TRACS/ABS: 70: Traction Control always on?

[AndyPants]

My 1998 C70 (99 year model) appears to be fitted with the TRACS? traction control system and has a button to this effect on the dashboard. However when I try turning off the traction control (on private land naturally...) by keeping it pressed for 2 seconds the warning light comes on but the traction control still appears to be enabled...

The traction control seems pretty effective and the only times I get wheel spin is if I boot it suddenly and the turbo kicks in other times it just seems to cut the power/brake the wheels? From what I've read in some old threads people usually complain it doesn't work! Mine still seems to kick in 3rd gear if I'm booting it and also seems to happen if I get near red lining it. Once the car gets to about 40 the car goes like a rocket. The tracs light also doesn't flash or anything but I wondered if that only happens for the TRACS/STC? system which I don't believe mine has.

So is my traction control button merely for show? Can't say I'm fan of it to be honest! But I guess in the wet it has its uses.

[AndyPants]

I take it no one else has had this then? My car must be unusual in that the traction control appears to actually work... (Just can't turn the damn thing off)

I wonder maybe if the car cuts the power through the ETM which I suspect my car has.

[acshortt5]

Originally Posted by AndyPants

I take it no one else has had this then? My car must be unusual in that the traction control appears to actually work... (Just can't turn the damn thing off)

I wonder maybe if the car cuts the power through the ETM which I suspect my car has.

My tracs system works, its just too slow in average wet conditions > its quicker just to lift off the throttle ;-)

It did work quite well in the snow though.

[AndyPants]

Originally Posted by acshortt5

My tracs system works, its just too slow in average wet conditions > its quicker just to lift off the throttle ;-)

It did work quite well in the snow though.

Well I don't hammer the throttle or anything daft like that but I can still feel it interfering meaning my C70 initially sets off more slowly than my 850 when I pull out onto a busy A road. Having already driven an 850 for a couple of years without traction control I'm quite used to managing the throttle with my own foot hence I find the traction control annoying! My traction control seems to work in 90% of cases. Unless I absolutely hammer it I get virtually no wheelspin at all.

I wouldn't mind so much if I had the choice of whether to use it or not i.e. if the button actually did something otherthan turn an orange light on and off Since I can't turn it off I also don't have much of an indication of how much grip is available. Tempting to pull the fuse out but I'm not going to.

I've so far avoided driving my C70 in the snow but no doubt it would come in handy and it has its uses in the wet. It also amused me when I'd just bought the car and I booted it going around a slightly curved slip road onto the motorway that it twitched slightly and fought for traction at 60