Manual states that T/C, Traction Control, should be on at all times unless one gets stuck and needs to rock the vehicle to extract one’s self from sand etc. It further states that if the T/C light comes on that you need to pull over and turn the ignition off and then back on to be sure the T/C is OK. If the light stays on then see dealer for service.



I have accidentally turned the T/C off twice, maybe even three times. The T/C light came on driving on the highway and I simply turned it back on. If you read about the T/C, not all in the same area of the manual (4-9, 4-10, 4-41, 3-44), it also states that you should not accelerate or brake hard while the T/C is off. Page 4-10 also covers the Stabilitrak system that is turned off by holding the T/C button down for five seconds.



If it is so important the T/C is always on why in the world did they make the T/C OFF/ON button so accessible and easy to push? Think they would make it necessary to uncover the button or protect it so it is not so easy to hit and put all the details regarding T/C & Stabilitrak in one area of the manual.


Anyone know if the computer can keep info on the T/C? Do plan to drop by the service department and ask.

I think the idea is that if the traction control light comes on as in a warning...like it is on and you didn't do anything to excite it...then you should pull over and cycle the key to make sure that the warning is real....


You can turn the traction control off and on as much as you want , accidentally or not, without pulling over or worrying about it....

It is just a caution of how to react to a traction control warning light that is persistent and unplanned.

There is no "record" of traction events that I know of in any controller.

The only time you really need to turn the traction off is to maneuver in deep snow with ice underneath. There are situations in deep snow where you have to spin the wheels constantly to kind of "dig" yourself out. The traction control will not allow that. So...there is a switch to turn it off. Hard to defend or explain the switch placement other than if you were in a pinch in deep snow and needed to move the traction disable switch is handy...otherwise if you hit it accidentally don't worry....just touch it again to reactivate the traction control.

Even in rocking maneuvers you can usually rock the vehicle gently with the traction on. Instead of trying to rapidly rock the vehicle take the time to get the most distance out of each "rock" and stop. Then the traction control can get you the most purchase out of the next "rock" in the next direction. It works better to do it slowly and deliberately than trying to rapidly rock the car.


I suspect that the comment that you shouldn't accelerate/brake/corner hard wtih the traction or stabilitrac turned off is the lawyers talking. Obviously if you do any sort of limit maneuver with any of the traction or stability control turned off you are "on your own" for control....there is no electronic intervention. On very slippery surfaces the traction and stabiliyt systems may have been interceding without the driver realizing it and when turned off the car will not have nearly the stability or traction capability as it did with the system active. A good example is the traction control in acceleration ...you can just floor it on slippery surfaces (like pulling out from a side street stop sign into traffic) and let the traction control modulate the wheelspin for best acceleration. The traction control will use the brakes to inhibit wheel spin on the tire with the least traction and at the same time the differential will transfer the torque to the other drive wheel(s)...sort of like an active "posi" unit. If the traccontrol is turned off, however, that one wheel can spin hleplessly and the vehicle will not accelerate nearly as quickly and certainly not with as much stability. That is all the warning means...."you are on your own if you turn the sytems off so be carefull...."....LOL