+ VY How to disable Traction Control (ETC)

[alien]

For those people with LPG factory fitted you will not need to worry about this, this should already have been performed by Holden.

For those with LPG you can disable Traction Control very easily (should already be done, if not it can cause problems when driving as the ETC changes spark firing and air/fuel ratio as well as boost for supercharged vehicles). If you dont have LPG, and just dont like Traction Control this is also the right topic to disable it.

NOTE:
Holden will not build a vehicle with Electronic Traction Control (ETC) and LPG, as the systems are incompatible. If a vehicle with ETC is to be fitted with an aftermarket LPG system, the ETC system must be permanently disabled.

NB: This how-to will only tell you how to disable Traction Control. It will not disable ABS. Thus your ABS system will still work properly.



The proper and recommended way to disable ETC is this:

1. Open your bonnet to reveal your ABS module on the drivers side wheel arch.

2. Disconnect the battery

3. Remove the wiring connector you see on the front of the ABS module.

4. Locate terminal 27 and push it out of the connector. NB: If your unsure the wire is Black/White in colour.

Image of connector in case your confused:


5. Use some electrical tape to tape up the terminal.

6. Plug the connector back onto the ABS module.

7. Reconnect the battery.

8. Close your bonnet and enjoy no traction control.


Please note that when this is done the ETC system will be disabled. This will result in the TRAC OFF light (in VT and VX) and the TRAC OFF warning on LCD screen (VY) to be active. VT and VX owners, do not remove the warning lamp in the cluster. It is there for a reason, and reminds you (or the owner) that it's function is unavailable.

I do not take any responsibility for you being actually able to take off properly in situations.

[CANYONERO]

awesome..... but i just want it set up so it stays off most of the time and at the push of a button, i can turn it back on. ( the opposite of how it is now)

[SAMO-87]

At the risk of sounding stupid, isn't turning traction control off in a VT/VX as simple as pushing the button next to gear selector?

[alien]

awesome..... but i just want it set up so it stays off most of the time and at the push of a button, i can turn it back on. ( the opposite of how it is now)

That you would need to still re-flash the ECU. You will have to put up with it a while longer i guess. Sorry i couldn't help you :P

At the risk of sounding stupid, isn't turning traction control off in a VT/VX as simple as pushing the button next to gear selector?

SAMO-87, yes it's that simple, however this does it permanently. No risk of not knowing whether it's on of off. That way whenever you start your vehicle it's always off. No need to toggle it.

Main reason for this how to is that it needs to be disabled for LPG vehicles.

[Oblivion3284]

Is it possible to turn traction back on once this has been done?

[alien]

Yes, when you want to put it back on simply untape the terminal and push it back into the harness. This will enable traction control again.

[Oblivion3284]

Whats the ABS module look like? any screws to remove etc?

[Philthy]

Can you just put a switch on that wire so you could have it on/off whenever you want?

[Oblivion3284]

I dare say you could. Im not about to cut my wire though without seeing it work before hand. Haha

[alien]

Whats the ABS module look like? any screws to remove etc?

ABS module is simply that box near your fuse box with a few metal tubes running into it. From memory there are no screws to remove.

Can you just put a switch on that wire so you could have it on/off whenever you want?

Philthy, didn't think of that, the wire does run to engine connector 1 (one of the three connectors at the firewall in front of the steering wheel). From there it passes through the firewall and across to the passenger side of the vehicle where it connects to the PCM. It is possible to put a switch in between, and in theory this will work fine. Pin 27 is only the response signal for the torque request from the PCM, so i can't see switching it on and off normally would be bad. This would elimante the need for the traction control switch inside the vehicle too.

[Oblivion3284]

So basically i could wire a switch up in the car, maybe on the dash or in the glove box (hehe) and be able to turn it on/off whenever i wanted?

[Philthy]

I don't see why not. Don't sue me if the car burns to the ground though

[sepia]

Does this apply to SVI LPG?

i have a VX SVI set up and traction wasnt disabled and it seems to work fine. Isnt holdens system th old lpg system?

[Dangerous Dave]

Or just run an extra relay off the gas relay which turns trac. control off when on LPG and enables it when you switch to Petrol

[alien]

Or just run an extra relay off the gas relay which turns trac. control off when on LPG and enables it when you switch to Petrol

That would be possible but not advisable. Will get complicated for the driver for the first while of driving and switching between the two. Also, the spark plugs used are different when LPG is installed and the Traction Control system (especially spark retarding) is all based on the regular unleaded spark plugs.

[randeep01]

Thx for the info alien, gtta take a look at it tomorrow.
btw, does this also apply to dual fuel?

cheers

[alien]

randeep01, yes this does apply to dual fuel. In the manual it states that adding LPG (to an existing Unleaded setup) and running both needs this to be performed.

[juzzyx]

Alien. Can you do this on an 03' VY wagon (non lpg)? And is there any difference when driving?

[juzzyx]

Does disabling traction control make skid panning feel different?

[alien]

juzzyx, yes, you can do this on a VY wagon too. All VT's to VY's this works for. It's the same as driving with traction control off.... except there's no need to manually disable it all the time.

[jstcraig]

Gday Thanks for this as I have jst purchased an VX Monaro and was wondering why the traction control wasnt working maybe this is the answer do u know if this mod will affect the cruise contol local dealer has told me that the two controls work in unison and I read on a forum that removing the maf can affect traction contol as well any comments would be greatly appreciated thankyou .

[alien]

This version will not disable your cruise control. As long as it's been performed properly. Good luck with fixing it.

As for the MAF, yes it is quite possible that it will affect traction control, based on how traction control works the timing and tries to retard it. Without properly knowing the air flow coming in it could even stall your engine.

[Cursed CX8]

Gday Thanks for this as I have jst purchased an VX Monaro and was wondering why the traction control wasnt working maybe this is the answer do u know if this mod will affect the cruise contol local dealer has told me that the two controls work in unison and I read on a forum that removing the maf can affect traction contol as well any comments would be greatly appreciated thankyou .

removing the MAF without having the vehicle tuned to run without the MAF will definitely effect cruise control, thats if the car will run at all.
If The Vehicle has a "mafless" tune then the tuner may have disabled traction control.

[strgas]

a simple relay set up is all that is needed to open circuit the wire to turn off the t/c when running on LPG have done this on many cars i have converted to LPG and its automatic when LPG is selected , some processor like sprint gas 295 299 modules have this relay set up built in to them .

[juzzyx]

Alien, I attempted this yesterday and found that "Pushing terminal 27 out of the connector" was alot harder than I thought. I bent the contacts when I pushed it, after I noticed they were bent, I bent them back and put it back together, my '04 VY Wagon still runs fine.

Could you please elaborate on "Pushing the wire out of the terminal"?

Thank you.