Can Worn Tires Cause Traction Control Light To Come On?

Last updated on July 20th, 2023 at 08:45 pm

Can worn tires cause traction control light to come on? well the answer it, and you have to keep reading to find more. You see, Traction control helps your vehicle’s tires to maintain contact with the road. Interestingly, tires form a vital bond between the car and the ground, and when the tire are worn out it can trigger the traction control light to come on.

So I am going to further explain how this help while I address the following questions in the post: Does Low brake fluid affect traction control? What are two things that affect traction that you can control? How do I know if my traction control is broken and how long does it take to fix traction control? Related article: Is Replacing Two Tires Instead of Four Good?

Without further or do let get right into topic fully.

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Can worn tires cause traction control light to come on

The tires’ treads grip the pathway as you drive to your destination. If the tread is not deep enough or worn out, your vehicle will lose traction and suffer extended braking times. However, when tires come in contact with the ground or rough road surface, they wear and tear due to frictional force. 

Although, your tires should have a range tread depth of 8 to 9 millimeters. But if they are worn-out tires, they would have shallow tread groves or have a tread depth below 1.6 millimeters, which would make it complex for your car to hold a grip on the road; perchance, the tendency of aquaplaning would increase. 

From the above fore-ground, worn tires would significantly cause the traction control light (TC) to come on since losing traction or grip would make your affected tires spin faster than others.

In such a situation, the traction control system (TCS) would indicate that your tire (s) have lost traction. For safe driving in rainy or icy weather conditions, you should consider these factors; your tires’ tread depth, rubber content, and tire pattern design. 

Like I mentioned at the beginning of this post,  if you are wondering whether worn tires can cause the TC light to come on; then you get all worries discussed here as  this guide will address and proffer solutions to various traction control indicator light queries ranging from; does low brake fluid affect traction control, what are two things that affect traction that you can control, how do I know if my TC is broken, and how long does it take to fix (TC) traction control.

Howbeit, a thorough study of this work would highly become beneficial to you. Let’s get started!

Does Low Brake Fluid Affect Traction Control?

Yes, of course, low brake fluid affects TC. Since your vehicle has sensors in the brake fluid tank to help calculate the level of the brake fluid. If it becomes low, the sensors detect its level and send the data to the TCS and ABS via the primary computer ECU. The braking system will become soft at this low brake fluid level, and your vehicle will move slower to come to a complete stop. 

Notwithstanding, low brake fluid would likely trigger the TC and ABS lights on. Ensure to use and fill the correct fluid type to your vehicle. And also, be sure to check for brake fluid leakage on the ABS. 

What Are Two Things That Affect Traction That You Can Control?

Generally, traction can be affected by many problems, part of which you can control and others out of your human control. Hence, these are the two things that affect the traction of your vehicle that you can control are;

1.     Driving Habit During Bad Weather Conditions

Once you observe that the weather condition is unfavorable, you should be able to reduce your speed and sharp turning rates to have constant traction throughout the tires. In as much, if you are at high speed on icy or rainy circumstances would trigger the TC light as you would lose traction with the pathway. It would be best if you adjust your driving habits for your safety and that of your vehicle.

2.     The Conditions Of Your Tires

Your vehicle’s tires should have excellent traction. So, poorly inflated or worn tires would reduce the grip rate and enhance slipping on the road surface as they tend to have lower tread depth and smoother surface area compared to newer tires. It would be proper to rotate or change your worn-out tires to enhance safety and propel traction mechanisms in your vehicle.

How Do I Know If My Traction Control Is Broken?

Knowing how broken your traction control is, the following symptoms will help you to identify a defective TC. Here you have them!

1.     Loss Of ABS Features

When the TCS and ABS share the same module, if this module becomes defective, there will be a loss of ABS features, and the TCS will also go wrong. Perchance, the capacity of the braking system would diminish and lead to hydroplaning, a more extraordinary significant of traction as it would apply more pressure to the brake pedal when you try to stop.

2.     Check Engine Light Comes On.

Since the ECU and TCS continuously share information, If the TC is defective due to any faulty component, it will trigger a trouble code stored in the ECM, resulting in a CEL warning light. Notifying a certified mechanic whenever you observe the CEL on your vehicle’s dashboard is wise.

3.     TCS Waring Indicator Light Come On.

Essentially, you cannot downplay the importance of the TC system regarding any vehicle’s safety. If the TC is broken/lousy, the most common symptom would be the TCS warning light on the dashboard. This TCS is not such a serious issue, but it needs attention as it comes on.

4.     TCS Switch Won’t Turn On/Off.

The function of the TCS switch in vehicles is to give you, the driver, access to turn on or off the TC. However, this switch would be vital in a situation where your vehicle’s wheel (s) spin and accelerate to get out of a stuck condition. Perchance that the traction control switch does not turn off due to the lousy module, your traction control is defective. 

On the other hand, if your TCS switch doesn’t turn on or off, it could be due to debris contamination or broken. Hence, this symptom could also indicate a faulty/broken traction control.

5.     Loss Of TCS Features

A broken traction control component will become complex for the vehicle to uphold control as it brakes during bad weather conditions—both the TCS and the ABS function in like manner to keep control when hydroplaning. So, if the TC is entirely malfunctioning, it wouldn’t be adequate to help your vehicle maintain control as hydroplaning incident occurs. 

How Long Does It Take To Fix Traction Control?

The period you or your certified mechanic would take to fix the TC isn’t precise. Although, it all depends on how experienced and knowledgeable the mechanic is in using the OBDII scan tool to find the trouble code (s) and proffering solutions to the issue.

Conclusion 

To summarize this work, it is indispensable that worn tires cause the traction control indicator light to come on in most vehicles. Nonetheless, various factors limit how well your car would hold a grip on the surface of most roads, including weather and road conditions, faulty ABS, lousy wheel speed sensors, broken traction control, and to mention a few. 

Notwithstanding, the tread depth of your tires is vital as it enhances the gripping capacity of your vehicle. Always insert a probe bar in the groove of your tires to check for proper tread depth measurement and to certify if your tires need replacement or rotation. To ensure that you drive safely, measure the tread depth as part of the systematic vehicle maintenance procedure.

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Read also: Should You Leave Spare Tire 60 Psi On Or Off Car?

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