traction control ⇏ me into guardrail

So this is my first time owning a truck. I learned to drive on my mom's 98 4Runner in icy midwest winters and I didn't imagine the tacoma to be all that different. After all, I figured with my cap on, that should be enough weight in the rear. I also have spent a good amount of time screwing around in RWD and AWD cars in the rain and snow and feel confident I can right a sideways car.

Anyway, was driving through VT today through some higher-elevation sections of I-89 in some icy conditions this morning. Roads looked fine but I realized on a flat section I was slowing to below 50 mph. I touched the throttle a bit to keep it at 50 and immediately started fish tailing. I corrected with the steering wheel and could actually feel/hear each rear brake braking independently. I oscillated between sliding left and right probably about four times before the car righted itself.

I've never had a car with traction control. And I would like to think that I could have gotten the truck straight by myself had it not had traction control, but given I'm still learning how it drives, I honestly don't know if that's the case. I did feel like my steering correction was fighting the traction control, or the traction control was overcompensating given that I was also inputting some control, but anyway: both the car and I are fine. Nothing "happened." I probably didn't even leave my lane. Still, PF scary.

 

Total 3rd gen thread...

 

I would say mission accomplished on the TC then. Don't fight it; it's your friend.

 

Wait a minute. So you fish tailed on ice and the truck didn't even leave the lane? Sounds like the best traction control anecdote I've ever heard.

 

I've fishtailed and had the TC engage on me like that in the rain going around a turn hitting throttle a tad too much. It's a learning curve IMHO.. the only way to know how truck is going to react is get the wheels spinning/truck sliding. I've had traction control on every SUV/car I've had for the last 20+ years. This truck definitely feels different. Could be those big ass drum brakes - they are pretty strong and really do a good job unlike most rear brakes. Could be there's more brake bias towards the rear and that's what we are not used to?? So when the TC kicks on on one side you can actually feel it.

 

no i didn't hit the guardrail. sorry that symbol is a crossed out arrow on my computer. probably unclear.

probably also not forum-worthy post. whatever i just got freaked out and have never owned a car with traction control and had to tell someone. seems like the internets is a good place to dump any/all thoughts so there you have it

 

No worries - glad it worked for you. I remember the first time my ABS ever worked (2001 Windstar) I then kept trying to engage it again just for the whumpwhumpwhumpwhump.

Welcome to a modern vehicle. Just wait until the computer learns your driving habits and starts holding gears for you.

 

First, it is not traction control, it is vehicle stability control. http://www.toyota.com/esq/safety/active-safety/vsc.html

Second, it did exactly what it was supposed to do and probably prevented you from going into a guard rail.

Third, when it activates, gentle steering inputs are best, try not to overturn the steering wheel as there is a limit to what VSC can save you from.

 

Having hit black ice at speed in VT on many occasions, your outcome is considered great success.

 

^This!
When in doubt lift off the throttle to regain control..

 

You have never owned a Porsche I take it. Do that in a 911 and the back end swings around to the front. In all seriousness, lifting the throttle quickly in any manual transmission vehicle when skidding is not smart. Gently do so or better yet, push in the clutch and brake (hard if you have ABS). When I learned to drive I learned "both feet in" for a skid and it is a natural reaction now.

 

Clutch went in for sure, but everything should be gentle. if you're worried about sudden weight transfer, braking hard certainly isn't going to help you...

 

how are you people getting a new tacoma to fish tail. do you mean slight slippage of the rear tires? to me fishtailing means 45 degree or better arcs side to side. trac control doesn't allow that sort of tomfoolery unless you disengage it. these new trucks make it almost impossible to go ass-first into something because you were over-accelerating.... no?

 

Actually with ABS, you want it to kick in right away so hard on it is fine and preferred. It will only brake as much as it can. I suppose there is some theoretical risk that you really mash it you lock all four and it thinks you are stopped, but I have never had that happen. When I say "hard" I mean don't just try to feather it.

 

When in doubt, both feet out. When it spins, both feet in. Granted there are some situations where variations may apply to particular cars or setups, but this is a general saying they teach in driving and racing schools.

I was never much of a VSC person until riding with my ex when her Rav4 decided to flip a bitch on the highway at 70 in the rain. She started correcting but the car did most of the work. I was impressed. There are some split traction scenarios where is may not help but in most it certainly does.

Tyler

 

What vehicle had computerized traction control in 1996 and previous?

Really? I mean that's like comparing traditional bicycle caliper brakes to bicycle disc brakes............. Calipers have twice the surface area, half the grip of the discs.

 

Didn't Caddys? I knew of it on the big 600 series Mercedes in the early 90s. Maybe that was just ABS, though...

 

Dunno. Why I was asking. It wasn't on any common car I had. First I recall is on 350Zs and Boxsters, as an 'enhancement' to ABS.

 

Well if you want to believe Wikipedia

In 1971, Buick introduced MaxTrac, which used an early computer system to detect rear wheel spin and modulate engine power to those wheels to provide the most traction.[1] A Buick exclusive item at the time, it was an option on all full-size models, including the Riviera, Estate Wagon, Electra 225, Centurion, and LeSabre.

Cadillac introduced the Traction Monitoring System (TMS) in 1979 on the redesigned Eldorado.