You're cruising down the road when suddenly you notice that your vehicle's traction control light has illuminated your dashboard, or worse, you feel a momentary loss of traction. Don't worry; you're not alone in experiencing this. Before we get into the problem itself, we have to clear up one thing - the purpose of the traction control system.

Understanding Traction Control

Traction control is a modern safety feature designed to prevent wheel spin and maintain stability when you're driving. It's particularly valuable in adverse road conditions like rain, snow, or gravel. Here's how it works:

• Sensors: Your vehicle is equipped with sensors that monitor wheel speed. These sensors send data to the car's computer.
• Computer Control: The car's computer continuously assesses the data received from the sensors. When it detects that a wheel is spinning faster than the others (indicating a loss of traction), it takes action.
• Brake Application: Traction control can apply the brakes to the wheel that's slipping or reduce engine power to that wheel. This action helps regain traction and stabilize the vehicle.

Why Is There a Traction Control Light?

Your vehicle's dashboard features a traction control light, often represented by a car with wavy lines beneath it. When this light comes on, it's not necessarily a cause for panic. Instead, it's your vehicle's way of telling you that it's detected a loss of traction or a potential issue with the traction control system.

Why Traction Control Shuts Off by Itself

While traction control is a valuable safety feature, there are instances when it may deactivate on its own:

Excessive Wheel Spin

If a wheel continues to spin excessively due to extreme conditions or a malfunction, the traction control system may temporarily turn off to prevent overheating or damage. This is often accompanied by a warning light.

Low Battery Voltage

A weak or failing battery can disrupt the operation of various vehicle systems, including traction control. When the battery voltage drops too low, the system may shut down temporarily.

System Malfunction

Like any other electronic system, traction control can experience malfunctions. If the system detects a fault or experiences a sensor failure, it may deactivate to prevent incorrect interventions.

Manual Deactivation

Some vehicles allow you to manually turn off traction control. Drivers might choose to do this in specific situations, such as when trying to rock a vehicle stuck in snow or mud.

Traction control is a valuable safety feature that helps you maintain control of your vehicle in challenging driving conditions. By default, the traction control light should be on, and if something is malfunctioning it either shuts down or the "Traction Control Off" light comes on. 

The last thing we want for you is to be in the middle of a drive and have the traction control system malfunctioning. To avoid this, there is one tip we can give you - visit SCC Performance and we will make sure that everything is good to go and if it isn't, we will fix it right up!