# Traction and Stability Control



## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

I know you can turn them off because in some conditions they are more harmful than helpful. When you are stuck in semi-deep snow, traction control is better OFF because it limits wheelspin when on


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## mcg75 (Mar 5, 2012)

Traction control is used during acceleration. If wheelspin is detected, the computer will slow down the front wheels until traction is regained. Not sure which method the Cruze employs but in the past, it was either applying the brakes or it will retard engine timing to reduce power. 

Stability is used during cornering where wheelspin or lack of is detected. It has the ability to apply the brakes to one or more wheels to take the car out of the spin. 

The ABS, trac and stability all rely on wheel speed sensors on each wheel to report speed back to the computer.


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## CHUV (Jun 25, 2011)

mcg75 has it right


this is to add
second video explains more of why you can turn it off, tho he's mostly referring to traction control there at the end. 

Cruze - Stabilitrak and Rollover Mitigation - YouTube

General Motors Stabilitrak demonstration - YouTube


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Only good up to about 35 mph, simple addition to the anti-lock brakes, most effective, at least they say is when you are in a skid.

Good driving avoids skids, but if you get into one, have to turn the wheel opposite to the skid. Should be natural, if the car is skidding to the left, should turn right. With traction control, in this instance, the right front wheel will be pulsed for a braking action to augment that action. But if on an icy stretch of road, nothing will save you.

In my opinion, just more problems in maintenance and even in safety. Claim ABS does not interfere with normal braking, what a bunch of BS, ABS module is in series with the master cylinder, and if those valves corrode and lock up, you will have no brakes at all! But some dingbat professor says antilock brakes improves the safety by 14%, so the rest of us are stuck with this headache. Modules are not rebuildable, and can cost upwards of over a thousand bucks to replace. Plus one brake line for each wheel, when they rust out, have twice as many to replace.

Cities won't plow snow if under 5", run salt trucks instead, so driving through slush that getting all over the place on your vehicle. Military specifications call for a 1000 hour salt spray test. or about six weeks. Our vehicles are no where near military specifications, but have to live with this for five months.

Its no wonder I came to the conclusion we are led by idiots, but is good for the corporations selling vehicles.


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## CHUV (Jun 25, 2011)

^^^^ fully agreed.


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## Beaker (Mar 21, 2012)

If you spin, you turn into the spin. Not against it.


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## keveburd (Jul 15, 2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZOP4Raindw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Here is a really good demo of what it does. No words, just actions.


Sent from my Autoguide iPad app


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

keveburd said:


> Stabilitrak 2 - YouTube
> 
> Here is a really good demo of what it does. No words, just actions.
> 
> ...


Don't try that driving at 36 mph.


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## FoSHO99 (May 16, 2011)

I drive on gravel a lot and it comes on every so often, it works pretty well. You really can't "outdrive" stability control because the fact that you can't apply individual brakes, sure you can brake and steer with the turn but that doesn't work in all situations.


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## cruze01 (Mar 25, 2011)

Thanks All! That was very helpful!


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

The stability control is well-sorted, IMO. It doesn't kill all the fun during spirited driving, and does reel the car back in when something dumb was done. The times I've had it intrude when I've been less than perfect I've been glad to have it. Trying to do donuts this winter, and it let the car do a big circle. The car was swapping ends with pleasure with the SC off.

The traction control is a joke, again IMO. It does nothing for wheelspin in normal conditions when it isn't wanted, and kills wheelspin when it's wanted in deep snow. Hmm, rear wheel sensors aren't reading any speed while the fronts are going nuts. Maybe the driver wants to spin them...


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## UlyssesSG (Apr 5, 2011)

Beaker said:


> If you spin, you turn into the spin. Not against it.


Aren't these two descriptions one and the same?


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## CHUV (Jun 25, 2011)

sciphi said:


> The traction control is a joke, again IMO. It does nothing for wheelspin in normal conditions when it isn't wanted, and kills wheelspin when it's wanted in deep snow. Hmm, rear wheel sensors aren't reading any speed while the fronts are going nuts. Maybe the driver wants to spin them...


i disagree, this past winter (if you can call it that) when there was snow it made a significant difference with wheel spin when taking off on a bad road. With the TC off i would get nowhere if i wasn't careful. TC basically cut power and i could floor it and still be able to take off quick when there was tons of slush and ice.


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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

CHUV said:


> i disagree, this past winter (if you can call it that) when there was snow it made a significant difference with wheel spin when taking off on a bad road. With the TC off i would get nowhere if i wasn't careful. TC basically cut power and i could floor it and still be able to take off quick when there was tons of slush and ice.


Sounds to me as though you have an automatic. Believe me, it's a different story driving a 6 MT.


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## CHUV (Jun 25, 2011)

Vetterin said:


> Sounds to me as though you have an automatic. Believe me, it's a different story driving a 6 MT.


Oh absolutely. Unfortunately the ltz only came in auto otherwise I'd have preferred manual. But you're right, with automatic it's helpful (even when using 2nd gear to take off). With manual you definitely have more control and feel over the slip.


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## JeffBazell (Jan 24, 2012)

Agreed! Those of us in the world with brains and driving skills lose out to the idiots behind the wheel who want everything done for them. For me, it started with those auto seat belts. Remember? When you turn on the ignition the belt would retract? Now it's gotten to the point where a computer literally takes over your steering, braking, accelerating, etc. But at least I can turn them off.


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## mr_raider (Aug 13, 2011)

JeffBazell said:


> Agreed! Those of us in the world with brains and driving skills lose out to the idiots behind the wheel who want everything done for them. For me, it started with those auto seat belts. Remember? When you turn on the ignition the belt would retract? Now it's gotten to the point where a computer literally takes over your steering, braking, accelerating, etc. But at least I can turn them off.


I don't care how good a driver you are. There is no way in heaven or **** that a human being can react with the speed and precision of a computer driven system. Skid recovery is tricky business, and the vast majority of people do not have the mental stability or ability to recover in a panic situation. Given the choice between human judgement and computer control, I will take the latter any day.


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## CHUV (Jun 25, 2011)

JeffBazell said:


> Agreed! Those of us in the world with brains and driving skills lose out to the idiots behind the wheel who want everything done for them. For me, it started with those auto seat belts. Remember? When you turn on the ignition the belt would retract? Now it's gotten to the point where a computer literally takes over your steering, braking, accelerating, etc. But at least I can turn them off.


That's technology for ya. But it can come in handy. Take a look at some of the new ferraris. There's so much power at play and control factors that some are simply impossible to maneuver around a track without the computer assists. There was a top gear episode on one and the guy couldn't even take a corner with the systems off. But once all aids were on it handled like a dream. (**** I wish I had money)....


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

sciphi said:


> The stability control is well-sorted, IMO. It doesn't kill all the fun during spirited driving, and does reel the car back in when something dumb was done. The times I've had it intrude when I've been less than perfect I've been glad to have it. Trying to do donuts this winter, and it let the car do a big circle. The car was swapping ends with pleasure with the SC off.
> 
> The traction control is a joke, again IMO. It does nothing for wheelspin in normal conditions when it isn't wanted, and kills wheelspin when it's wanted in deep snow. Hmm, rear wheel sensors aren't reading any speed while the fronts are going nuts. Maybe the driver wants to spin them...





CHUV said:


> i disagree, this past winter (if you can call it that) when there was snow it made a significant difference with wheel spin when taking off on a bad road. With the TC off i would get nowhere if i wasn't careful. TC basically cut power and i could floor it and still be able to take off quick when there was tons of slush and ice.


That's the difference between the traction control on the AT and the MT. The MT traction control doesn't do much when it's really needed, while it sounds like the AT's traction control is well-sorted. About the only good thing about the MT's traction control is that it protects against peg-leg burnouts. When the wheels spin with TC on, they both spin!

I'm definitely not the world's best driver. Aids that can assist in inclement weather or in emergency maneuvering are good for me. For those of you who don't want them, turn them off. The TC/SC button works just fine in the Cruze.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Forget the terms "steer into" and "steer against" a skid. Simply steer where you want the car to go. This works for all four wheeled vehicles, regardless of drive type or traction control. When the front tires regrip (assuming it was a front wheel skid), you want them pointed where you want to go. Otherwise you'll have to jerk the front wheels to that position which on slick surfaces is very likely to put you back into a skid.


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## SeanM402 (Aug 8, 2011)

obermd said:


> Forget the terms "steer into" and "steer against" a skid. Simply steer where you want the car to go. This works for all four wheeled vehicles, regardless of drive type or traction control. When the front tires regrip (assuming it was a front wheel skid), you want them pointed where you want to go. Otherwise you'll have to jerk the front wheels to that position which on slick surfaces is very likely to put you back into a skid.


You are correct. You want to steer towards the direction you want to go. Also anyone who thinks ABS doesn't improve safety I sorry but your an idiot. If you think you are going to pump your brakes better than a computer well then you are not in touch with reality. I have taken skid pad training twice. One time a previous employer paid for us to go and the other time was when I got my commerical drivers license. We drove crown victorias both times and semi trucks the second time. All of the vehicles had a switch to turn ABS on and off. We preformed several different maneuvers at various speeds with and without ABS. I can tell you that controlling both vehicles with ABS was significantly easier. Stopping distance was also significantly reduced with ABS.


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## Mehustler (Jun 19, 2012)

The difference between traction and stability control is very simple
traction control workd in a straight line
while stability control works in sideways direction
i founded this and many more usefull info at 
Vehicle electronic Stability Control system [explained] | readerrack.com


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