OK, Let's say I perform the chicken dance to turn off the traction control system, to allow me to motor up a couple hundred yards of steep icy roadway. I understand this is not advised but the reason being motor burnout I believe turning it off for a short slow speed ascent is not going to burn out the motor. How does the "differential" between the two front wheels act? Is it a full slip, when one wheel spins I lose all power? Some sort of limited slip? Full on locked differential (one could only wish)? I've searched and could not find an answer. Thanks. Doug Stephens Anchorage, AK
My understanding of it is that traction control kills power to the electric motor because the problem isn't so much burning up the motor as the fact that the motor has so much torque that when the wheel slips and spins the drivetrain could be damaged if there's a sudden traction event that happens when the torque of the motor is greatest. But others know more than I so we'll have to wait for them to chime in....
Welcome to PriusChat! The chicken dance is for on a lift, diagnostics. A new transaxle is about $5000. Used, about $250 Traction control avoids damaging the motor due to sudden slipping, un-slipping, not 'burnout'. It is an open differential.
The differential is open. It will fully slip if one of your wheels loses traction, and you will be dead in the water. If you leave the traction control on, it will detect the slipping wheel, and selectively apply the brake on that wheel. That resistance will force the differential to deliver power to the other wheel. So the traction control system is how a "limited-slip differential" function is achieved. If you were driving a first-generation Prius (2001 to 2003) you would have the Gen 1 "traction control" which was nothing but a power reduction to avoid overspeeding an MG. But you are driving a Gen 2, so your traction control is traction control, without the air quotes.
