What does TCS actually do ?

[TllEWL]

I'm (thus far) constantly amazed by the carefree handling of the Toledo - it shouldn't be able to go round corners as quickly as it does...

But I often wonder what's going on behind the scenes when that TCS light appears on the dashboard (especially in the recent snow).

It's an open diff AFAIK, so what's actually happening to keep all the wheels rolling ?

 

[Nath.]

Normal traction control just cuts power from the engine when it detects one wheel rotating faster than the other 3.

It does this by using the ABS sensors to monitor wheel rotation even when you're not on the brakes.

 

[Muttley]

There used to be a nice summary on the Bosch site, but it's vanished, to be replaced by this anodyne bit of marketing-speak.

Basically, TCS cuts power to the driven wheels when it detects that one or both is rotating faster than the non-driven wheels. In 4x4's it gets more complicated . . .

Here's Tiff Needell on Fifth Gear on the subject of ABS/TCS/ESP

Other References
Wikipedia (generally useful on technical subjects that are not the subject of a newsmedia-generated controversy)

ABS

TCS

EDL (Part of a larger page on Limited Slip Differentials)

ESP


2005 Australian study


Swedish ABS Study

 

[yellonvi-R]

Pissis me off thats what it does. Off is the best mode

 

[Muttley]

You have a heavily modified car. The brake computer that does all the ABS, TCS, ESP and Uncle Tom Cobbley and all calculations does not know this, and is controlling your car's behaviour in accordance with its programmed parameters. It really ought to be remapped to match your car's upgraded performance characteristics.

This does not make TCS a bad thing or inappropriate for most of us.