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Finally had the Traction Control shut me down

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Sporin, Nov 28, 2011.

  1. Sporin

    Sporin Prius Noob

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    Bought my 2010 Prius last December, had it delivered with snow tires on it. Despite the snowiest winter in many years here in Vermont the car gave me no trouble. Up and down the snowy hills of my area without fail, TC worked perfectly and never stopped me cold as I'v read horror stories about (particularly with the GenII)

    It took a slippery, muddy, grass field to get me in trouble.

    This weekend we went to get our Christmas tree (earlier then we usually do) and the tree farms's roads and "parking lot" weren't froze yet to there was 2-3" of slick mud over grass.

    Pulling down the road I had a feeling I was in trouble and the guy running the parking lot pointed me into the field and I told him "No way, I'll get stuck." He gave me sort of a bemused look but I pointed behind him where people were helping a woman push her minivan out of the lot.

    So he had me back into a spot right on the edge of the lot, perpendicular to the road but it was over a slight berm and just as slippery. It took me about 8 tries to get up enough momentum to not have the TC shut me down at the berm each time.

    Funny enough, puling out of that spot and driving up the longer, just as muddy driveway, I had no problem. I think the chunky snow tires helped a bit, but momentum was the key for all of it. The slow, backing up maneuver on the slight grade with the slippery mud just shut me down cold.

    I think it's the only time in almost a year and 25k+ happy miles that I've really missed my truck.

    Our second car is an old Accord and I think I need to swap that out for a 4x4 to use on the days when the Prius might not be the best choice.

    Anyway, just thought I'd share. Not a big knock on the car overall, just found it interesting to find the traction control's "No" point finally, and that it had nothing to do with winter.
     
    #1 Sporin, Nov 28, 2011
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  2. Sabby

    Sabby Active Member

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    I wonder if going backwards (no engine power only battery for reverse) made the difference??
     
    #2 Sabby, Nov 28, 2011
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    #3 Tideland Prius, Nov 29, 2011
  4. Pinto Girl

    Pinto Girl New Member

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    You might try riding the brakes just a little bit to control wheelspin, while you're on the throttle with the other foot.

    It's only a workaround, but I've heard that it can help.
     
    #4 Pinto Girl, Nov 29, 2011
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  5. Sporin

    Sporin Prius Noob

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    Just read your thread Tideland, sounds like the same thing that happened with me.

    I had it in ECO as I usually do, that might have made a difference.

    It never happened all last winter so it seems to be a very specific set of conditions to induce. In particular, very low speed. If it happens again I'll try different power modes as well to see if one allows more wheelspin then the others.

    I was very impressed with the Prius last winter (Hankook iPike's at all 4 corners). This one incident in the mud doesn't change my overall confidence level at all.
     
    #5 Sporin, Nov 29, 2011
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yeah, it has never happened again so I'm not sure other than there was deep snow and we only get that storm once a year on average. We usually get 2-4cm that accumulates over the winter rather than a huge wallop of snow at once.
     
    #6 Tideland Prius, Nov 29, 2011
  7. wick1ert

    wick1ert Senior Member

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    You are more brave than me. I probably wouldn't have even attempted it in the mud, though I'm not too surprised that did you in with the traction control. I've had it get angry and beep at me a few times, but I've never gotten completely stuck. In fact, with the winter tires on, I usually have better control of my car than most people do in theirs.

    In fact, 2 winters ago when we got slammed with the 2nd blizzard here, I plowed through areas that hadn't been plowed and the light was constantly on. I swerved back and forth getting through it. I was pretty convinced at that point that the car was going to do quite well :)
     
    #7 wick1ert, Nov 29, 2011
  8. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Yeah mud freaks me out. Then again I have an '05 which has the most sensitive traction control of them all. My most memorable moment was almost getting stuck on the backside of one of my nature preserves with HyoSilver. It took us 4 tries to get over the hill in thick wet gravel. We made it rally style at WOT and slinging gravel around the turns. lol
     
    #8 F8L, Nov 29, 2011
  9. adamace1

    adamace1 Senior Member

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    Thats what the computer does hundreds of times per second on our cars with traction control. Also we have brake override, so if both pedals are pushed the brake will override the throttle.
     
    #9 adamace1, Nov 29, 2011
  10. mgb4tim

    mgb4tim Noob

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    Didn't the brake update cancel the throttle when the brake is applied?
     
    #10 mgb4tim, Nov 29, 2011
  11. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    It should. The brake and gas technique works with standard cars, but I wouldn't expect it to work with a Prius. Perhaps at very low power settings, but I wouldn't think that would be much use.

    Tom
     
    #11 qbee42, Nov 30, 2011
  12. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    The Gen III brake overrode the throttle before the ASB update. Several of us tested this when the unintended acceleration issue first surfaced. I tried it driving to work, floored the accelerator at 60 mph, then touched the brake and just about ate the steering wheel :)
     
    #12 jdcollins5, Nov 30, 2011
  13. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    The Gen 2 does the same thing. You can't rev the engine in neutral and you can stop the car with the accelerator full depressed (I did it as a demo to a friend who asked about it).
     
    #13 Tideland Prius, Nov 30, 2011
  14. Pinto Girl

    Pinto Girl New Member

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    Oh, geez, maybe so, I don't own a GIII and don't know the systems well at all. My comment was based on the GII, apparently incorrectly in this case.

    I believe in the multitude threads about the GII traction control, there were a number of posters who indicated that slight application of brake helped. But I'm too darn lazy at the moment to dig into it, to be honest.

    Anyhow, back to topic.
     
    #14 Pinto Girl, Nov 30, 2011
  15. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    I have a special trick for avoiding traction control problems. When the conditions get really bad, I drive my Jeep:

    [​IMG]

    Tom
     

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    #15 qbee42, Dec 4, 2011
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  16. ForestBeekeeper

    ForestBeekeeper Active Member

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    Yes, though you are kind of inside the snow-belt anyway. So dealing with sudden dumps need to be in your plan.

    I am North of the snow-belt so I rarely get more than 8 inches per storm.

    And it appears that most Pruis owners live well South of the snow-belt.
     
    #16 ForestBeekeeper, Dec 4, 2011
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