What the heck traction control???

[DangerRanger84]

Was pulling out of work today, nice easy left turn, back end hit some ice and fishtailed a bit (was going maybe 7mph) and I got this horrendous grinding noise under the hood and felt a vibration in the gas pedal. Lasted 1-2 seconds, truck straightened out and all was good.

“Well that was weird” I think to myself - “maybe the traction control kicked in?”

Driving home I see a snow covered parking lot and pull in to test out the traction control. Turned it off and hit the gas (lightly) to get the back end to break loose and get that grinding noise and pedal vibration back and even with the traction control off, it still has the flashing light that it’s kicking in. Lasts as long as I hold the steering wheel turned and am holding the accelerator. “Hmm…kinda weird - let’s try again”

So I mashed the pedal, crank the steering wheel and throw a beautifully executed donut and a huge amount of snow roost (very satisfying). Meanwhile the traction control that is turned off is now flashing at me and there’s that grinding noise and pedal vibration again. Then I get this terrible burning smell - the “did I just light my clutch on fire” smell. Well crap - what did I break? Stop the truck, drive straight out of the parking lot and within a few seconds it goes away, I pull out and drive home and everything seemed fine.

I did not hit the 4H on accident, truck seemed to shift fine after. No dash lights, notta.

Anyone else seem to notice the traction control still coming on even when turned off? Seems really weird to have it flash while turned off. Anyone else have that smell under “spirited driving”? Is the traction control cranked to 11 on these trucks?

What says the hive???

This is a 2021 Lariat FX4 with 390 miles on the clock.

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[Dahveed]

The “grinding” is the ABS pump. Unless you hold the TC button until you see “AdvanceTrac Off” on the dash, the stability control is still on.

The traction control being off will let the tires spin, but the stability control is trying to stop the truck for sliding sideways. It has yaw sensors to detect the lateral motion. The ABS pump is activating to apply braking to the necessary wheels to get the truck back under control.

 

[DangerRanger84]

The “grinding” is the ABS pump. Unless you hold the TC button until you see “AdvanceTrac Off”, the stability control is still on.

Thanks for the reply. ABS would make sense, didn’t think of that. Traction control was held and off but now that you mention stability control and after looking at the dash a bit closer I think what was flashing was the stability control. Doh!

Any thoughts on the burning smell? I’d be surprised if I was truly burning the clutch, but man it had me worried for a second.

 

[9zero1790]

id say the smell was the brake linings on whatever wheel the computer was trying to slow down. even with traction control turned off it is still on to a degree in the background. you can hold down the button until it say something like advanced trac off and its a lil more freedom but still has nannys on the brakes and other things just a lil less. idk on the rangers but the current mustangs you could pop a fuse under the hood and actually kill the nannys.

 

[Dahveed]

Thanks for the reply. ABS would make sense, didn’t think of that. Traction control was held and off but now that you mention stability control and after looking at the dash a bit closer I think what was flashing was the stability control. Doh!

Any thoughts on the burning smell? I’d be surprised if I was truly burning the clutch, but man it had me worried for a second.

If you were whipping donuts while the stability control was trying to stop it, you were probably smelling the rear brakes.

 

[D Fresh]

Roll stability control, RSC, is the only part of AdvanceTrac that will not turn off with the long press.

The ONLY way to turn off RSC is sand mode. I confirmed this with snowy parking lot play today.

 

[awd.nv]

Even when I did advance trac off, it still kicks in. We finally got some rain out here and I went to try to "drift" a left turn in an industrial area, got nice and sideways, started letting off the throttle slowly to start bringing it back straight and once the truck saw me start to let off, it fully let off and almost felt like it touched some brakes as it jerked me around a bit. I was a bit bummed about that.

What the heck does it take to get all the nannys off? Oh well, at least my Mustang lets me do what I want.

 

[Cabose-1]

Yeah, posted a thread about this a while back ago too. This pickup is nannied to death. Dont have snow but have a lot of open fields. I have a 4x2 xlt. The computer, or abs works like a poor mans locker (braking the tire that spins so the other tire will turn), but even with advanced trak off the yaw sensors, steering angle science stuff gets in the way. And only one tire spins. But with traction on. It just takes power from engine and tranny. Weird, took a lot of spinning tires and fishtailing to figure out exactly how it all works. Lots of nannies.
It gets annoying, but sure does get the vehicle driving straight pretty quick.

 

[D Fresh]

Even when I did advance trac off, it still kicks in. We finally got some rain out here and I went to try to "drift" a left turn in an industrial area, got nice and sideways, started letting off the throttle slowly to start bringing it back straight and once the truck saw me start to let off, it fully let off and almost felt like it touched some brakes as it jerked me around a bit. I was a bit bummed about that.

What the heck does it take to get all the nannys off? Oh well, at least my Mustang lets me do what I want.

Sand Mode is the only way to get RSC off.

 

[Dahveed]

I forgot all about the roll stability in addition to traction and standard stability control. So, if your truck doesn't have Terrain Management, there's no way to activate the Sand mode. Sand mode disables everything so the tires can spin to dig itself out of sand.

edit: I forgot your truck is a Lariat FX4, it should have all the bells and whistles.

 

[JesseS]

So if you want to play in the snow, think sand? Maybe @Ford should have put a 'Play' mode in TM.

 

[awd.nv]

that was probably to roll stability that you cant turn off unless youre in sand mode

Sand Mode is the only way to get RSC off.

Thanks, I will have to try it in sand mode next time. I have seen reviews where they say this truck is nice, no nanny and I wondered what did they have it in.

Think Sand mode is the only mode that allows for the locker to be on over ~20mph so I am thinking you guys are right.

 

[D Fresh]

Thanks, I will have to try it in sand mode next time. I have seen reviews where they say this truck is nice, no nanny and I wondered what did they have it in.

Think Sand mode is the only mode that allows for the locker to be on over ~20mph so I am thinking you guys are right.

Not sure if that part about the locker is right.

But I proved the sand mode to myself this weekend. Axis spins, where it looks like you drove a nail threw the middle of the truck and flicked it with God's finger, are possible in Sand Mode. As well as long sustained 4 wheel drifts. I could still hear some abs action up front on the inside during the axis spins, maybe some sort of torque vectoring? But all 4 wheels continued to throw snow.

Sand Mode, locker on, long press to turn off AdvanceTrak. That's my new "traction impaired play mode."

 

[awd.nv]

Not sure if that part about the locker is right.

But I proved the sand mode to myself this weekend. Axis spins, where it looks like you drove a nail threw the middle of the truck and flicked it with God's finger, are possible in Sand Mode. As well as long sustained 4 wheel drifts. I could still hear some abs action up front on the inside during the axis spins, maybe some sort of torque vectoring? But all 4 wheels continued to throw snow.

Sand Mode, locker on, long press to turn off AdvanceTrak. That's my new "traction impaired play mode."

Well that's good news then haha

Man, back in Nov. I was at Sand Hollow State Park, UT and tried doing a donut but only had traction control off, not adv. trac off too (didnt know about it then either). Kept hearing the brakes kick in. Didn't think to do Sand mode because I think that ALWAYS engages 4wd. Not sure if I can do Sand and 2wd. I will have to try that but either way, love this truck, love the tech but also wish we could shut it all down like older cars having zero traction systems. Back when traction control was my right foot.

 

[D Fresh]

Well that's good news then haha

Man, back in Nov. I was at Sand Hollow State Park, UT and tried doing a donut but only had traction control off, not adv. trac off too (didnt know about it then either). Kept hearing the brakes kick in. Didn't think to do Sand mode because I think that ALWAYS engages 4wd. Not sure if I can do Sand and 2wd. I will have to try that but either way, love this truck, love the tech but also wish we could shut it all down like older cars having zero traction systems. Back when traction control was my right foot.

I've tried Sand Mode, then shifting into 2wd. It kicks you back to Normal Mode when you switch back.

4wd is fine for my play in the Ranger.
If I'm gonna hoon around a truck this high I'll keep it on the low traction surfaces.

I feel you on the nannies. Unavoidable for the most part on more pedestrian vehicles like the Ranger. Luckily you've got the Mustang for play time.

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