Sorry if this has been posted before. I did some searching but couldn't find an answer.

I live in Calgary where we get some really snowy winters. I've always had an issue with the traction control. I'll be pulled up to an intersection and start to move forward, then one wheel will slip and the car will just stop for 2-3 seconds. Usually this means my car sits idling stuck right in the middle of traffic bearing down on me. On more than one occasion this has nearly gotten me killed.

I've gotten into the habit of hitting the off button every time I get to an intersection because it comes on again every time I hit 50 kph.

On the other hand, the VSC is great and has saved me enough times that I would never drive with it off in the winter.

I'm wondering is there some way to turn the traction control off permanently while leaving the VSC on? I've read about the pedal dance and holding the button down for 10 seconds, but that turns the VSC off as well.

If it makes a difference I'm driving a 2008 IS350.

Thanks in advance, and again my apologies if this is already a topic that's been beaten to death.

 

If remember rite even tho vsc show off its not completely off. I run both TC/VSC off during winter without any issues. It 08 it shouldn't come back on if TC/VSC are off. Make sure you do it before you move.

 

Thanks! I'll try turning it "completely" off, and throw it into a spin in the parking lot and see what happens.

 

Please report back! I'm interested to know how it really works.

 

You can press & hold TRC off button for a couple of secs (while stationary) to shutdown the TRC with VSC stays on. Try to use snow mode with evrything on instead. It works great in the situations you described.

 

I'm also in Calgary and I don't think thats a great idea of turning both VSC and traction off.. I did the holding down the button for two times in my 08 method and I tried doing that in a parking lot just to see if I would spin out even on little acceleration and I just end up doing donuts like 2 times for making a small turn.. If this happens on the road, then you get the point..

 

I tried holding it down for 5 seconds and it seems to disable both. After a little practice, I actually found this much safer, more predictable, and easier to handle than just disabling traction control. I'm quite comfortable with drifting though so it just felt more natural.

This did however completely disable the VSC. I didn't try a high speed slide, but I was pulling donuts in the parking lot without it triggering.

What I'll probably do is leave it completely off for city driving, then click it back on when I hit the freeway. It's saved me in the past when I hit black ice at 80k, so I do like having it there.

I do still wish there was a permanent way to disable trac. I see absolutely 0 benefit to it in summer or winter driving.

 

I only ever drove my 07 IS with everything off. traction control and vsc is quite intrusive