Traction control and winter.

15 Z71 · December 21, 2015

So just got my 2015 z71 Sierra about 4 months ago,I live in Ohio and just wondering what people think of traction control. I had a 2006 Silverado z71 with no traction control. I don't think I'm going to like it. I don't like the fact of it powering down and doing its on thing. Do a lot of you guys turn it off when it snows?

agentf · December 21, 2015

I like it in the winter. Keeps the truck in line when passing on snow highways. I don't find the drop in power to be that aggressive. Just enough to help out. My buddy got sideways on the highway last year in his 14 after hitting some black ice. Before he could do anything the truck corrected itself. I wouldn't consider turning it off unless you want to hoon around a parking lot.

Big_D · December 21, 2015

Quite helpful on the highway when you're moving at a decent speed. it's straightened me out a couple times merging onto the highway when the corner is icy.

Other than that, I'll turn it off at every other possible chance. it's annoying at low speeds trying to plow through deep snow. but not nearly as restrictive as my work truck, which is a 2012 F150.

jamin87ss · December 21, 2015

I hate it, came from a 05, it just doesn't fit my driving style, same with stabilitrac,

redwngr · December 21, 2015

The first time you go around a slippery corner to aggressively and realize it kept the truck from fishtailing into the traffic in the other lane you will like it and stabilitrac.

The first time you get in deep snow, sand or mud and find you can spin the tires to maintain momentum you will know why it sometimes must be turned off. If you ever do get stuck, be sure to turn them off or they will prevent you from rocking the vehicle/spinning the wheels to get out.

joshc64311 · December 21, 2015

it works well but wont let you play around all that much because of stabilitrac turns it self back on around 30mph i think

Badass69 · December 21, 2015

I hate it...... came from an 05 with a Detroit Locker in the back of it..... loved it! I will be disabling it on my truck if it annoys me enough but saying that I have yet to have it activate at all while just driving. I don't drive like a tard and with good tires and some weight in the bed I don't have issues with ice and snow. I just drive with the one push method as press and hold on these new ones is pointless unless you are only going 30 mph lol.

The stabilitrac is no wear near as invasive as the Advancetrac on my previous 6.2 powered F150..... that thing would shut down before you even felt the truck wiggle.... I had that crap mostly shut off via tuning to make it tolerable.

I really want a locker for my 2015 but have to wait for the aftermarket unfortunately.

Aubie_01 · December 21, 2015

In the GMT900 it was possible to pull a fuse and disable the entire system. Has anyone done this for the K2 trucks?

Newell33 · December 21, 2015

It probably helps for a majority of drivers, but when you need to move the rear end around to get through a corner in the snow, it definitely hinders. When it kicks in, there's usually a 1-2 second delay until you're able to get back into the throttle, and move the truck the direction you had intended. It's more of a negative for me, but as others have mentioned, I likely have a different driving style than most of the general public.

Badass69 · December 21, 2015

In the GMT900 it was possible to pull a fuse and disable the entire system. Has anyone done this for the K2 trucks?

What fuse? I can kill it with the ABS fuse out but I want to keep ABS function... it's one of few things that I don't mind having lol. I need to look in HP and EFI to see what I can do from the suites to reduce it's function.

Ianf · December 21, 2015

I turn it off in the snow and around town

robvas · December 21, 2015

Doesn't come on that much in 4AUTO

Aubie_01 · December 21, 2015

What fuse? I can kill it with the ABS fuse out but I want to keep ABS function... it's one of few things that I don't mind having lol. I need to look in HP and EFI to see what I can do from the suites to reduce it's function.

Watch here:

Aubie_01 · December 21, 2015

What fuse? I can kill it with the ABS fuse out but I want to keep ABS function... it's one of few things that I don't mind having lol. I need to look in HP and EFI to see what I can do from the suites to reduce it's function.

Watch here:

crushNchowda · December 21, 2015

Traction control and stability control are 2 different things entirely. The posters talking about fishtailing and the truck straightening itself out - that's stability control, and you "can't" turn it off on these trucks (it defaults to ON whenever even after turning it off whenever you exceed 30 or 40mph) - stability control is ALWAYS a good thing to have - believe me. I have a Z06 vette and the stability control program can really work wonders in a 2WD vehicle - they have a "competitive driving mode" in the vettes that removes almost all nannies except the stability control which is left on but only in the background as a safety net - the threshold of when it intervenes is much higher.

I may be wrong, but I think traction control is off, period, when in 4WD hi or lo, but I think still present in 4WD auto.

I run snow tires on my truck in the winter, and in a RWD car (or when I don't wanna put 4WD on in my truck) TC is not a help because it limits the power too much and too quickly to allow the tires to do their thing.