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Turn Traction Control Off?

27K views 56 replies 22 participants last post by  daggo66 
#1 ·
Searched the forum and could not find a definitive answer.......

I guess shifting into 4WD does not automatically turn the traction control off, and to turn it off you hold and press the TC button for 5 seconds until it beeps?

Do most of you turn it off when in 4WD Hi or Lo on a regular basis on only in certain situations? And I guess you just push the button again to turn it on?

Thanks in advance!

I appreciate off the info I've gain here! Thanks again!
 
#6 ·
Here are my personal guidelines for ESC ON/OFF.
It's important to note that I do not fully understand the totality of all these systems and I don't always follow these guidelines. :)

On paved roads in all conditions 2WD/4WD> always ON.
On improved dirt/gravel roads, at higher speeds (+35mph), in all conditions 2WD/4WD> always ON.

Off road 4WD Hi on rough/uneven trails at lower speeds and/or snow, sand or mud> usually OFF
Stuck in snow, sand or mud> usually OFF

AFAIK, all the systems that shut off when you press and hold the button automatically shut off when the Jeep is in 4-Lo.
So, in 4-Lo> always OFF

I don't use the Partially OFF function when you just press the button once.

JMHO, others can and will disagree.
 
#7 ·
And I guess you just push the button again to turn it on?
I haven't read the manual in a while but IIRC,
You can turn ESC back on by pressing the button once or turning the engine off then back on again or by shifting out of 4-Hi back into 2WD.
 
#9 ·
Turning off traction and stability control simply because you're in 4WD is foolish. If that's how your thinking, you should probably let someone else drive. There is no reason to turn it off unless you encounter one of a few very specific conditions in which it cause more problems than it solves.

Disconnecting the sensors and pulling fuses to permanently disable ABS and ESC is really foolish unless it's only used off-road in conditions that never warrant any of that.
 
#10 ·
Name one time someone has been in 4 wheel drive and been glad the traction control was on and cut all the power to the vehicle causing them to lose any momentum they had. If you are in conditions where you need to be in 4 wheel drive (besides ice) then there is no benefit to traction control.

Making assumptions about people and why they do things is extremely foolish.
 
#14 ·
I leave mine off. I have seen the time in deep snow that the traction control would have left me stuck. Turned it it off and was able to get out by spinning the tires and building up some momentum. It's been off ever since then. I prefer to do my own driving instead of letting a computer do it for me. Contrary to popular belief the computer is not always right.
 
#15 ·
I turn mine off the minute I leave pavement even in 2H. I hate a machine doing my thinking for me when said machine has no idea what my intentions are. When they make a traction control system that can plug into my brain... that will be worth trying. Learn how to drive.

If I were driving on-road in shallow (i.e. packed street) snow and ice, I would leave it on. Thankfully, we don't have to deal with that down here.
 
#16 ·
You're right, the computer isn't always right. Nobody has invented a mind reading self-aware vehicle yet. However, the vast majority of the time that the vast majority of Jeeps are in motion, the system works very well and does a great job. And it does way better than any human. It can respond much faster and with much more targeted inputs than your brain and feet. For those very few specific circumstances where it is counter-productive, there is an off button for you to use. That's why the button is there. Nobody ever claimed it was perfect for 100% of the circumstances, and that's why there is button.

The notion that any circumstance where you would use 4WD is a circumstance where ESC is counter-productive is completely wrong. You're welcome to not like computers. But making blanket statements like that is ridiculous.
 
#18 ·
Trying to make a left turn out of my street and accelerate to get into traffic and the computer shutting down the power really sucks.
I like the idea for stability and control in evasive maneuvers to avoid the moron who can't see the bright yellow Jeep but the system is too restrictive when it limits wheel spin to about zero.
 
#21 ·
In deep snow or mud you should turn it off completely. You will not be able to spin your tires what so ever if you dont. basically the computer applys minor brake pressure to your wheels preventing spinning. This goes with all 4wd vehicles. Even my exploder wouldnt make it up my driveway without turning it off and that thing is a beast. We have found that on our JK it is better off than on when wheeling, but we do keep it on for highway driving. And yes you hold the button in for 5-10 seconds to turn it off.
 
#23 ·
This is all detailed in the manual BTW. Everything ya'll are bitching about with the power reductions in deep sand or snow is called out in the manual. It specifically tells you these circumstances where it may be counter-productive. RTFM. Nobody, including FCA, is claiming it is the end-all solution to all cases or that it knows best at all times. Much to the contrary, they tell you turn it off in these cases. If you're complaining about it, you probably didn't read.

Also, it automatically turns of in 4lo
 
#24 ·
All these nanny systems are designed to allow the incompetent a chance of participating with those of us who aren't. I'm not aware of any off-road competition vehicle equipped with such crap and that's because competition isn't so much about the machine as it is about the man. You think sharing the roads with today's improved idiots isn't a competition you're probably one of them. It's nothing more than more lost liberties because of an increasingly ignorant and lazy society. As stated earlier, learn to drive first.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Actually, no. These systems are on basically every new vehicle... cars, trucks, Jeeps, etc. This isn't Jeep specific Soccer-Mom-to-trail equipment. In fact, these have been prevalent on new vehicles for over a decade. Hell they had this on crown victories in the late 90s. Most of it mandated safety systems for new vehicles. Not Crysler trying to make it easier for Soccer Moms to go mudding. And it does work and works really well. The vehicle is safer with it than without it whether you think you're gods gift to the road or not. It is detailed in the manual. It is very specific where it it may need to be turned off. Your failure to read your manual and comprehend how your vehicle works is not the engineer's fault.

But if you think this system is a conspiracy to take your "liberties" away, I doubt any of this logic and fact will change your mind.
 
#28 ·
What if you're pulling onto a busy street at rush hour and everyone is speeding? You forgot to turn off traction control and you make a driver error and give it too much gas and let the clutch out a little too fast. You're in the middle of the road idling along with the pedal to the floor. That would be a situation where traction control would not be safer.
 
#29 ·
What if you're pulling onto a busy street at rush hour and everyone is speeding? You forgot to turn off traction control and you make a driver error and give it too much gas and let the clutch out a little too fast. You're in the middle of the road idling along with the pedal to the floor. That would be a situation where traction control would not be safer.
Without traction control, you still be in the middle of the road with the pedal to the floor, going no where. The only difference would be that your drive wheels will be just spinning and spinning.

The only reason to ever turn off traction control, is if you want to just sit there with your tires spinning, like when you are trying to impress a bunch of middle school boys.
 
#30 ·
Do what you want.

If you want to turn off the safety systems, turn them off. You want them on, turn them on. Honestly they make no difference in 99.99% of time you are driving. But yes, the .01%... Well, to be honest, I think I have been frustrated more by the systems than saved by them. At least when it comes time to driving around here in the snow. But most of the time I really just want to drive the way I want to drive. Slipping/skidding a little can even be fun in the right location. People who drive a little nuts have a much better chance when things get nutty. I trust my experience over a computers any day. OK, maybe not on the highway, with black ice, and gusty winds. But really anytime under 45 I think I am better off without them.
I don't need to read the manual to understand that these safety mechanisms have been calculated by some guy/girl in a cube who has no clue about what is actually about to happen inside and outside of my car. I can truly predict my immediate future way better than any computer. And the fact is, I can't always predict what that computer is going to do or when it is going to do it. That is a serious risk when it comes to the .01%
 
#33 ·
I have never had a situation where I was in 4 wheel drive off road and having the computer limit wheel spin was a good thing. I have had a few times when the computer did limit wheel spin in 4wd (not good kind of kills the momentum) before I learned to turn the nanny off! To me so far traction control has only negative affects for use in 4wd. I would rather here the reasons if you disagree that is does help in 4wd then just saying "your asinine".
 
#34 ·
OK. Obviously a rational discussion based facts and reason isn't going to happen in this thread anymore. Now the traction control button is a political issue. Ugh.

RTFM. That is all. I'm out.
 
#37 ·
I like to drive, I like a manual not an automatic, I want to have control of my vehicle, and not have a computer drive for me...this is part of the fun in driving.

With that said the Nanny saved my life about a week after I got the Jeep. I was driving on highway and hit a crack in the road, just as I sneezed. A weird buzzing noise happened and there was a loss of power, and I wondered what the heck was going on.

Then I realized that the traction control had kicked in and prevented the JEep from bouncing sideways, and me veering into oncoming traffic. I'm really glad the nanny was there that day. :)
 
#42 ·
Maybe I should rephrase the question! :)

Lots of good info. Thanks!

Sounds like it makes sense to leave it on, except when things are a little hairy and might need or desire wheel spin and would prefer TC not get in the way. Just wondered if there was anything hard and fast.

Thanks!!!!!
 
#43 ·
Not even a little hairy, if you have it on and hit a slick spot of mud, lose sand or making a hill climb where the wheels are trying to spin any at all it will shut you down and not let you move, especially if you have a standard. Now if you are hauling ass(talking about 35 or faster) in 4 wheel drive then it might be a good idea to leave it on depending on your experiences level BUT if you don't have the experience to control your vehicle in these conditions at these speeds without help from the system then you really shouldn't be doing it in the first place.


Don't forget that you should only be in 4 wheel high when you are in low traction situations so odds are the tires are going to try to spin. Anything you do in 4low the TC shuts off so it has nothing to do with this conversation.
 
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