MN Traction control

[odie602r]

Odie that sounds like the stability control cutting power in that scenario you describe. Did you switch the stability control off or left it on?

Yeah mate, ASC turned off for sure.

It didn't feel like a power cut, more about losing traction, feeling like the car was literally starting it dig/bog down physically (not engine wise), then it's as if it literally got back up on top of the sand again and had traction.

Just noticed quite a few posts so will go back and read them too.

Part of my reason to want to understand if this is the TC working is to get an idea of what might be different if I had the front locked, and then TC in the rear only. I'm assuming that the 'bogging down' (again as in physically, not engine power) may not occur, as the TC needs to have wheel spin occur for a bit before it kicks in.

[odie602r]

//Just remember......that ASC button must be turned off every time you restart the vehicle for the TC to work offroad

it's amazing how easy it is to forget that one little task .....

[macca002]

I am pretty sure TC still works with ASC enabled, it just rapes the engine of power.

[Scottyhome]

Hi all, just wanted to add my piece to the MN TC issues.

I find in normal conditions TC and ASC work great on my MN GLX-R but soon as I go onto the sanddunes it sucks. I hate having to turn it off every time you switch the car back on again, as with ASC on you get NOWHERE on sand due to the ASC trying to stop the wheels spinning and therefore getting no traction.

After a bash in the dunes of Geraldton last weekend, something really bugged me in that both the ASC light OFF, ABS light and 'slipping' light are now on constantly. Car is driving ok but I have noticed the ABS and ASC are now disengaged and I cant reengage them - proven by a brake lockup burnout in the wet today which is very unbecoming to my GLXR - LOL.

When trying to get up a sanddune I noticed even though i was in Low low low 4x4 with the diff lock engaged, the slipping light was still flashing. I understand it is a LIMITED slip diff but this has driven me crazy.

Mitsi manual states once diff lock is engaged ASC and TC are automatically disengaged - which makes perfect sense but why then are the lights still on??

Its driving me crazy!

Thanks and comments
Rob Scott

[Cowboy Dave]

Okay here's a suggestion or two. Firstly, if you have an MN, chances are that you do not have a limited slip diff. Also if you have a rear diff lock, you certainly don't have a limited slip diff. Now for the confusing bit - those warning lights don't just come on for faults with ASC and ABS. They also sometimes light up for other trouble/fault codes.

So, you need to find someone with an OBD reader, or go to your dealer, and find out what fault codes have been logged (to identify the possible problem) and then clear the codes - if they can be cleared. This could be the product of something engine or ECU related and not at all to do with traction etc.

[Scottyhome]

Cheers mate, these cars with ECUS and OBD readers, bugger me...

Gimme a spanner and a wrench any day.

Scotty

[Sootie]

All my lights came on the same on the weekend, I end up breaking one of the plugs above the back diff that the wheel speed sensors plugs into so lost all TC abs etc. I would check the plugs on the top of the back diff and the fuse for TC under the bonnet and if you cant see anything broken take it to mitsu (if its still under warranty) and get them to fix it.

[krazed]

ughh somehow managed to miss this thread until now looking in to a front locker . The amount of times i have been out and haven't turned asc off is ridiculous . Be keen to go back to a couple of "spot x's" to have another go

[chrisdoherty87]

I was out the other day and in 2wd I dropped the front wheel off a rock and had the right hand rear wheel about half a metre in the air. I then thought I'd try the TC instead of 4wd to back out and nothing. No matter the revs or load on the throttle, it just sat there spinning the wheel in the air and did not feel once like it was going to send any drive to the wheel still on the deck. Could this be because I was trying it in reverse? Earlier when I did some hill climbs in 4L it seemed fine as it still pushed forward when I was only balancing on left front and right rear.

[mattyk87]

Does the glx have ASC? Might seem dumb, but think I only have the button for TC. First new car/triton/4x4. Bout to head out 4wding for the first time this weekend so would be nice to know this stuff.

[Brent1]

We have a GLX Club Cab with a diff lock and I have a GLR with no diff lock. Both have the ASC button on the consol to turn it off. From what I have read on this site and in the manual you can't turn TC off on any of them - only ASC - so you shouldn't have a TC button. Pressing the ASC will turn it off for you and allow the TC to do the work properly

[Sootie]

I was out the other day and in 2wd I dropped the front wheel off a rock and had the right hand rear wheel about half a metre in the air. I then thought I'd try the TC instead of 4wd to back out and nothing. No matter the revs or load on the throttle, it just sat there spinning the wheel in the air and did not feel once like it was going to send any drive to the wheel still on the deck. Could this be because I was trying it in reverse? Earlier when I did some hill climbs in 4L it seemed fine as it still pushed forward when I was only balancing on left front and right rear.

Could easy be the reverse thing, I havent tried it in reverse but I have done the exact same thing going forward and you could feel the TC kick in

[Cowboy Dave]

Does it operate properly in 2wd would be my question?

[Sootie]

Does it operate properly in 2wd would be my question?

As above mine does, with asc off and one wheel about 30cm off the ground and an open diff (2013 MN glx) it will spin for a bit then you can feel the brakes start to stop the spinning wheel and you move forward, I can try and get a video tomorrow arvo but I dont know if I can get somewhere to do it in reverse easily

[baito]

My traction control works great in 2 wd, just make sure asc is off and away you go

[Calblitzen]

Maybe it doesn't work in reverse. I have had it not work in reverse 2wd but works in forward gear.

[chrisdoherty87]

Can't see how 2wd would be the problem as its predominantly a safety feature but I'll try in the forward motion one day. Even in the bush i constantly leave ASC off as I like to have full control and if you need to skip the back across its good not to have something trying to stop you. Also I believe to those that were talking about intercepting the wiring that turns off TC when a locker is installed, if you do this without a locker you will be left with an open centre diff which is good for nothing and will most likely limit a lot of the of road potential.

[chrisdoherty87]

Well I went and did mount mee and D'Aguilar range today. One bit there was up hill and had a lot of different cambered angles which meant was lifting the rear wheels one side then the other. Attacked in in 2wd with ASC off and you could feel the TC switching wheels to keep driving the car forward. Worked great! Put it in reverse and tried the same thing to no avail. Spins the wheel in the air. In my brief testing, the TC only works going forward. Not that anyone will be purposely attacking mountains in reverse but a handy bit of info none the less....

[chrisdoherty87]

Double post. Damn back button.

[Gordy]

Well I went and did mount mee and D'Aguilar range today. One bit there was up hill and had a lot of different cambered angles which meant was lifting the rear wheels one side then the other. Attacked in in 2wd with ASC off and you could feel the TC switching wheels to keep driving the car forward. Worked great! Put it in reverse and tried the same thing to no avail. Spins the wheel in the air. In my brief testing, the TC only works going forward. Not that anyone will be purposely attacking mountains in reverse but a handy bit of info none the less....

Good thread, I finally got around to searching for it. Anyway, quite easy to make TC work in reverse = just manually on-off-on handbrake until you regain reverse traction or if you know how to, cadence brake with footbrake.

[chrisdoherty87]

Thought I'd post in this thread as we don't really need another on mn traction control. First things first is I like the traction control. It has helped in a lot of different situations and you can feel it do it's thing the way it should. But I just got back from double island point / rainbow beach and the tc was really starting to annoy me on sand. I was mainly driving in 2wd except for usual entry and exit points from beach and play areas. In 2wd it would drive fine on harder sand but soon as you hit a bit of softer stuff (even short bits) I could feel the car back right off and not want to drive which then almost pulls you up. Please note I turn ASC off every time before I start driving on sand. Is there a way to turn tc off easily like pull a fuse? Otherwise can you boys with factory lockers tell me which plug it plugs into under car as it might be an option to loop or hook up some wires to a switch to turn it off as the locker does when activated. If you can see a reason that this won't work please let me know.

[Bigbirdalx]

Thought I'd post in this thread as we don't really need another on mn traction control. First things first is I like the traction control. It has helped in a lot of different situations and you can feel it do it's thing the way it should. But I just got back from double island point / rainbow beach and the tc was really starting to annoy me on sand. I was mainly driving in 2wd except for usual entry and exit points from beach and play areas. In 2wd it would drive fine on harder sand but soon as you hit a bit of softer stuff (even short bits) I could feel the car back right off and not want to drive which then almost pulls you up. Please note I turn ASC off every time before I start driving on sand. Is there a way to turn tc off easily like pull a fuse? Otherwise can you boys with factory lockers tell me which plug it plugs into under car as it might be an option to loop or hook up some wires to a switch to turn it off as the locker does when activated. If you can see a reason that this won't work please let me know.

I found slowing down bumping into 4h n cruiseing thru is a lot easier than flooring it n 2 n the TC going nuts. I get what u mean tho

[chrisdoherty87]

Yeah that's what I resorted to and found it works but for some strange reason even in bush I like to see how far I can go in 2wd and would like the option to turn tc off like nearly every other vehicle out there.

[Cowboy Dave]

I have heard several different methods of disabling TC. Insert long risk warning here...

I gather there may be a relay you can remove. As you surmise it is also possible to wire a switch to operate as an rdl would. The other one I've heard is that it doesn't operate under brakes - you may find that hitting the manual override on a trailer braking device will have the same effect if it activates your brake lights - this one should be regarded as theory only until tested.

[Rumchaser]

So is the TC a problem on sand or only when you are in 2wd ?