Traction Control & MPG

[stonenewt]

In it's most basic form the ECU "knows" your tyres can't provide enough grip to exceed 1g acceleration, it also knows how fast the front wheels are going. When the ECU sees the drive wheel have exceeded 1g acceleration it'll start to feather the throttle for you until you get the same wheels speed between the front & rear wheels.

The reality of an OE installed system is that it'll be doing all kinds of comparative tests looking at relative wheel speeds, steering input, possible g-force, current gear & engine RPM.

In a traffic light environment,with straight roads on a dry day, does the TC even make sense??? Just asking, I really don't know.

Yes, a patch of lose surface or gravel can cause slip and once in slip a tyre has a lower coefficient of friction.

[Euro]

Originally Posted by s2d4

Again, why do you think it'll improve your mpg?
I am trying to understand what you are pitching here.

Okay, I can see now it was pointless to ask. Not truly understanding what is going on, I imagined a chip and sensors trying to constantly monitor inputs and initiating responses with safety as the goal. But as I understand it, TC was developed with safety in mind, not performance or efficiency. It must be an extraordinary amount of processing.

So I was surprised by how much the TC affected acceleration and wondered if perhaps someone knew if it might also have a SLIGHT effect on fuel consumption.

I am not pitching, I just wondered. Okay, consider the question retracted.

[ZionsWrath]

what the fuck

How did this thread go from TC on/off and fuel economy to shaving tenths off you 0 to 60 in traffic.

[Euro]

Because someone who parks his car under a bridge asked," is this real life?"

[ZionsWrath]

I'd rather hard park than debate whether TC can cut 3/10 ths off my work commute.

[cmdboy_347]

I commute about 60 miles a day with TC on and my MPG is steady at 33mpg.
With TC off its 30mpg in the same environment and driving habit.
Not sure why...

[chaoskaze]

I don't think have TC off turns off the ABS in our car right? So you wouldn't see any difference. Unless your driving habit includes getting up to speed limit as soon as possible after every traffic light....?

[Rapiddan45]

I think these variances in 1-3mpgs has alot more to do with the physical conditions (ie. temperature, wind, traffic, driving conditions, and actual weight in the vehicle) then they do with whether or not your TC is on or off.

And if your that worried about MPG's you should have bought a Prius.