Traction Control/VSC

Did you check the air pressure in the doughnut spare? It should be 60 psi.

You cannot disengage the TC without causing potential damage to the powertrain, so please drop that thought.

Ideally, you would immediately buy a replacement tire. If this is not feasible, you may want to move the spare tire to a rear position so that the front axle has matching tires. Then the problem should go away.

 

there is a way to disable.. but i don't recommend it. make sure you're spare is on the rear.. you'll mess up your front end eventually if you keep it up there...


if you don't move it to the rear.... the vsc is saving your car.

if you're up for wrecking your car.. here's how to disable;

car on but not in ready.

depress gas pedal 3 times.

change to neutral

depress gas pedal 3 times.

change to park

depress gas pedal 3 times.

foot on brake.. start car into ready mode... engine should rev up instantly

..... unless i forgot how to go into that mode.... (then someone correct me.. it's been a while)

 

This is the worse car ive driven with Traction control... i say so called 08 prius

its to damn dangerous in snow/ice weather.. car can't stop even if i put it in nutrual.. almost ran the stop sign.. I rather have abutton that turns if off like MOST of the other cars in this world.. And if toyota was worried about the motor spinning.. then fix the shit to run max 10,000 rpm or so like a normal damn motor with the option of turning traction on or off.. cause when it goes on.. I CANT stop the car.. It will try but keep slidding all over.. I rather drive another car in winter weather

 

Sounds like you might not have winter or snow tires. Where abouts are you living? Is snow unusual where you live?

Just curious.

 

When the traction control comes on you cannot STOP the car??? Geez - I have the opposite problem.

-Brad

 

the DAMN car just slides in the direction of where im going if im braking when the damn TC light goes orange..and u have to pump the damn breaks hoping it will work.. the shit just goes wherever, you have to hope you don't hit anyone
toyota needs to fix this goofy shit

 

This sounds like my 2010 last month -- after the oem a/s TIRES became too worn for winter grip. Except that it shouldn't be using TC to stop. That is a 'go' function.

Its single brief winter test last year was wonderful. This winter's first test was completely different (though comparisons on different days are not necessarily meaningful), and it was quite clear to me that the tires are past their prime. The car -- admittedly a different model year -- handled the little available traction very well. Its just that modern ABS/TC/VSC can do only so much with inadequate tires.

 

This is from the anti-lock brakes, and is common to all modern cars. Get some real tires and the problem will go away.

Tom

 

LOL, its got new tires on them ALL 4

 

But are they winter/snow tires or normal summer tires? If you live in a warm area that doesn't get snow very often then chances are they're summer tires.

Others will confirm how to check.

 

All season radials

 

Insufficient information.

I understand the older Priuses have not-so-good TC, though the 2008 shouldn't be as bad as you indicate.

But can you be more specific about what is wrong with the ABS? The skimpy detail so far gives me little confidence that it is being used correctly.