that crap would make your butt cheeks make quater into change! Pucker factor 10 out10!
O.k. I just wanted to know if it goes bad, what is it that it controls and is connected to!
Yea, I'm gonna do that with the OBD2 scanner. Great Idea!

wmburns · Oct 30, 2009

traction control is code in the PCM/ABS

IMO, you are going to find tranction control will be different now that rear brakes work better.

There isn't a separate system for TC. It is actually an extension to Anti-lock brakes (ABS) and SOFTWARE code in the PCM.

If TC goes bad, then the ABS will fail as well.

I really don't under stand what you are trying to do. If your intent is to permenantly disable TC, there are kits to do that. It can also be disabled with a tuner.

Recommend brake slide pins be lubbed with high temp silcone grease.

ChillPhatCat · Oct 30, 2009

You know what would be so much better than what Ford put in there... a rocker or toggle switch that allows it to stay off or on when you turn the car off depending on it's position. Not that I really have a need to drive around without it on, but it'd be nice incase maybe you wanted to drive around for a day without it on and not keep turning it off.

2000GTdriver · Oct 31, 2009

I just make a habit of turning off the TC right after I buckle the seat belt. We don't have proper storm drainage on the streets here, we have cement troughs about 3 feet wide and an inch deep that channel the water along the streets. So every time you pull out onto the major streets the tires pick up water and sand, spin a little, and then the TC kicks in like a boat anchor if it is on. It can be OK in the rain, not so good in snow. I think it is mainly aimed at less skilled drivers.

bhuff30 · Oct 31, 2009

To function a little better for the performance minded driver, the system should allow a bit more slippage. The problem is, that it is a very fine line. A little slippage around a 270* exit ramp in the rain sends you spinning off the road, while a little slippage while banging hard into 2nd gear at the track is to be expected and will not cause a problem. Two different situations, but given 10% tire slip in each situation, the results are very different. Even having control of when it is on and off is not enough. It is easy to be caught off gaurd and have a close call that traction control could have prevented without you even knowing it.

Pearl02 · Nov 1, 2009

trombonedemon said:
Yea, you're right Wmburns +2 on the brakes,it was eating my ceramic brake pads on one side, that is a common problem, took a friend and I an hour to get the slide pin un-stuck but, we put ant-seize on all of them. I couldn't tell you if i had a custom tune or not, got the car used. It seems that the traction control on the vehicles is monster nobody seems to talk about. I don't know, it seems to affect the whole car, I can't seem to find the schematics of it, even looked in the Haynes manual. It definantly restricted me in the snow, it kept cutting my engine off when the tires would spin too much. PITA!
Bboylobo, yea that crap would make your butt cheeks make quater into change! Pucker factor 10 out10!
O.k. I just wanted to know if it goes bad, what is it that it controls and is connected to!
Yea, I'm gonna do that with the OBD2 scanner. Great Idea!

You should disable it if you get stuck in the snow. The owners manual tells you to disable it if you get the car stuck in anything. I've had to disable mine a couple of times. If you don't disable it, the engine can stall. About that scanner,you want one that does more than read codes. You want one that does real time engine datalogging and engine management systems. I have a Equus Innova 3130. It's a fantastic scan tool. I paid 135.00 for mine on ebay. I used it several times. I think for another 99.00 you can upgrade it to do complete ABS diagnostics. I'm looking into that. Good luck. Pearl02.

40oz · Nov 1, 2009

IMHO the traction control on our cars works best in situations where the rear gets loose at highway speeds. As has been said it isn't all that "helpful" from a stop, especially in snow. But it does minimize wheelspin

There have been several times I was cruising the interstate at night on cruise control and hit a patch of black ice. TC is very handy in that situation because the car can quickly get away from you in that situation.

I'm glad my car has TC, and have no issues with how it works. It's nice that you can turn it entirely off with just a button press. It'd be nice if it was a toggle switch, but whatever. It's not a deal-breaker, and it's better than BMW and other companies who make it a real a hassle buried in menus and still won't let you turn it entirely off.

formgen · Nov 12, 2009

I only have to push one button on the dash to disable the TC on my BMW 335 , also I disabled TC with my tuner on the stang.

40oz said:
IMHO the traction control on our cars works best in situations where the rear gets loose at highway speeds. As has been said it isn't all that "helpful" from a stop, especially in snow. But it does minimize wheelspin

There have been several times I was cruising the interstate at night on cruise control and hit a patch of black ice. TC is very handy in that situation because the car can quickly get away from you in that situation.

I'm glad my car has TC, and have no issues with how it works. It's nice that you can turn it entirely off with just a button press. It's be nice if it was a toggle switch, but whatever. It's not a deal-breaker, and it's better than BMW and other companies who make it a real a hassle buried in menus and still won't let you turn it entirely off.

ChillPhatCat · Nov 12, 2009

formgen said:
I only have to push one button on the dash to disable the TC on my BMW 335 , also I disabled TC with my tuner on the stang.

Quick question... is there a way to reprogram it so that traction control is off by default, but enable-able by the button?

32ValveRom · Nov 12, 2009

I agree with 40oz. and bboylobo

I remember once when I had my 98 without TC I was taking a regular left turn a lil bit after it rain and without even trying the rear-end whipped out and I stopped some of traffic for a split second. That was with a V6. I used to turn it off all of the time in my Cobra but it has saved me so I just leave it on now unless I go to the track or whatever.

I assume Ford leaves it as a switch you constantly gotta turn off for the same reason why S197 have a constant beep if you don't use your seat belt.

myponyrocks · Nov 13, 2009

ChillPhatCat said:
Quick question... is there a way to reprogram it so that traction control is off by default, but enable-able by the button?

Pretty sure you can't. Tuners only disable it completely. I just turn mine off while waiting for the engine to warm up in the morning. It takes .05 seconds and I'll be sitting in the car for about a minute anyway before I roll out.

patman0911 · Nov 13, 2009

32ValveRom said:
I remember once when I had my 98 without TC I was taking a regular left turn a lil bit after it rain and without even trying the rear-end whipped out and I stopped some of traffic for a split second. That was with a V6. I used to turn it off all of the time in my Cobra but it has saved me so I just leave it on now unless I go to the track or whatever.

I assume Ford leaves it as a switch you constantly gotta turn off for the same reason why S197 have a constant beep if you don't use your seat belt.

Yep, that's happened to me a couple of times turning on to roads in the rain in my '96. I've always caught it in time to avoid getting completely sideways or spinning out, but it's a little disconcerting doing unexpected powerslides at 5 MPH. There's one spot in particular where it's happened to me twice - must be a grease spot there or something. It's times like those where it be nice to have TC.

Frankenstang838 · Nov 14, 2009

to make a long story short...i erased my ec program on accident round 2 yrs ago. had to haul it to a dealership for a re-flash. ever seince i got it back, my car will not do the test mode with the odometer, my traction control allows no wheel spin and kills my car dead if i don't let out when it kicks in(low speeds) so if i know im gonna be doing anything like a burnout, i turn it off. cause i've embarrassed myself a time or 2 forgeting and taking off. b4 the reflash, it worked good.....just taking out enough wheel spin to keep the car straight. and ford pissed me off by not selling the lil bulbs that go inside the switch.....had to rob them out of a 32v lincoln in a junk yard. lol......just a story that goes with the subject.

fromadig91 · Nov 16, 2009

I recall my first negative run in with traction control, I was pulling out into traffic , was gonna be cutting it close, but still plenty of room, stepped on it, hit a little gravel, my car bogged and felt as if it had just been kicked in the ballz. In no time the denali behind me almost had an early lunch

However I also remember times it saved me, mainly in the rain, as most people have suggested, turn it off in the summer and when its dry, leave it on for rain....as for snow, thats entirely up to you

What is exactly the point of Trac Con!

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