I have a 2008 IS250. Any way to leave traction control off as default. My car just drives a lot better without the nanny controls

 

I agree, but the traction control has saved me before (mainly in the rain) and I was able to kick the back end out easily on dry pavement (in an IS350) when I tried driving without the traction control right after I bought the car. There is an option to disable it for testing in Techstream.

UPDATE: Tried activating this inspection mode setting on my car and unfortunately it is not permanent. Looks like the best way to disable it is to hold down the TRAC button for 5 seconds while stopped (or do the "pedal dance" while in park on the 06 models). This is reset every time the car is turned off unfortunately. I think I remember reading about someone who wired a switch or relay to disable/enable TRAC/VSC on demand while in motion, but there weren't many details in the post.

I wouldn't recommend permanently disabling it since it would be very easy to fishtail into another car or spin out completely and crash while turning and/or acceleraring in the rain. If you swap in an ISF steering ECU and drive in PWR & D or PWR & S modes, the traction control is much less intrusive but still there to save you from hitting something.

 

Of course make your car having a check engine light and it will always be off haha...

 

Just press the "Trac off" button for 5 seconds and you are good to go. I turned off traction control everyday driving both IS250 and IS350 and the car just comes alive.

 

Outside chance you ever leave your baby with a Valet or family member?
Be glad they have the TC on...at least initially!

 

We have lived many years without this technology. It's too much of a nanny

 

ive never driven mine with traction control off. ive always kept it on. once its off, how does it make the car feel more alive? i know when traction control is off the tires spin more frequently

 

It always cut off power with the smallest slip like gravel on the road etc. very annoying

 

with traction control on, sometimes it gets in your way and make you stuck on the steep driveway when you angle your lowered car with certain angle because 1 tire is hanging in the air and traction control kicks in and cuts off all power. Im sure some members with lowered car experiece this too.

 

Exactly, this is full accurate description of what that traction control does. It makes it safe for driving in the rain and for regular people to drive but it gets in the way too much in performance driving.

 

The Lexus version is too conservative. I understand when your wheels are spinning from slippage but even when I try to put some throttle into it I can feel it kicking in. Turn it off and apply driving dynamics are much better. I feel I have more control of the car with it off. With it on you have no idea when it is going to kick in and makes for some dangerous situations.

 

I agree, just get used to holding down the button every time you start the car.

 

As andper10 mentioned earlier, swapping the stock steering ECU for an IS-F Steering ECU (preferably one from 2011+) will not only significantly improve the steering feel and feedback but it will also allow the new option of setting the VDIM parameter to Sport (same as IS-F) which is much less intrusive than the ISx50 VDIM setting.

 

I have had this happen to me too many times. 1 wheel just keeps spinning in the air and you have to mash on your gas to go anywhere

 

Correct, the Sport mode is activated by putting the ETC switch in PWR mode on an ISx50 with the ISF steering ECU installed. I normally drive with PWR + S on now that I've done the swap to avoid the harsh downshifts under braking from PWR + D while still gaining the stiffer steering and much less intrusive traction control for daily driving.