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Motor torque when accelerating from rest can cause loss of traction. Why does Traction Control not prevent this from happening?
Traction Control
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I spin the tires at stop lights if I mash the go pedal to much. I also found that it's next to impossible to not get a little spin when starting out on a steep incline at a stop (e.g. a parking garage ramp).
I think traction control is meant for situations where the car is already moving. I'm no expert though.
I think traction control is meant for situations where the car is already moving. I'm no expert though.
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Traction control isn't instantaneous. It uses the ABS sensors to determine when the drive wheels are spinning by comparing the sensor reported wheel RPMs between the drive wheels and non-drive wheels. It can take up to a full revolution before the system can compensate.
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Agreed. This is actually how I figured out how this system operates.
In the winter when the conditions are iffy, I actually like to "test" the road surface before I venture too far. In a safe area where I'm not sure I'm looking at wet salt or ice, at low speed I will lean into the accelerator to see if I get any wheel spin. That gives me an idea of how bad the main roads likely are.
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This exactly. If you managed to spin the tires for more than a second or two, it would kick in.
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I just got a 2017 and am often spinning the tires from stops. I had a 2011 Volt that would only 'chirp' the tires if really given the gas. (They didn't have a way of overriding the traction control in that model year which was a problem in the snow and ice.) I've tried taking off the TC to see the difference and it seems the same to me. Granted I'm not laying down rubber in 100' strips but it definitely seems like the tires are spinning enough that something should be backed off of. Like I said before, the 2011 would only 'chirp' the tires. This is multiple tire revolutions that make me look like a real hoonigan if I'm trying to quickly start from a stop. I much preferred the stealthy, quiet, controlled rapid acceleration of my 2011. Good traction control should not allow spinning, just a little slip.
Are your tires worn, or do you run in sport mode? The only time I regularly spin the tires if I'm in a hurry to make a turn, or I'm coming off of a driveway curb. Otherwise I find it very easily to modulate.
Check that the tires are properly inflated. In my experience under inflated tires will squeal, loose traction when turning. Try driving in Normal mode instead of Sport mode. The Volt's available power in Normal mode is the same as in Sport mode and you have better control when modulating the accelerator pedal.
Yeah, I find the Gen 2's traction control to be quite terrible. Maybe it's just that I'm used to AWD, but I spin the tires on mine a lot more than any other car I've driven. They're inflated to 38, so not under-inflated by any means. I'll probably be getting a different brand of tire when I replace mine.
I have to drive in Normal mode in the winter because even with my ability to finely control the accelerator, Sport mode combined with the very laggy and poor traction control makes me spin out all the damn time. I miss my Highlander Hybrid's ability to retain traction during a jackrabbit start on damp pavement. It had nearly the same "launch" feeling as my Volt until the battery started to degrade a bit, and got up to 60 in 7 seconds without spinning the tires.
I have to drive in Normal mode in the winter because even with my ability to finely control the accelerator, Sport mode combined with the very laggy and poor traction control makes me spin out all the damn time. I miss my Highlander Hybrid's ability to retain traction during a jackrabbit start on damp pavement. It had nearly the same "launch" feeling as my Volt until the battery started to degrade a bit, and got up to 60 in 7 seconds without spinning the tires.
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