2012 FWD Traction Control

[birminghamexplor]

I am having a problem with front wheel slip on wet or slippery roads. It is not that I always have a "Jack Rabbit" start, but when my front wheel slips, I do not see the Traction Control engage. Is there anywhere I can find reliable information on when should Traction Control engage. How fast should the wheel be spinning before it engages. I am having an argument with Ford regarding this. They said the wheel has to be spinning at least 15 mph before engagement. Any truth to this?

 

[1995E]

They designed the traction control so I would believe they are telling the truth.

I would think the wheel spin would have to spike passed what they said in order for the traction control to come on.

 

[waskly]

the front need to go faster then the rear to activate.

 

[plumbago]

What tires are you running? I'm somewhat concerned about this for the upcomming Winter driving season..........best regards Plum

 

[birminghamexplor]

Plumbag, my tires are Hankook. what ever they puy pn at factory.

 

[peterk9]

What tires are you running? I'm somewhat concerned about this for the upcomming Winter driving season..........best regards Plum

Hi Plum. I'm running the Yokohama Parada Spec-X on my Limited. I didn't like some of the Hankook reviews so I changed them the day I got the Ex. They also have a slightly more aggressive tread. For Winter, I'm running the BFG Winter Slalom KSI on the base model 17" steel wheels. I found them to be a fairly quiet tire and they had some good reviews. Where I live, I would never use the all-seasons in Winter due to safety concerns. Besides, my insurance company reduces my premium 5% for using dedicated Winter tires.

Peter

 

[bsevic]

I have the standard Goodyear tires (17") on my 2012 and haven't had any issues. I also found it to be a very good winter vehicle ( and it just the stock FWD version ). I beleive one of the best kept secrets is putting in manual mode and then select 2nd gear to start off in. It's just like having a manual transmission, it reduces the torque enough that it's perfect for starting off on wet/snowy/icy Michigan roads.

 

[peterk9]

I have the standard Goodyear tires (17") on my 2012 and haven't had any issues. I also found it to be a very good winter vehicle ( and it just the stock FWD version ). I beleive one of the best kept secrets is putting in manual mode and then select 2nd gear to start off in. It's just like having a manual transmission, it reduces the torque enough that it's perfect for starting off on wet/snowy/icy Michigan roads.

If you ran dedicated Winter tires you probably wouldn't have to use the manual shift.
So called all-season tires begin to lose their grip at 44 degrees. If you ever had to hit the brakes hard on a cold bare road you are going to slide. Winter tires have been proven to reduce stopping distances by 20% mainly due to their softer rubber compounds.

Peter

 

[plumbago]

Mine came with Michelin Latitude Touring HP 18" tires....billed I think, as all season. I don't see many reviews about Winter traction for these, so I think I'll look for some dedicated winters and rims......Plum

 

[peterk9]

Mine came with Michelin Latitude Touring HP 18" tires....billed I think, as all season. I don't see many reviews about Winter traction for these, so I think I'll look for some dedicated winters and rims......Plum

Plum, I checked one site 1010tires.com and this tire was rated 3.8 out of 5 overall by 35 customers. The highest ratings were for Dry, Comfort and Noise with each given 4.1. The lowest was for Snow 2.7 and Treadwear 2.9.
The problem with the all-seasons isn't so much the traction or lack thereof in snow as it is the stiffening of the rubber itself which begins at just 44 degrees F. A dedicated Winter tire is more pliable and will allow for better traction on cold bare roads.
I bought the base Explorer 17" steel wheels for my Limited for $99.95 ea from the dealer and used 245/65R17 Winter tires also purchased from the dealer. The tires were priced much lower there than the local auto supply store. I don't know about Ford dealers in the U.S. but here thery have a 'lower price' guarantee.
Good luck Plum.

Peter