Question re: disabling Advancetrac

[Zathras]

For a 2018 GT premium with A10 and 400A, but without the performance pack, just wondering if there's any way to fully disable Advancetrac (stability control). I know that "Track Mode": is supposed to "relax" it, but I think it's still active to some extent. The toggle switch for traction control doesn't seem to affect Advancetrac.

I know on some versions with a button, holding it down for 5-6 seconds may turn off Advancetrac. That's how my 2011 GT worked. But I don't have the "button", and holding the toggle switch down longer doesn't seem to do anything.

Is this really something I need or something that's a good idea in the real world? Probably not--but what if I suddenly find myself in a drift challenge with a million dollars on the line...

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[PoppinJ]

I cant understand this. With track mode enabled the warning pops up with the traction control light off indicating that traction control is off. Is this not the case though? I think you have to hit the traction control toggle and hold while holding the brake for 6 seconds or something. Can someone list what each setting is and how it works? Im assuming its something like Snow, Normal, Sport, Track, Completely off somehow?

 

[DickR]

You can disable Advance Trac. in cars with Drive Modes by holding the traction control toggle switch down for 5 - 8 seconds. If you also want a drive mode other than normal select the drive mode first using its toggle and then use the TC toggle to disable Advance Trac.

 

[Nagare]

To disable it fully (like you'd want on a dyno, not sure I'd risk it on a street), pull the fuse. I think it was 72, but that's just what I recall reading on some post here. Other than that, some is still on.

 

[PoppinJ]

Ive always run at the track with sport + because I didnt want traction control (or Adcance Trac if thats different) completely off like it appears to be if you select track mode. I guess Ill give track mode a shot and see how different it is.

 

[AZ18yote]

Track mode turns off traction control but not AdvanceTrac. You'll see the traction control disable led on but if you get squirrelly and really get on it you'll see the led to the right flash and nanny comes on. To completely disable switch to track mode then hold the traction control toggle up for 5-8 seconds til you see the notice . Then the training wheels are off.

 

[Zathras]

Thanks, maybe I wasn't holding the TC toggle switch up long enough. I'll give it another shot.

(I'm assuming I should see a message like "Advancetrac Off", not just the usual "Traction Control Off".)

 

[AZ18yote]

Thanks, maybe I wasn't holding the TC toggle switch up long enough. I'll give it another shot.

(I'm assuming I should see a message like "Advancetrac Off", not just the usual "Traction Control Off".)

Correct. Same dialogue box but it will say AdvanceTrac instead of Traction Control.

 

[Freedom]

Theres also a plug behind the air intake box that you can unplug and it does the same thing. Im not sure if the 2018 has the plug though. Im curious to know.

 

[Zinc03svt]

Bingo! Plug by airbox. Only way to completely stop ALL nannies. Holding button for 5 seconds does not completely shut off stability control...

 

[NoVaGT]

Ive always run at the track with sport + because I didnt want traction control (or Adcance Trac if thats different) completely off like it appears to be if you select track mode. I guess Ill give track mode a shot and see how different it is.

So, you go to the track, and run around without turning AdvanceTrac as off as possible? Say good-bye to your rear brakes.

 

[PoppinJ]

So, you go to the track, and run around without turning AdvanceTrac as off as possible? Say good-bye to your rear brakes.

Holy cow you're right. I was wondering why the rear pads were so worn, much more than the fronts. Fronts are around 80, rears at like 50/60. Learned something new.

 

[DickR]

Bingo! Plug by airbox. Only way to completely stop ALL nannies. Holding button for 5 seconds does not completely shut off stability control...

When you say all nannies does this include ABS? What else that holding the button doesn't turn off?

I do know that a significant number of autocrossers with 2015 GT's and GT350's have had to use the plug because their stability control will not stay off.

I've autocrossed both a 2015 GTPP base (no drive modes) and a 2018 GTPP 301A (with drive modes) with magneride extensively and there is no stability or traction control intervention other than the few times early in its life when stability control came back on in the 15.

Also the owner manual and the service manual claim that the button push turns of stability control.

Thanks!

 

[DickR]

Answering a couple of questions above based on my previous 2015 GT PP base (no drive modes) and my current 2018 GT PP 301A (drive modes) with magneride:

The 2018 does have the plug by the air box just like the 15.

When I select Track mode the advance trac light comes on. Then when I turn off advance trac by holding the toggle switch for about 8 seconds a message box appears saying that advance trac is off. In my experience and/or reports from other autocrossers it may be important to 1) Let the instrument display go through its complete start up cycle prior to selecting a drive mode or with base cars turning off advance trac and 2) let the drive mode message box clear prior to turning off advance trac. 3) Remember that you have to go through this process every time you start the car. Before complaining note that most other cars, including some very high performance sports cars and some "sporty" cars require a much more complicated process to even partially disable stability control. Ask some of their autocrossing owners about "pedal dance". Ford and GM are much nicer to Mustang, Camaro, and Corvette drivers. Also after dealing with Mustang V8's on the street since 1969 I see no reason to disable nannies on the street so I just use normal drive mode with full nannies and even keep the transmission in D. Autocross, of course, is Track mode, nannies off, manual control of the automatic.

Note that my 15 and my 18 appear to allow turning off advance trac while driving without using the brake. Obviously this isn't possible during an autocross run.

Note that if you left foot brake with stability control "on" the computer will cut power (brake overrides throttle). This safety feature is disabled with advance trac "off". This fact is documented in the service manual and I've tested in on the street.

 

[DickR]

A couple of other procedural comments:

With base cars you cannot turn off advance trac unless traction control is on. Turning off advance trac will also turn TC off.

With 2018 drive mode cars you need to turn advance trac off again if you change drive modes. That is first select drive mode, then turn off advance trac. When in doubt with both versions restart the car and carefully go through the process again. Autocrossing on sticky tires in dry and usually even wet conditions with traction control and/or stability control is not fast . . . unless you haven't learned car control skills including throttle, brake, and counter steering.

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