On my 2003 XJR and 2002 XK8 traction control does not throttle back power when accelerating on flat roads or in turns unless significantly pushing it. Going to work I go from a side road to a 55 mph county highway. Where the side road meet the highway there is a moderate incline. To get moving unto the highway, a little more gas than sedate acceleration. On the XJR traction control engages. Not so on the XK8. Was thinking extra weight of XJR was issue until remember my old 2003 XJ8 never did it. Just curious if anyone has an explanation.

 

My XJR's traction control might be the one feature I would just as soon do without, particularly if I could simply swap it for a limited slip differential. My experience is similar to yours when the roads are dry and wonder if the difference is the programming and not the cars per se?

When the roads aren't dry, it's even more frustrating... On the summer Continentals, wet pavement will trigger the traction control even when using what I would call "driving Miss Daisy" style when it comes to accelerating or turning. Anything more aggressive than "driving Miss Daisy" requires turning it off or being outpaced by Toyota Corollas and Ford Fiestas. In the wintertime, even with the Michelin X-Ice I find the same thing. With anything other than bone dry pavement, leaving the traction control on means watching those Corollas and Fiestas drive off into the sunset.

We have a three block long hill to get out of our neighbourhood and the XJR simply refuses to get to the top with traction control on even if it's been plowed and sanded. She just slowly comes to a halt with that yellow warning dash light flashing on and off and then simply staying on. Sometimes a bit of controlled wheel spin is what's needed to start or maintain forward momentum and the traction control's programming simply won't allow it.

 

Maybe the extra 100hp in the XJR making it easier to exceed the limits? In the few instances where my TCS has kicked in on my XJR, its scared me because it basically kills the throttle and leaves me sitting in the middle of the road with oncoming traffic until it decides to let me proceed. I've learned to just read the road a bit better and once I'm past that crown where the inside rear wheel might hop and spin I can get on the throttle a bit more aggressively.

 

Mine used to be quite bad for that, then I got the rear subframe bushes replaced. I've put it down to the subfame moving when the power is applied & that allowed the wheel to move very fast for a moment as until the subframe stopped going forward & pushed the car there was very little load on the tyre. That must have triggered the TC before the slop in the bushes was taken up.

 

That’s how I feel. First time happened I thought car had stallled. In the States and turning right so it’s just the cars coming up from behind.

I think I read if can see rubber the subframe mounts are okay. True? Car has 192k miles. Next time on lift I’ll post pics of mounts.

 

You do know that the feature can be disabled!
The Traction Control must be turned OFF each time the car is started but it can be a ritual when you get into the car if it concerns you.

'BURNOUTS' are not possible with the feature enabled but if you think you just need to smoke the tires, then just hit the TRACTION button.

 

Is that what that button does?!? I thought it was a tractor beam like in Star Wars 😁
My wife’s truck has a jellyfish launcher.

 

Hahahahahaha!

 

If you didn’t know what I was referencing.

 

Yeah you can see if they move as you jack the car up, mine used to drop the subframe about 1/2" as the weight was taken by the jack. I got very similar to what you describe above but turning left as we drive the proper side of the road.

BTW, do the jellyfish consent to being launched? if not you'd probably get sued for using that!

 

Not if we voted.

My experiences with driving on left side of road
In Japan rented a RHD car when visited my son Nic. Everytime I turned I’d chant Nic to the curb. British Virgin Island worse because rental car was LHD.

 

In Japan, in the 80s, learned to drive left and shift left bunches of Toyodas and a Mazda station wagon; and with a 73 Bavaria (left hand drive; could still drive left). Back in the States in 84 for a conference in Arlington, VA, with a buddy with the same assignment in London, we took the rental out of the Marriott, turned left into oncoming headlights -- "Oh ***t!"

Later, in England in the nineties, shocked my business partners with how accomplished I was on the wrong side (and shifting the Volvo with my left hand -- "Muscle memory!"). Even won an argument on whether the speed limits on the M3 were KM or Miles . . . "Had to be Kilometers, Jim was going over a hundred . . . !" Younger, dumber . . . but in UK and Japan the slower ones know their place . . . unlike the double nickel hogs in the left lane, here . .

 

It is so true....the autobahn could teach many drivers many things.
Here in the US we have those who are entitled, and those who just
think they are.

 

I guess you've not been here for a while then. All the lies promoted about 'speed kills' & endless cameras etc have made our motorways sluglike & doing a true 70mph is enough to be passing almost everyone.

Oddly enough the only time I've got it wrong was coming back to the UK, when I exited Dover services & did the roundabout 'euro style', lucky there wasn't much traffic & I clicked soon enough to aim the bike up the correct side of the dual carriageway.

 

I have not had any issues with TC. Nor dry or wet. It will kill the power and will take very long time"couple of too many secods" to regain power after killing it. But I only had this feature where other cars may have it too. Going over slippery tram rails etc when raining and sometimes when there is sudden drop in asphalt level. Like new asphalt top of the old one. If you accelerate there, it may certainly trigger tc. Like mayhem said, it is just about reading the road more.