Traction Control Revisited

[Tideland Prius]

The senior members here may recall that last winter and the winter before, we had complaints about the overly aggressive traction control.

What TRAC would do is complete cut power and disallow any wheelspin.

This past weekend, the PNW got dumped with a significant amount of snow. TRAC and VSC were working to help me when necessary (especially since a lot of the residential streets were sheet ice).

One thing I noticed is that the TRAC was less aggressive and actually allowed me to spin the wheels before cutting in. It acted like a normal traction control system that allows some spin but not too much.

What makes me wonder is why is it letting me spin the wheels this time? I have had it cut the power before such that pressing the accelerator gave me NO power whatsoever (it was as if I was pressing the accelerator when the car was off). I had to shift into reverse to get any power from the engine/battery to get me out of the spot. That was two years ago when the car was fairly new.

Any ideas into this? Could it be the program was aggressive at first to protect it when new? Is it because last time it was loose snow so it cut the power but this time it was on ice so it let it spin?

What's caused this change in the TRAC program?

[MarkR]

Funny that, I'd noticed that TRAC had changed. I suspect an ECU update was applied at the last service.

[jayman]

My Prius has had all current flashes/updates and I really haven't noticed anything different about the traction control. At least nothing I can't explain with my new Goodyear Nordic studded snow tires.

If I really ream it on ice, the traction control still engages.

[Presto]

I just experienced that today. I thought I was stuck for sure going up a snow covered, uphill road. I just kept the pedal down and the car moved up slowly until I was able to get into a plowed lane.

[Clar]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MarkR @ Nov 29 2006, 07:10 PM) [snapback]355446[/snapback]</div>

Funny that, I'd noticed that TRAC had changed. I suspect an ECU update was applied at the last service.
[/b]

I got the 2006 model and never had any ECU updates. Will I need to bring the car to dealer and tell them to update ECU? My car hasn't gone to any snow storm since I bought it so I don't know if it will loose power when it stuck in snow. Thanks.

[Tideland Prius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Clar @ Nov 29 2006, 04:52 PM) [snapback]355474[/snapback]</div>

I got the 2006 model and never had any ECU updates. Will I need to bring the car to dealer and tell them to update ECU? My car hasn't gone to any snow storm since I bought it so I don't know if it will loose power when it stuck in snow. Thanks.
[/b]

No. The ECU updates affected 04 and 05 models only.

[Clar]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Nov 29 2006, 08:58 PM) [snapback]355497[/snapback]</div>

No. The ECU updates affected 04 and 05 models only.
[/b]

Thanks. Can't wait to find out how well my prius w/ hydroedge would do in snow.

[Tideland Prius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Presto @ Nov 29 2006, 04:33 PM) [snapback]355463[/snapback]</div>

I just experienced that today. I thought I was stuck for sure going up a snow covered, uphill road. I just kept the pedal down and the car moved up slowly until I was able to get into a plowed lane.
[/b]

Well if you're in motion, that should be fine. It'll just slip, grab, slip, grab and so forth until you get proper grip.

I was referring to starting off or at least when the vehicle is stopped and I'm accelerating (forwards or backwards). It used to slip, grab and then cut the power completely. Now it actually lets me spin the tyres (which didn't help anyway but that's beside the point).