Traction Control?

gearheadesw · April 19, 2020

So I'm out on the sand trails last night, The sugar sand we have here in Florida can be treacherous, conditions where difficult at best with no rain for months here, we had a little rain yesterday. Now these sand trails are the real deal, pretty much bottomless in some places, but several feet deep everywhere, treacherous conditions to say the least. Stupidly, as I'm by myself, I managed to get temporarily stationary when I didn't want to in a low spot, uphill both ways, not paying attention to the prevailing conditions.

I'm in low range, trying to get out in reverse, make some good head way, but the torque multiplication in low range was scooping out the sand faster then I was going forward.

So I try Hi range, here's my deal, the truck wouldn't even gain RPM's, just sat there and made noise, couldn't get it to go above 1,000 RPM, just above idle. No power going to the wheels because the engine doesn't make any power at 1,000 RPM. I certain;y would have thought that it would have at least tried to spin the tires, but nothing, push the pedal, and nothing, like the T C was shutting down the show, nothing.

Managed to power out in Low range with a little digging, and a lot of wheel spin with the G-80 bitting, and made it out, no winching, cool .Everythnig was hot after revving, spinning, sawing the steering wheel for 30-40 minutes, but the Silver Dog pulled out. Hi range be damned in the sand.

Icutmetl · April 19, 2020

Maybe I’m missing something here; why didn’t you just shut the traction control off?

2016HD · April 19, 2020

Traction control will basically shut the engine down so the wheels dont spin. Have you not messed around in the snow with it on and off etc. If its on and icy or snow or slick conditions you can plant your foot to the floor and the truck will barely move. Same thing its doing to you in the sand. If offroad id recommend turning it off , just my 2cs

gearheadesw · April 20, 2020

Opps, the first thing that I do going off road is turn off the traction control.

That's my question, truck with the squiggly lines behind it was illuminated, yet acted exactly like the TC was on, mash the throttle, nothing.

SierraHD17 · April 20, 2020

Because even with the button pushed it's not off on these trucks... the gmt900 trucks are the same way. Last decent truck they built for off pavement died in 2007...Quick and dirty is pull an abs fuse. You can also disconnect the steering angle sensor on the steering column and kill it dead while retaining abs function. That said just to get out of a hole an abs fuse works just as well.

People that never leave asphalt or encounter heavy snow will never understand the frustrating stupidity of GMs traction control.

Edited April 20, 2020 by SierraHD17

newdude · April 20, 2020

7 hours ago, gearheadesw said:

Opps, the first thing that I do going off road is turn off the traction control.

That's my question, truck with the squiggly lines behind it was illuminated, yet acted exactly like the TC was on, mash the throttle, nothing.

Did you push the TC button or did you hold it? Holding it will disable both TC and Stabilitrak, however Stabilitrak will come back on beyond 35mph.

SierraHD17 · April 20, 2020

2 hours ago, newdude said:

Did you push the TC button or did you hold it? Holding it will disable both TC and Stabilitrak, however Stabilitrak will come back on beyond 35mph.

The only way to get the truck with the squiggly lines behind it on the tach to illuminate on these is press and hold... single touch results in a t/c with a slash through it that lights up in the speedometer. Doesn't matter anyway... if its stuck in 4wd with the button held and the stabilitrack supposedly disabled it won't move as it's how they have been since the gmt900 trucks. ABS Fuse pull or steering angle sensor disconnect rectifies that. I think the reason for it is the ABS will go into alarm with any real wheel speed and the truck spinning front and rear tires without moving. If all 4 tires spun it wouldn't know the difference but they won't without a front and rear locker so it will see it as a sensor fault. Even the GMT800 trucks do that and you get an ABS fault if you are stuck in 4wd and spinning... In 4 lo you can't get any wheel speed so the system allows it to move. .. kinda.

This is frustrating for people that work around me as you will power out in a mud hole if you start spinning. I remember listening to a friend of mine complain her wireline truck powered out and got stuck on a muddy lease road on the way to a well site. She had the pushed and held the dash button but it still wouldn't spin the tires. I told her the same thing... next time just pull the abs fuses and you will be able to get out on your own.

Edited April 20, 2020 by SierraHD17

gearheadesw · April 20, 2020

21 hours ago, newdude said:

Did you push the TC button or did you hold it? Holding it will disable both TC and Stabilitrak, however Stabilitrak will come back on beyond 35mph.

I think in my going back and forth between low and hi range, I must have left the TC on at some point.That is how the truck was acting, so I must have not been paying as much attention as I should have. It just sucks pushing the throttle and it seems it's not even connected to the fuel injection. I'm going to find this ABS fuse......Thank you @SierraHD17.

Edited April 21, 2020 by gearheadesw

Icutmetl · April 22, 2020

Does nobody read their owner’s manual or what?

Press the “squiggly line” button to disable Stabilitrak (will allow the rear end to come around, but not excessive tire spin). Hold the button down to turn off both Stabilitrack and traction control- you’ll see a message appear on your DIC.

redwngr · April 22, 2020

Traction control stabilitrac combo can save your bacon on wet slippery surface.

Traction control will get you stuck in soft/loose conditions like sand/mud/deep snow where it is necessary to spin wheels to get through.

The trick is to remember to shut if off before attempting to pass through deep loose material.

Dirtbiker · April 23, 2020

Fuse #3 under the hood. Disables antilock but also disables stabilicrap permanently. Just push the button when you start the truck to turn off traction control. Then learn to brake like we did before all these computers.

SierraHD17 · April 23, 2020

Some of you should go get your truck stuck after you have pushed until you see the squiggly and see if you can move.. you are going to have a big surprise when you walk home. This garbage is useless but necessary as people are too lazy to learn how to drive.

Edited April 23, 2020 by SierraHD17

gearheadesw · April 23, 2020

3 hours ago, SierraHD17 said:

Some of you should go get your truck stuck after you have pushed until you see the squiggly and see if you can move.. you are going to have a big surprise when you walk home. This garbage is useless but necessary as people are too lazy to learn how to drive.

Low range is the only thing that saved me from winching, supposedly every nannie shuts off, but I'm unsure of that also.