What is traction control?

Modern vehicles have many safety features that help a driver stay in protected when behind the wheel – one of those is traction control.

Roads can be slippery during wet weather and wintery conditions, and although drivers should lower their speeds, there are helpful tools in the vehicle that can help drivers.

In this guide, we look at traction control and how it can improve road safety for all users.

Traction control

Traction control is a safety feature in modern vehicles designed to prevent the wheels from losing grip or spinning excessively when accelerating, especially on slippery surfaces like wet roads, snow, uneven surfaces, or loose gravel.

It works by automatically reducing engine power or applying the brakes to individual wheels as needed to maintain traction.

For drivers behind the wheel, traction control can usually be turned on or off depending on the driving situation.

A light will appear on the dashboard if it is on – and if it is off and there are issues with the traction.

• Advice for safe driving on ice
• What are Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) and how do they work?
• Car dashboard warning lights and symbols

How does traction control work?

If turned on by the driver, traction control will automatically lower the power output of the engine and apply the brakes to the wheels in order to keep traction on the road.

Sensors monitor the rotational speed of each wheel and if one wheel spins faster than the others, indicating a loss of traction, the system intervenes and slows the vehicle down.

The aim of the system is to reduce engine power to limit wheel spin. It can apply brakes to the spinning wheel to transfer power to the wheels with better grip.

It is important to remember that traction control often works alongside the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and other stability control systems.

Although it is a very helpful tool to have on the vehicle, it doesn’t improve grip and only helps manage existing traction.

This is why it may not perform well in extreme off-road situations or deep snow conditions.

Traction control warning light

A traction control dashboard warning light will come on if the vehicle's traction control system detects a loss of traction on one or more wheels.

Here is what it will look like:

How to turn traction control on and off?

To switch the traction control on and off, drivers will need to press the button that looks exactly like the dashboard warning light.

You will need to hold the button down for a few seconds in order to switch it on and off.

Check the car owner’s manual for the specific manufacturer details.