Wet mode turns off traction control?

[SynisterAZ]

But it’s also available in V mode. Are you saying V mode is the same as track mode?

Regardless… what is the best mode to be in if you’re driving on a wet street or highway and happen to give the car a bit too much throttle going around a turn?

PTM inactive. Regular traction and stabilitrac are perfectly adequate.

 

[Throat Yogurt]

PTM inactive. Regular traction and stabilitrac are perfectly adequate.

PTM wet or PTM inactive are both fine to use, you just have to understand the differences. When regular traction control is on and the rear tires start to slip, the computer cuts fuel. The car shuts down power and there is a short time delay before power comes back on. It's the car loudly telling you that you are getting wheelspin and you need to back off.

On the other hand, in PTM wet when the car gets wheelspin it pulls timing slightly, the rear tires hook back up and the car proceeds normally. Power is reduced slightly, not cut completely. You'll hear the brap brap brap as it pulls timing and you will get just the right amount of power to keep you going but without wheelspin. Stability control stays active. That's the whole point of PTM...it is the car doing everything it can to keep you moving as quickly as traction allows.

Personally, I use PTM wet via V-Mode when driving in wet conditions. I feel the car is more stable and predictable.

 

[SynisterAZ]

PTM wet or PTM inactive are both fine to use, you just have to understand the differences. When regular traction control is on and the rear tires start to slip, the computer cuts fuel. The car shuts down power and there is a short time delay before power comes back on. It's the car loudly telling you that you are getting wheelspin and you need to back off.

On the other hand, in PTM wet when the car gets wheelspin it pulls timing slightly, the rear tires hook back up and the car proceeds normally. Power is reduced slightly, not cut completely. You'll hear the brap brap brap as it pulls timing and you will get just the right amount of power to keep you going but without wheelspin. Stability control stays active. That's the whole point of PTM...it is the car doing everything it can to keep you moving as quickly as traction allows.

Personally, I use PTM wet via V-Mode when driving in wet conditions. I feel the car is more stable and predictable.

I understand all of that. I do not understand how using a track mode setting in wet conditions on the street is a good idea but if it works for you, great. OPs question was one of staying out of trouble, not how to "move as quickly as traction allows".

 

[Matt27]

I understand all of that. I do not understand how using a track mode setting in wet conditions on the street is a good idea but if it works for you, great. OPs question was one of staying out of trouble, not how to "move as quickly as traction allows".

Everybody is so caught up in the semantics of it being a "track mode", but there are several scenarios where you may want to move a bit more quickly than the standard nannies allow you to in a low grip environment.

Turning left across a multi-lane, busy intersection or a very short highway on ramp, both of which I encounter daily on my commute and it can be frustrating to have normal TC kick in given how harsh it can be sometimes.

To date, this "track mode" has done nothing sketchy; it's nothing to be afraid of and I'll let everybody know if I go pinwheeling across 3 lanes of traffic with it on.

I suspect I won't, because stability control stays on in PTM wet. The illumination of the TC lights feels more like something GM legal insisted on rather than a real warning.

Clearly @Throat Yogurt and I are in the minority, but I wanted to provide another data point.

 

[Throat Yogurt]

I understand all of that. I do not understand how using a track mode setting in wet conditions on the street is a good idea but if it works for you, great. OPs question was one of staying out of trouble, not how to "move as quickly as traction allows".

Have you tried driving both? I suspect not, because if you had you wouldn't be confused. "Track" modes are nothing to be afraid of, they are just another operating mode of your car.

Like @Matt27, I have a portion of my commute where PTM wet is objectively better than not in slippery conditions. I have to enter a 4-lane bridge which involves a tight right turn followed by a bumpy uphill acceleration zone. In the wet this area of road gets pretty slick, and combine that with the bumps it makes any two wheel drive car with traction control fall on its face. I prefer not to almost come to a stop when trying to accelerate up hill, and PTM wet, in those conditions, keeps me going.

PTM is simply a different approach to traction control...one that works really, really well. Your car has this amazing technology...why not use it to your advantage?

 

[The Sandman]

Agree with the last couple posts. These vehicles have a lot of power, and we don’t all drive like grannies. Regardless of semantics, I want the best setup available for whatever conditions I’m driving in.

Not sure if it’s been mentioned in this thread, but while trying to research this topic I saw one mention in some Cadillac media that cold/cool tires were considered a slippery condition similar to wet surfaces.

 

[SynisterAZ]

Have you tried driving both? I suspect not, because if you had you wouldn't be confused. "Track" modes are nothing to be afraid of, they are just another operating mode of your car.

Like @Matt27, I have a portion of my commute where PTM wet is objectively better than not in slippery conditions. I have to enter a 4-lane bridge which involves a tight right turn followed by a bumpy uphill acceleration zone. In the wet this area of road gets pretty slick, and combine that with the bumps it makes any two wheel drive car with traction control fall on its face. I prefer not to almost come to a stop when trying to accelerate up hill, and PTM wet, in those conditions, keeps me going.

PTM is simply a different approach to traction control...one that works really, really well. Your car has this amazing technology...why not use it to your advantage?

I played with Wet PTM on my long drive home from the dealer when it was a snow/rain mix but there were no such obstacles you mentioned and I couldnt use cruise control so away it went. Since then I have not found the regular traction control to be the party pooper you have, there are lots of little pea sized gravel pools at turns in my area and the back end gives a little wiggle and hooks when accelerating through these low traction spots. I wouldnt call it leaving me dead in my tracks but I understand the feeling since my 4runner will do just that if there is any wheelspin.

Like I said, if it works for you, great. I use Sport PTM all the time when the road is squiggly and traffic light. And living in AZ I suspect Wet PTM will likely continue to collect cobwebs.

 

[Throat Yogurt]

I use Sport PTM all the time when the road is squiggly and traffic light. And living in AZ I suspect Wet PTM will likely continue to collect cobwebs.

Woah woah woah stop the clock. You regularly use PTM sport when the roads are dry but don't understand using PTM wet when the roads are wet? Now I'm the one confused.

 

[SynisterAZ]

Woah woah woah stop the clock. You regularly use PTM sport when the roads are dry but don't understand using PTM wet when the roads are wet? Now I'm the one confused.

Im sorry you are confused about the difference between when its a good idea to push the car a bit when traffic and weather permit and when it might be a good idea to back off.

 

[Ergoc5]

I would rather err towards PTM off on the street in the wet due to unpredictability of street conditions

 

[Throat Yogurt]

Im sorry you are confused about the difference between when its a good idea to push the car a bit when traffic and weather permit and when it might be a good idea to back off.

That's not the confusing part. The confusing part is why optimising the car for the conditions only happens some of the time.

 

[SynisterAZ]

That's not the confusing part. The confusing part is why optimising the car for the conditions only happens some of the time.

Well then Im sorry you are confused about how optimizing for wet apexes and high speed turns on a track is somehow the same as a wet road. Youve got your wet bridge to deal with, super, put it Track and Race 2 for the Walmart parking lot, by all means.

But my point is and has been that when the limiting factor is the low end of the performance envelope, why optimize for the high end when the standard systems are more than suitable and indeed offer more than the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry sharing the road with you in the same wet weather?

 

[The Sandman]

But the standard system is for drastically cutting power by limiting fuel flow to the engine whereas the PTM reduces power less abruptly and more smoothly by pulling out timing until the slipping or sliding is no longer detected. Can’t speak for other drivers but I’d prefer the latter for my particular needs.

Standard system seems to expect that you will never have slip during normal driving, and if you do the system immediately moves to shut it down… a rescue. PTM seems to expect some slip might be expected, and modulates power in a more controlled manner to help you drive through the low traction event.

Since these modalities are different, and each driver has unique needs and expectations, I suppose the only correct answer is to try them yourself and see what’s best for you. That’s my plan.

 

[Throat Yogurt]

Well then Im sorry you are confused about how optimizing for wet apexes and high speed turns on a track is somehow the same as a wet road. Youve got your wet bridge to deal with, super, put it Track and Race 2 for the Walmart parking lot, by all means.

But my point is and has been that when the limiting factor is the low end of the performance envelope, why optimize for the high end when the standard systems are more than suitable and indeed offer more than the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry sharing the road with you in the same wet weather?

My apologies, I did not mean to disrupt the Old Ladies Fear Club. By all means, use your car in whatever compromised manner you wish.

 

[SynisterAZ]

My apologies, I did not mean to disrupt the Old Ladies Fear Club. By all means, use your car in whatever compromised manner you wish.

Ah yes, the belittling name calling ruse, really the high water mark for tier 1 keyboard warriors.

Ill take my 13yrs flying mil aircraft, 3 yrs contract flying in most places you only hear about on BBC news, and the current gig rippin around in the fastest private jet flying and just let the ladies at the Fear Club know the big bad man on the internet hurt my feelings.

Im sorry the best part of your day is passing a Kia Rio on a wet bridge but we find our thrills where we can I guess.

 

[rubberduck]

 

[GT325]

Possibly a confounding variable is Ct4 vs 5. Seems those with 4s are happy to use PTM in suboptimal conditions and those with 5s possibly a little more restrained. The 5 has considerably more power and can be a handful in good conditions let alone poor ones.

 

[rubberduck]

The 5BW is not well suited for overtly aggressive driving on public roads. Don't get me wrong, I do kick the back end out from time-to-time but it's not my go to strategy.

 

[Tall Steve]

The 5BW is not well suited for overtly aggressive driving on public roads. Don't get me wrong, I do kick the back end out from time-to-time but it's not my go to strategy.

I agree sir....

 

[Tall Steve]

Ah yes, the belittling name calling ruse, really the high water mark for tier 1 keyboard warriors.

Ill take my 13yrs flying mil aircraft, 3 yrs contract flying in most places you only hear about on BBC news, and the current gig rippin around in the fastest private jet flying and just let the ladies at the Fear Club know the big bad man on the internet hurt my feelings.

Im sorry the best part of your day is passing a Kia Rio on a wet bridge but we find our thrills where we can I guess.

Cool, can I ask what military aircraft you were flying? I think that would be a bad to the bone job to have.... I'm to dumb to have a job like that, plus I would probably throw up at high G's, lol......