Any truth to this statement?

PAUL SS · 07-10-2012, 09:18 AM

My daughter just traded her Corolla for a new Cruze

The salesperson said fuel mileage will be a little better if she turns off traction control when it is not needed. Does this make sense?

Sir Nuke · 07-10-2012, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAUL SS

My daughter just traded her Corolla for a new Cruze

The salesperson said fuel mileage will be a little better if she turns off traction control when it is not needed. Does this make sense?

no, it doesn't.

chevyfan#1 · 07-10-2012, 10:45 AM

yes it would make a slight difference, I am not sure how measurable it would be but you would be reducing the added spin and/or resistance that it creates to reduce spin in order to adjust what the wheels are doing. Like I said, not sure how much of a difference it would make, but common sense would say that if you are increasing/decreasing the wheel spin and using power to do so then it would adversely effect your fuel economy.

earn88hardt · 07-10-2012, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chevyfan#1

yes it would make a slight difference, I am not sure how measurable it would be but you would be reducing the added spin and/or resistance that it creates to reduce spin in order to adjust what the wheels are doing. Like I said, not sure how much of a difference it would make, but common sense would say that if you are increasing/decreasing the wheel spin and using power to do so then it would adversely effect your fuel economy.

no way

*DGthe3* · 07-10-2012, 11:59 AM

I can't see how it would. Traction control does nothing 99.99% of the time, so any affect on fuel economy would be next to impossible to see one way or the other.

But if it affects things, I can only imagine that it would help rather than hurt. When it intervenes, it usually does so by cutting the engines power -which (for that very brief moment) would reduce fuel consumption, not increase it.

derklug · 07-10-2012, 12:00 PM

This is your salesman

, this is your salesman on drugs.:party0048:

Scalded Dog · 07-10-2012, 12:25 PM

Traction control prevents wheelspin, which is, in effect, a condition in which the engine is furiously burning gasoline while the wheels are spinning but not moving the vehicle... zero MPG at the start, and not much better than that for the duration of the wheelspin event.

I am unable to see how traction control ever reduces mileage, but I do find it very easy to believe that there's a salesman out there who doesn't know his hole from an a55 in the ground, but still talks like he knows everything.

DaBears · 07-10-2012, 12:36 PM

I would never tell my daughter to ever turn off traction control.

CamaroSkooter · 07-10-2012, 01:34 PM

You'll also get better gas mileage if you replace the trunk with a panel covered in Estes rockets, but that's not a recommendation I would ever consider seriously...

Higgs Boson · 07-10-2012, 03:17 PM

TCS can pull timing which may end up reducing fuel mileage.

She will lose about .01 MPG and the ability to control her car in the event of less than perfect driving situation. Unless she knows how to drift real nice like.

CamaroSkooter · 07-10-2012, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Higgs Boson

TCS can pull timing which may end up reducing fuel mileage.

She will lose about .01 MPG and the ability to control her car in the event of less than perfect driving situation. Unless she knows how to drift real nice like.

TCS will only ever pull timing if there is a loss of traction event, though.

If you know your daughter's driving style leads to losing traction often enough that the event of TCS pulling timing is having that much of an adverse effect on her gas mileage, then I think you have bigger issues to address...

Higgs Boson · 07-10-2012, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamaroSkooter

TCS will only ever pull timing if there is a loss of traction event, though.

If you know your daughter's driving style leads to losing traction often enough that the event of TCS pulling timing is having that much of an adverse effect on her gas mileage, then I think you have bigger issues to address...

SATX, FTW!

strych9 · 07-10-2012, 05:47 PM

Completely and totally false claim.

CrutchfieldBrooke · 07-10-2012, 10:30 PM

I have heard the same thing about traction control and have gauged fuel mileage with it on and off on vehicles and didn't see any significant difference.

07-10-2012, 11:59 AM	#5
DGthe3 Moderator.ca Drives: 05 Grand Am GT Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Niagara, Canada Posts: 25,366	I can't see how it would. Traction control does nothing 99.99% of the time, so any affect on fuel economy would be next to impossible to see one way or the other. But if it affects things, I can only imagine that it would help rather than hurt. When it intervenes, it usually does so by cutting the engines power -which (for that very brief moment) would reduce fuel consumption, not increase it. __________________ Note, if I've gotten any facts wrong in the above, just ignore any points I made with them __________________ Originally Posted by FbodFather My sister's dentist's brother's cousin's housekeeper's dog-breeder's nephew sells coffee filters to the company that provides coffee to General Motors...... ........and HE WOULD KNOW!!!! __________________ Camaro Fest sub-forum

07-10-2012, 12:00 PM	#6
derklug Drives: 12 Boss 302 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Grand Rapids, Mi Posts: 1,369	This is your salesman, this is your salesman on drugs.:party0048: __________________ The biggest mistakes in life come when you know exactly what you are doing.

07-10-2012, 12:36 PM	#8
DaBears Drives: 2014 Subaru Forester, 2010 Equinox Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: South Bend, IN Posts: 560	I would never tell my daughter to ever turn off traction control. __________________

07-10-2012, 01:34 PM	#9
CamaroSkooter Retarded One-Legged Owl Drives: 2010 Black Camaro 2SS Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 9,745	You'll also get better gas mileage if you replace the trunk with a panel covered in Estes rockets, but that's not a recommendation I would ever consider seriously... __________________ My VIN = 2G1FK1EJ9A9105017 Build Date: 04-23-2009 according to: http://www.compnine.com/vid.php

07-10-2012, 05:47 PM	#13
strych9 I'll be back... Drives: Subaru, HD Road Glide Special Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 3,036 View My Garage	Completely and totally false claim. __________________ Bye bye, Bumblebee! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Build Journal My Garage GoPro Mic Hack

07-10-2012, 09:18 AM	#1
PAUL SS The Mark of Excellence Drives: 2010 ABM 1SS RS LS3 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Smallest State in the Union Posts: 8,688 View My Garage	Any truth to this statement? My daughter just traded her Corolla for a new Cruze The salesperson said fuel mileage will be a little better if she turns off traction control when it is not needed. Does this make sense? __________________ BMR, CAI, DynoMax, Elite Eng., Hurst, Jannetty, Clear Image Headers & Hi Flow cats, Jet Hot, LSR, TSW, VMax, Vredestein

07-10-2012, 10:45 AM	#3
chevyfan#1 I Love my new Camaro!! Drives: Hyper Blue 2016 Camaro SS Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Arkansas Posts: 296	yes it would make a slight difference, I am not sure how measurable it would be but you would be reducing the added spin and/or resistance that it creates to reduce spin in order to adjust what the wheels are doing. Like I said, not sure how much of a difference it would make, but common sense would say that if you are increasing/decreasing the wheel spin and using power to do so then it would adversely effect your fuel economy.

07-10-2012, 12:25 PM	#7
Scalded Dog Drives: 2011 1LT Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Crestline, CA Posts: 3,029	Traction control prevents wheelspin, which is, in effect, a condition in which the engine is furiously burning gasoline while the wheels are spinning but not moving the vehicle... zero MPG at the start, and not much better than that for the duration of the wheelspin event. I am unable to see how traction control ever reduces mileage, but I do find it very easy to believe that there's a salesman out there who doesn't know his hole from an a55 in the ground, but still talks like he knows everything.

07-10-2012, 03:17 PM	#10
Higgs Boson Perpetual Order Drives: indeed Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Texas Hill Country Posts: 1,277	TCS can pull timing which may end up reducing fuel mileage. She will lose about .01 MPG and the ability to control her car in the event of less than perfect driving situation. Unless she knows how to drift real nice like.

07-10-2012, 10:30 PM	#14
CrutchfieldBrooke Drives: 2010 Camaro, 1968 Camaro Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Norton, VA Posts: 333	I have heard the same thing about traction control and have gauged fuel mileage with it on and off on vehicles and didn't see any significant difference.