But he couldn't answer why the traction control system didn't work? Or for that matter, why most GM traction control systems show
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| No matter the road surface condition, wet or dry, the front wheels would break pavement and spin to their hearts content, laying down rubber and squealing like my 3 year old. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
no difference when engaged or when the defeat button is pushed. With the Maxx, no matter the road surface condition, wet or dry, the front wheels would break pavement and spin to their hearts content, laying down rubber and squealing like my 3 year old - yes, oh so annoyingly. Passersby would snap their necks around to sneer at the juvenile behavior, and I would put both hands in the air, shrug with a stupid "I didn't mean it" grin on my face and shrink down behind the wheel. Hey, there was a time I would have thought such activities were cool, but I was beyond that over a lifetime ago. The said engineer assures me that the Maxx uses an engine-managed traction control system, which by the way retards the engine when wheel slippage is sensed instead of engaging the ABS system to add braking, the usual method used for traction control systems. The engine-managed system allows GM to offer traction control on cars that don't feature ABS,
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| The traction control systems on most front-wheel drive GM cars that I've tested don't work worth a darn. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
but I ask why. Most buyers would much rather have antilock brakes included than traction control, because if you can't get going due to slippery conditions then you won't have ABS to keep the car under control when you need to brake. The Malibu Maxx, by the way, comes standard with antilock brakes so this latter issue is moot. But still the fact of the matter is, the traction control systems on most front-wheel drive GM cars that I've tested, ABS-equipped or not, don't work worth a darn. I've used engine-managed traction control in a variety of Ford products, dubbed AdvanceTrac by that automaker, and it is easily the best of its type available.
