ABS and Traction Control

[yteka99]

What do you guys think about ABS and Traction Control? I don't have either in my pt but my mom's Envoy has both and i hate both of them. I just feel like it's better to control every aspect of my vehicle instead of having something like a computer do it. Also it seems like if you got stuck in the snow it wouldn't let the wheels spin to get out. Any thoughts?

[quicksilverdon]

I haven't tried any, but I hear GM's traction control stinks.
You say it won't let you spin wheels - that's the whole point! Once wheels spin, you've lost traction.
It's like saying ABS prevents the wheels from locking up when braking - yeah, it does - that's what it does...
I learned to drive pre-computer - once wheels spin, ease off the gas.
There's a switch for traction control to shut it off - if you think you can do better.

[yteka99]

I've only gotton stuck in the snow one time and it was in my dads f150 but luckily he keeps a shovel back there so it wasn't too bad. But i just got it rockin and stepped on the gas and got out. Dont you need the wheels to spin sometimes? The truck was in snow that was at least 2 feet deep but i know they were spinning when i got out.

[cjb15]

My two cents on traction control. It won't help that much if you have crappy or wide summer only tires. When the traction control feels the tires slip it slows the wheel and backs off the throttle.
Sometimes you may actually need to turn it off and keep the wheels spinning to get forward movement.
All things considered, I'd definately rather have it and it's brother ABS brakes.

[Matt42]

I would agree with Quicksilver Don's commentary on GM traction control *in general.* We had traction control on a 1993 Saturn SW2 which also had anti-lock four wheel disk brakes as part of the package. That car was made at a time when Saturn was truly a "different kind of car company" and did not slavishly use GM parts if they didn't want to. We actually had two 1993 SW2s at the time, but the other one was a five speed, without traction control but with four wheel disk anti-lock brakes. I do not believe that the traction control was "GM standard" but I could be wrong. Ours worked perfectly.

The SW2 with traction control had crummy Bridgestone all-season tires. (Not my choice--the other had Michelin.) My family, without me, had to take it on a midwinter emergency trip to Colorado. Wife and daughter are California natives, so snow and ice are alien to them. The anti-lock brakes and especially the traction control were literally lifesavers to them several times on the snow and ice.

I was so impressed that when we bought the Town and Country minivan, I insisted on buying one with anti-lock disk brakes and traction control. Similarly, I looked for six months for a used PT with four wheel disk brakes and anti-lock brakes. While my 04 PT only had "destination charge" as an option, and thus drum rear brakes, I swear by traction control for cars with automatic transmissions in mushy and slick country.

Bottom line" I recommend traction control. Once you are stuck, though, you have to turn off the traction control to "rock" your way out or to shovel out.

[yteka99]

Somtimes i really do feel like i can do better than the computers. The computer doesn't know exactly what its stuck on it just knows the wheels are spinning. It's just my prefference i guess, maybe it's stupid but its what i like and am used to.

[tjf0]

I have traction control and ABS on my 2003 GT and it has pulled me up a number of hills covered in snow. You of course can feel it working just like ABS. A few years ago I had a deer pull out and stop right in front of me on the highway. I hit the breaks and the ABS took over and I was amazed at how nicely it stopped me and I basically just kissed the deer with my fender and he hopped off and there was no damage to the car. Bottom line is I have been really impressed with both.

[Matt42]

Originally Posted by yteka99

Somtimes i really do feel like i can do better than the computers. The computer doesn't know exactly what its stuck on it just knows the wheels are spinning. It's just my prefference i guess, maybe it's stupid but its what i like and am used to.

If you grew up in snow and ice country, and knowing when to pulse your brakes is "muscle memory," you probably don't need ABS. Actually, ABS for you could be worse because you pulsing the pedal combined with the anti-lock brake system pulsing the system can increase your stopping distance.

I grew learned to drive where snow is rare but I still learned the pedal pulse reflex. I found that just as the ABS came on was just the time I started to pulse the pedal.

But as TFJO has observed, it's the traction control that helps you get up the hill.

[yteka99]

I live in michigan. Pretty snowy and icy roads around here

[n2ubp]

My 2010 PT Cruiser has traction control and ABS. I've owned 4 cars with ABS and 3 of them have/had traction control. These features do not fix "stupid". You still have to drive the car in a reasonable fashion and have good tread on the tires. Real winter tires are a big plus in snow country.
Incidents were ABS and traction control came in handy. I was gently going down hill on a fresh snowfall towards a snowy intersection with my 88 New Yorker when the guy in front of me lost it and hung up on a high curb. ABS could not help slow me down (not enough traction on untreated road with all weather tires) but it allowed me to steer around this hulking old Chevy station wagon without hitting him or loosing control. One year I was on the road for work, about a 140 mile run when it started to snow on 2 lane route 209 in PA, along the Delaware River in the National Park. The road is old, narrow, and has some windy spots. Trying to get up a snow covered windy hill with all season tires with my RWD 95 T_Bird V8 I felt the car starting to twist and spin out and do a 360, but the ABS and traction control took over and straightened me out so quickly within seconds I was pointed straight and back in my lane. It takes ABS, traction control , good brakes, good tires, and an experienced driver to get out of alot of jams, but in some situations none of these will get you out of trouble. Have a safe new year.