Nearly all modern cars include traction control systems that help keep your car under control in inclement conditions or at the edges of your tires' grip. These systems can work in various ways, and implementations differ between manufacturers, but the simplest traction control systems detect wheel spin and cut power to that wheel when necessary.
These systems can help keep you out of trouble, and you'll often see your traction control light briefly illuminate if the system engages. However, what should you do when the light turns on and stays on? This guide will help demystify this sometimes mysterious light so you can decide what to do if yours suddenly turns on.
How Do Traction Control Lights Work?
Since traction control systems aren't standardized, the nitty gritty details can vary from car to car. However, your traction control light will typically only come on for one of three reasons:
- The system engaged due to a slipping wheel
- You manually disengaged the traction control system
- Your car has a traction control fault
You can easily rule out the first possibility if the light stays on. Next, try pressing your traction control button. If the light turns off, you probably accidentally disengaged the system. Everything is fine as long as the light disappears after pressing the button. However, if the light remains lit, that most likely points to an underlying fault with the system.
What Parts of a Traction Control System Can Fail?
A simple traction control system relies on a few critical components, most of which it will share with other systems in your car. The wheel speed sensors are the most important parts of the system since they detect when one wheel is moving faster than the others (i.e., spinning). Many cars will also contain a separate control module that acts as the "brains" for the entire system.
Any of these parts can potentially fail, putting the entire system into a fail-safe mode. When the system detects a fault, it will usually illuminate the traction control light to warn you that something is wrong and the system isn't functioning. While your car will still drive fine without traction control, you may have little or no warning if you suddenly lose traction.
Why Shouldn't You Ignore a Traction Control Light?
If you've driven older vehicles, you might feel like traction control is unnecessary or at least not critical. While your car's traction control system is essential to get you from point A to point B, modern manufacturers design their cars with these systems in mind. Without a functioning traction control system, your car may handle much more unpredictably than expected.
Additionally, since most traction control systems include components shared with the anti-lock braking (ABS) system, a failure may substantially impact your car's safety. At a minimum, you should have a qualified car repair shop investigate and diagnose the problem so you can make an informed decision about the urgency of the repair.
Reach out to an auto repair mechanic to learn more.
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