DG_Guy

Does anyone know if I I'll get more power to the tires of my 2010 E550 if I turn off the traction control? I've been experimenting with it it lately and it feels slighly better with it off but I'm wondering if that's just a placebo effect.

ImInPA

You will get the same power to the tires with it on or off. The difference only occurs when the power exceeds the traction limits of the tires. With it off, you will get more wheel spin. Traction control in no way changes the the power delivery without a traction loss, and even then, it only cuts the throttle and applies brake to the spinning wheel.

DG_Guy

Thanks ImInPA. That all makes sense. I do sort of like the idea of exceeding the traction limits of the tire though!

pdjv

+1 - power's the same, just less interference from the traction control system, which applies the brake to stop wheelspin.

threeMBs

Speaking of traction control. Does anyone know why MB removed the ability to turn traction control off after the first year (after 2010 MY)?

Arrie

My 2011 had the option to turn it off but it was in the cluster menu. I like the button of my 2010 better as o can directly press it without going thru the menu.

I would think they still have this option, have you checked the menus?

threeMBs

No I haven't. It is kind of hard to do while driving. I loved the ability to deactivate/activate by just pressing a button (like opening/closing a window - imagine doing it with a menu). Menu in such a case would be useless to me.

Tjdehya

It was moved to the menu in 2011, its there in mine. I am not sure if it was later removed completely.
I would assume that the button was a waste of space in the first place. I cant imagine Non-AMG Mercedes owners using that button. I never use it in my E550 and I doubt that there are many E350 owners reaching for that button.
In the Menu is where it belongs on Non-AMG cars.

ttoE550

On RWD cars especially, it is sometimes helpful to be able to turn off traction control quickly in order to climb hills in snow. One needs to be able to have some wheel spin to maintain momentum and it the TC does not allow enough, then one can get stuck when it cuts the power.

I wouldn't want to be hunting through menus while driving in snow and trying not to get stuck!

Older BMWs were especially bad at this because they allowed zero tolerance for wheel spin. I used to see them stuck on hills on the time during snows.

instantfob

It only turns off ESP ...
As soon as the system detects burnout/hooning is going on ... ASR kicks in and stops the fun.