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Richard
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Posted: Jan 5, 2001, 5:15 PM
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Trac-on/trac-off? Which one is it?
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I was looking at the trac-off switch and when I push it in, the light on the gauge reads trac-off. That seems just the opposite from other push buttons. You push the defroster in, it lights up and is on, you push the radio button in and it goes on. You figure that you don't want that trac-off light on your gauge burning out your gauge lamp constantly. Today I saw for the first time the trac light flashing over the odometer. Also when I was going up a snow covered hill the trac went crazy and I heard something that sounded like crunching or chains. Is that the way the trac-on works in the snow? Also, I seem to have had the trac-on for the first 4600 miles I've had this car. Does anyone know if that is bad? Like bad for the gas mileage. I guess I should read the manual in depth, but anyone have a quick-fix answer? I always thought that trac-on was on when you pushed it in. Obviously not.
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joe in li
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Posted: Jan 5, 2001, 6:38 PM
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Trac-on/trac-off? Which one is it?
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Rich,You answered your own question. Press the button in, it reads "Track Off".. Works for me....
quote:
Originally posted by Richard:
I was looking at the trac-off switch and when I push it in, the light on the gauge reads trac-off. That seems just the opposite from other push buttons. You push the defroster in, it lights up and is on, you push the radio button in and it goes on. You figure that you don't want that trac-off light on your gauge burning out your gauge lamp constantly. Today I saw for the first time the trac light flashing over the odometer. Also when I was going up a snow covered hill the trac went crazy and I heard something that sounded like crunching or chains. Is that the way the trac-on works in the snow? Also, I seem to have had the trac-on for the first 4600 miles I've had this car. Does anyone know if that is bad? Like bad for the gas mileage. I guess I should read the manual in depth, but anyone have a quick-fix answer? I always thought that trac-on was on when you pushed it in. Obviously not.
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/joe
 
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SlAcKeR
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Posted: Jan 5, 2001, 6:47 PM
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Not for sure on the mileage issue yet. I had posted a few days ago on how the mileage differs when it is on vs when it is off. I'm doing further analysis and will offer more insight at a later date. You push the button and it is off. Also, it is supposed to flash when working. Have no idea what it's supposed to sound like though.
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Dean, Los Angeles
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Posted: Jan 5, 2001, 7:54 PM
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Trac-on/trac-off? Which one is it?
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Low speed traction control is part of the Anti-lock braking system.Low speed traction control works by detecting a spinning tire on slippery surfaces. It only works below 35 mph, and it works by pulsing the brake on the spinning wheel. If you totally lose traction it won't help you when you are spinning off the road. But in marginal conditions it will help keep your PT Cruiser "in bounds." If you accelerate too hard you can see the "Trac" light flash on the instument cluster. If you touch the brakes traction control is automatically turned off, and anti-lock braking takes over. You can't always predict slippery conditions, and it doesn't do anything in normal conditions. You should always leave it on. Dean
Inferno Red Tinted Pearl Coat PT Cruiser Limited Edition with 4-Speed Automatic Transmission, Dark Taupe Royale Leather Trim with Preferred Suede Accent Seats, 4-Wheel Anti-Lock Brakes, Am/FM Stereo Radio with Cassette and CD Players, Mopar Ground Effects Package.
For information on ordering, prices, allocations and a whole lot more read Dean’s List V3.2
Ordered: 3/6, VON: 3/7, BX: 3/7, D:5/22, D1:5/30,Est Ship 6/30
Del! 7/13 129 days! Day 176 driving, 9501 miles
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farkus
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Posted: Jan 5, 2001, 8:44 PM
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Trac-on/trac-off? Which one is it?
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The only time the traction control should be turned off is if you have to rock your car to get it unstuck. This is to keep from damaging the system when shifting quickly from drive to reverse.About a month ago, after our first big snow, I tried to back out of the drive thru the hill of snow left by the snow plow at the end of the drive. Yes, I got stuck. Turned the traction control off and had it unstuck in about one minute by rocking it forward and reverse. As far as the milage goes, it shouldn't make any difference in the milage with it on or off and the grinding noise it makes is perfectly normal. Didn't your dealers brief any of you on this stuff??? Doesn't any body read their manual???
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Jerry Buffalo NY
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Posted: Jan 6, 2001, 9:15 AM
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The above responses cover everything, but the mileage question is somewhat interesting from an academic viewpoint. In real life I suppose the gas mileage would be infinitessmally (sp?) lower if the trac control activated, because it is applying the brakes for microbursts. Even if you could be able to duplicate conditions and measure the actual gas useage accurately enough, you'd still get a distorted result because with trac off you'll get a distorted distance on your odometer due to wheel spin. The car isn't traveling the circumferance of the tire for each revolution.
Then again with the trac on during slippery conditons you can accelerate faster from a stop (vs. otherwise just spinning your wheels) so your total driving time is less for the same distance, giving better mileage.
All these differences are so small as to not really be measureable, of course.
(When I took psychology in college I just loved to challenge test results by throwing in the "confounding variables" that may have been overlooked.) BTW, if anyone who has a PT w/o traction control is really worried about not having it, I recommend getting a set of the "high tech" compound snow and ice tires (made by Bridgestone, Yokohama, Dunlop, and others). Since I put on my Bridgestone Blizzaks, that "trac" light rarely comes on at all. And we've just gone over 100" of snow for this season. I'm having a ball this winter. 22 days consecutive measureable snow fall, and loving it!
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