[lookin4new1]

Do I have to turn off the traction control every time I start the engine? I didn't know if I was doing something wrong or if it's built that way. I know from several topics people talked about in order to get better mileage, you needed to turn off the traction control. :-\

 

[Guest]

By default; the traction control system is engaged when you start the vehicle and you have to manually disengage the system with the switch.

Are you concerned about your current MPG?

 

[lookin4new1]

Not concerned yet, but several posts talked about higher MPG with it disengaged. They made it sound like there was about 2-4 MPG difference. In this age with fuel prices bouncing around, I was wondering whether to check TC device each time. Mine has under 200 miles on it but wanting to drive it in consistent way.

 

[rbarrios]

are you driving fast/bad enough that your Traction control system is activating- and lighting up the message on the dashboard?

If so--- its not the traction control-- its your driving thats causing low MPG.

I leave mine on all the time-- I have no issues with MPG.

So let us know if youre light comes on the dash...

There was a thread where someone appeared to have 'reset' their traction control or stabilitrack--- and reported higher MPG... But I dont remember if others were able to recreate this.

 

[rbarrios]

Not concerned yet, but several posts talked about higher MPG with it disengaged. They made it sound like there was about 2-4 MPG difference. In this age with fuel prices bouncing around, I was wondering whether to check TC device each time. Mine has under 200 miles on it but wanting to drive it in consistent way.

in this case..
I think what you can do NOW-- to get better mileage... is with such low miles-- you can teach your trans to shift.
Its in the learning stage-- where the computer is learning certain parameters it will need to operate nicely.

What you can do- is drive gently enough-- where your 1-2 shift occurs at about 1800-2100. your 2-3 shift occurs at about 2200-2400.

If youre 1-2 shift is occuring in the 3500-4500 range-- then youre too aggresive..

I now drive and shifts occur at 1800 to 2200....

 

[zepcom]

I only shift at WOT (Wide open throttle) ! :happy:

Just kidding... this isn't my g8 we're talking about here! >

I wonder if you could shift into the manual mode (shift lever all the way rearwards) and then use the thumb-level "+" and "-" keys on the gearshift lever to force it to shift "earlier" in the RPM band.

Also... don't expect perfect gas mileage "right out of the gate" .... these engines need time to properly "break in". Some people find that fuel economy improves substantially (2-3mpg easily) as their engines reach >10k miles. Engines are built with very tight tolerances, in planning for some items to wear slightly during the normal useful life of the automobile. Thus, as the engine 'breaks in', the tighter-than-normal tolerances begin to hit their sweet spot and the result is that you get improved response and improved gas mileage.

And also, for what it's worth, how are you calculating gas mileage? Hopefully NOT resetting the trip odo and just taking it's word for it?

The only proper way to calculate average gas mileage is tank-to-tank, and comparing miles driven (difference in odometer readings since last fillup and this fillup) to the gallons used. I find that websites like mpgtune.com are very handy for keeping good track of this.

Hope this helps...

 

[zepcom]

Do I have to turn off the traction control every time I start the engine? I didn't know if I was doing something wrong or if it's built that way. I know from several topics people talked about in order to get better mileage, you needed to turn off the traction control. :-\

By the way, here's the thread that supposedly contains the 'fix'.

http://www.traverseforum.com/index.php?topic=894.0

After talking with an old experienced mechanic he told me that the trouble could be the traction control switch and that I needed to reset it...he had noting but disdain for this particular feature.

I got my car up to speed, set the cruise and did 6 sets of disengaging and reengaging the traction control and it fixed my problem.

I just got back from a trip to the airport, 125 miles with cruise set at 58 and got 27.1 MPG...amazing!!

Please, try this on your car and report back...this could be the fix to your problems too!

 

[bobg1951chevy]

My traction control stays on all the time. I cannot imagine a 2 to 4 MPG difference with the control off....

Bob

 

[zepcom]

My traction control stays on all the time. I cannot imagine a 2 to 4 MPG difference with the control off....

Bob

Bob,

After reading through that referenced thread... some have found that a 'hard reset procedure' of toggling on and off the TC button 6 times while driving at highway speeds caused the system to reset and mileage to improve. Maybe that thread's OP had the button partially stick or something else when they rocked it out from being stuck in the wintertime. Unknown if this will fix the OP in THIS THREAD's issue, I suspect their engine needs to break in a little bit more. But it's quite a harmless test to try. It's not like it's the magnetic fuel saver :happy:

 

[Guest]

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[zepcom]

Sorry,

I must have been thinking of the "vortex generator" fuel saver.

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:beer: :happy:

 

[GXPWeasel]

I don't possibly see how traction control can harm, or help your fuel mileage in normal driving conditions. Your Traction Control doesn't do a thing until it reads that one of the drive wheels is slipping/spinning faster than the other. If it doesn't detect this slippage, then it is basically not there. It should have nothing to do with MPG. Now if you are constantly driving in the snow and ice during the winter, then I could see where the Traction Control MIGHT decrease fuel consumption, but when technically speaking, it should do the opposite, as it is preventing your wheels from spinning faster and faster, as they would without traction control.

As for the previous thread with the traction control issues.... My gues is the differential was stuck into the locking mode (where both wheels are locked and spin at the same rate no matter what). Then I could see this causing more problems than just bad MPG. **** that's how you ruin tires and even suspensionn components. hno:

Overall, I call balogna on the traction control off can help my MPG issue. hno:

 

[lookin4new1]

Thanks for all the responses... I will not touch it then. I guess I was misunderstanding the quote(s) that I read. I will leave the TC alone. Also, I do lots of city driving in that I work in my town. I just want to make sure I'm doing nothing to hurt my MPG. I don't gun it at red lights.... (at least not ALL the time, I am a guy still trying to keep my youth,however) Once again thanks for all the help, Traversers!!!

 

[Narg]

I recall many of discussion about this from years past. At least in GM and Ford products the traction controls do nothing until a severe activity causes them to engage, like others have said above. In the two years I've owned my Traverse I believe I've only seen it engage once (in 8 inch new snow fall) Leave it be, you'll be fine.