What the heck I was stuck

A couple days ago I was taking chipmunks to a wooded area away from peoples houses and I got stuck in a gravel drive off area that was slightly sloped. My 17 Tacoma is 2 wheel drive and I needed to spin enough to get moving but the truck would just barely spin the tires to back out. This was a very minor slope and there was no excuse to be stuck like that. I got loose by turning the front wheels back and forth and noticed one tire or the other would spin for a second or two when I did that. It wouldn't let the engine rev either so I could spin. I'm glad It wasn't 6" of snow.
I know its got something to do with traction control but this really concerns me. Has anyone else seen this happen. I've noticed when sliding on the ice last winter it sounded like my rear-end was going to fall out. There was all kinds of groaning spinning on ice. I sure miss owning cars that you could drive. I don't like it when my car tells me what it will and will not do.

 

Turn off traction control and administer full beans.

 

See this sticky:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-traction-control-modes-explained.530695/

Between understanding the TRAC modes and adding some weight in the bed, you'll be in better shape. Tire pressure plays in also.

 

Yup. Traction control. Turn it off any tires will spin as needed.

Traction control is better served while trying to stay going forward on slick or low traction flat surfaces at normal driving speeds. Not helpful for getting unstuck or on most off road traversing.

 

The groaning was your traction control. I became used to it on my 2nd gen and haven't really noticed to much on my 3rd gen. But it is still there, almost a but quieter but it has also saved me a couple of times on ice.

 

How to turn off traction control, completely?

 

User error.

 

Thanks for the input. I was dumb founded. No other way to put it. Ill check out the traction lock button next time I go out.
Im 62 and have been driving since 1975 so that makes me old school I guess. Ive never been able to get on board with the changing technology they put into these cars.

 

It seems like going into 4wd (I know that wouldn't help OP) should automatically turn off TC.

 

Hard to say. I've had great experiences with TRAC being on. That is coming from someone who automatically turns it off in any other vehicle that I have had. I have put all TRAC modes to use though. Auto-LSD works pretty darn well for what it is.

I think the killer app is the anytime locker on the 2WD ORs. That is the biggest mystery from Toyota for me. If the 2WD ORs can turn on the locker at will, why can't the 4WD ORs and Pros?

 

How has no one asked about the chipmunks yet

 

I've never thought about that. That's a great question.

 

Thanks!

 

Auto-LSD mode has gotten my 2WD out of a surprising number of places. I'll always try it first before turning all trac modes off.

 

It has worked for me with wheels off the ground. It also produced my best 0 to 60 time. No complaints.

 

This. Not knowing the functions of ones truck is not the trucks problem.

 

While that is true, the TRAC system is similar but different than your 2nd Gen. I don't know how well yours agrees with the manual, but the OM was utter crap in explaining it for us. It took a crew of us to figure all the modes out, which do vary with the different trims and transmissions. The one button / one knob interface is probably the most laughable part when trying to figure it out. That doesn't even add in the CC / MTS modes and controls.

 

were the chipmunks (Probably) chewing on your wire harness? Kill the chipmunks. Spare yourself the risk of getting stuck while out releasing them back into nature.

 

OP has a 2wd base model tacoma.... the amount of traction functions are literally limited to, full traction control, push button for auto lsd, and lastly push n hold for full traction control off all with one button.


The 3rd gen TRD OR 4x4 Auto is literally the same from a traction control standpoint as an 09+ TRD 4x4 Auto with atrac, you just have finetune ability of atrac (AKA MTS) and fine tuning of downhill assist control (Crawl control). Needless to say, all of the traction aids were documented YEARS ago and all of them are explained in the manual.

 

I completely understand that. There was a bit of a thread jack.

There are subtle differences that have been noted and explained.