If the traction control light comes on while you’re driving, but no other warning lights are illuminated, don’t panic. Find a safe place to pull over, turn off your vehicle, and then restart it. If a fluke in the TCS system triggered the warning light, it should turn stay off when you restart the engine.

The first thing to do, if your traction control warning light comes on while you are driving, is to find a safe spot to pull over. Turn your vehicle off, then restart it. If the traction control warning light stays off, there was a momentary glitch in the system, and you should be fine to continue.

When the traction control warning light stays on, that means you aren’t getting any help from the system to control traction and the system needs to be checked. Some systems are so sensitive that at the first sign of wheel slip, they immediately reduce power or apply the brakes so much that you go nowhere.

If equipped, there should be a switch/button showing a picture of a car with wavy lines underneath. Press this button to turn off traction control. This should then display the light on the dash as a steady yellow light indicating the TC is now turned off.

It is only safe to drive with the TCS light on if it appears when you are losing traction: it means the system is engaging. Driving without traction control can make your vehicle susceptible to spinning out and sliding around on the road. Driving with your TCS Light on can be dangerous.

The Best in Auto Repair The average cost for traction control switch replacement is between $85 and $95. Labor costs are estimated between $37 and $46 while parts are priced at $48.

The car’s gas mileage improves when you keep the traction control off. You will also notice a slight slowdown in tire wear. If you are a thrill-seeker, turning off traction control will let you experience the complete excitement of some stunts like drifting.

The traction force decrease with the increase in vehicle speed as the normal reaction between the object and the ground decreases. As the speed of the object increases it tends to lose contact from the ground.

Traction makes it possible for your vehicle to grip the road so you can change speed and direction. Press the accelerator, and the drive wheels rotate. The trac- tion of the tires mounted on these wheels makes your vehicle go forward.

You use traction to accelerate, brake, and steer. It is important to not overdue the capabilities of traction because it will result in a loss of control over the car until adjusted.

These factors are crucial to maximize traction for each individual tire:

1. Camber angle at the front and rear (depending on rear suspension type)
2. Tire pressure.
3. Toe settings front and rear (depending on rear suspension type)
4. Roll steer and axle squareness at the rear.
5. Bump steer at the front.

Study for Driving from the Ch. 1 Test B sheet

Overdriving your headlights means not being able to stop inside the illuminated area ahead. It is difficult to judge other vehicles’ speeds and distances at night. Do not overdrive your headlights—it creates a blind “crash area” in front of your vehicle. You should be able to stop inside the illuminated area ahead.

As with front wheel loss of traction, rear wheel traction loss may occur on a slippery surface when trying to steer a vehicle through a curve or around a corner. It also may occur as a result of approaching a curve or turning too fast and braking hard, suddenly providing too much steering input or acceleration.

If You Lose Traction

1. Gently reduce pressure on brakes – if on ice, push in the clutch to let the wheels turn freely.
2. Turn the steering wheel quickly – look and steer in the direction you want to go.
3. Counter-steer – as the vehicle gets back on course, counter-steer to avoid skidding in the opposite direction.

Signs of hydroplaning – this is the most difficult loss of traction for a driver to recognize • Water standing on the roadway.

The causes of skidding (loss of traction) can be divided into three groups: (1) conditions of the road, (2) conditions of the vehicle, and (3) actions of the driver. Ice, snow, or frost.