Traction Control - ESC/ASR & HDA switch retrofit

[Chickybumps]

so with the forecasted snowy weather due i was looking forward to driving around everywhere knowing my snow tyres and and traction control turned off will help me... ah just one problem.. where is the bloody traction control switch gone?!?

My handbook says there is a switch.. however there isn't one on the dash. Why oh why have they removed it? My old 5.1 was brilliant in snowy weather. Turn off the traction control and away you go. Now I'm dreading the arrival of the snow as there is no way of turning the traction control off.

Anyone know if it can be retro fitted??

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

@Chickybumps and @Pauly perhaps there is a VCDS setting ?

 

[Pauly]

No idea but i would guess not, its too much of a critical safety system (tied in to ABS etc) to be farting around with it
Personally this is not something i want to be getting into, sorry

 

[CaliStu]

I didn't even realise there was traction control! Is it standard?

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

So there you have it @Chickybumps, if you have TC and no switch then leave well alone as your insurers would not be pleased in the event of an accident

 

[Caravellet6]

I have said TC button at top right

 

[former member]

Same here... Maybe 4motion only?

 

[former member]

Hmmm - need to dust my dash a bit better...

 

[T6 Dave]

Ok, daft question, why turn it off, I thought it slowed the spinning wheel, so that the drive could be transmitted to the one with grip, otherwise you would or could land up with all the drive going to the spinning wheel and you going nowhere? Similar to a 4x4 being cross axled, unless you have a diff lock in an axle, centre diff lock would not help.

 

[Pauly]

When the wheels spin the engine cuts power so if you cant turn it off its very difficult to get up hill in snow/ice as engine cuts and you go backwards

 

[T6 Dave]

Aha, a daft device if there ever was one! Landrover does the stop spinning wheels job via the ABS system. Thanks for the pointer

 

[former member]

Switching traction off in my 335d was occasionally essential; they often can't deal with really slippery stuff like wet grass very well at all.
Just like there are (not many) occasions when a good driver can outbrake an ABS system.
TCS is good but not infallible.

My BMW has two levels of "off" from turning off stability control (but retaining some traction control) in Sport+ which I use on track or very dry days and full "off" for slightly hooligan driving.

Traction system are good but not being able to switch them off (ahem, any AMG Merc) is generally regarded as annoying.

 

[Amped]

If you haven't got a button it maybe in the driver assist menu on the DIS. Can't check mine to see

 

[Scruffy]

Going up hill in snow/mud/poor surface you need momentum. TC will cut the power to the driving wheels and slow you down, losing momentum, often slowing you down to a halt. Also if you have chains on, you sometimes need the wheels/chains spinning to gain and maintain traction and motion. Not having the ability to disable the ABS can also have it's draw backs. In ice/snow, sometimes the mere friction of locked up tyres is the only thing that will stop you, not the violent on off ABS system. Granted all these things only work if you know what your doing, and lets face it, the majority don't . So they are probably safer just stuck.

My tip for the day. If you do get any snow in the coming days, and are in a situation where you are pushing someone stuck in the snow. First check their tyres. If the are bald ( like a taxi driver I helped last year) point out the error of their ways and walk away. Before you put your back out like I did.

 

[Scruffy]

All that said, the T6 has EDL (Electronic Diff Lock) which you would want to keep on if stuck.

 

[mark]

It can't be turned off even with vcds on 2wd , the button is still there on the 4wd though.

 

[DaveyB]

I have said TC button at View attachment 4048 top right

Any opportunity to show off your lovely dashboard eh @Caravellet6.


Got a yellow weather warning issued to me today:-

NATIONAL SEVERE WEATHER WARNING SERVICE
Warning - Snow

A Warning has been issued for the following regions
- South West England (Yellow)
- East of England (Yellow)
- Wales (Yellow)
- London & South East England (Yellow)
- West Midlands (Yellow)
- East Midlands (Yellow)

Rain moving eastwards across the south of the UK on Thursday may turn to snow in places.

There is a chance of snow settling with disruption to road, rail and air services as well as interruptions to power supplies and other utilities - this more likely across East Anglia and southeast England. Associated heavy rain and strong winds may prove additional hazards. As skies clear on Thursday night there is also potential for widespread ice to form quite rapidly on untreated surfaces.

This is an update to slightly increase the risk of disruption from snow, as well as to introduce ice as a hazard.

Issued by the Met Office at 12:19 on Tuesday, 10th January 2017 Updated by the Met Office at 10:31 on Wednesday, 11th January 2017

 

[RattyMcClelland]

I turned it off in my t5. I hated it. Always raping my mad acceleration skillz, and was really violent in cutting ignition.

The t6 is much better. It's less sensitive, allow a bit of slip and mild ignition cut.
Still would rather it be gone. But better.

 

[Caravellet6]

Last year I was the only driver getting out of our road in snow, 4motion on the van was great.

 

[former member]

TBH if it really snows, I'll be using the Cross Climate tyred Outback with proper 4wd and the ultimate off road feature; it didn't cost much.