Traction control

[Don_Macin]

Hi, I've a hybrid 2011 and was wondering if you can turn off the stability control, or in particular the traction control. With winter upon us, sometimes not having traction control on can help you get out of snow. I've checked the manual and I can't see anything that tells me how to turn it off. Any ideas? TIA

[MagicBoy]

Don't think you can, they didn't add a switch until the Mk2 facelift in 2015...

[furtula]

11 hours ago, Don_Macin said:

Hi, I've a hybrid 2011 and was wondering if you can turn off the stability control, or in particular the traction control. With winter upon us, sometimes not having traction control on can help you get out of snow. I've checked the manual and I can't see anything that tells me how to turn it off. Any ideas? TIA

Check your manual, if there's an option, it should be in there. I prefer the PDF version that you can get for free from Toyota UK, it they used to store them for the last 10 yrs, don't know if that's still the case, so if you dont have it, quickly go and check, much easier to search.

[TonyHSD]

Hi,

on the first gen Auris hybrid you can not turn off traction control with a button, however you can put the car in “maintenance mode” which switches off traction control and turns on petrol engine that can help you get out if you stuck in mud, snow or any similar situations., but do not drive the car like that for extended period of time, 5-10min max then turn ignition off , and on again if you require to drive the car more . 
 To do so you need to follow these steps: 

1. Apply hand brake (parking brake) then Double press start button to put the car in accessories mode and press accelerator twice fully and release 

2. Press brake pedal and hold the gear lever into N position to put the car in Neutral 

3. Release the brake pedal and double press accelerator fully and release 

4. Press brake pedal and put the car in P parking then double press accelerator again 

5. Press brake pedal and turn on the ignition, the car will start its petrol engine and there will be a text displayed on the screen “maintenance mode” and yellow light for traction control. , now you have your car ready for action. You can burn your rubber and get yourself out of trouble. Once you out all you need is to stop, turn off and on again and the car is again with traction control on and everything as normal. 👍 Btw traction control works really well and if one of the wheels has traction will help a lot, but if both front wheels loose traction it just turns off all the torque from the drive train and you are literally going nowhere. 👌

[Parts-King]

Try not to overthink it, over the years I have driven dozens of Toyota Hybrids and never ever been stuck in snow. Whilst I don't live in the Highlands I do live on a hill and have never been stuck at any time, in fact Hybrids behave very well in snow, IMHO

[TonyHSD]

For reference I can give examples of how good Toyota traction control is and helped me in some cases and exactly opposite, how I was stuck on wet grass even with brand new winter tyres, if both driving wheels loose traction the car just won’t move even an inch all the power it’s cut off so switching off TC is really helpful. Other example, one wheel on clear tarmac, the other on pure ice, without traction control the car won’t go at all, my Auris just went of the line as there was no ice at all. 👍

[TonyHSD]

Here two interesting videos, might be helpful for anyone with snow around, sadly I have non ❄️😕