Ice/snow driving & trac control

[cashriver]

I am new to the site- great help info!!

I have an '01 Grand prix with the 3.8 L. Bad weather around here lately and trying to get out of the driveway which is covered with ice and snow the tires wouldn't spin and the car actually coasted back down the hill with accellerator depressed.

Trac light was on, so I tried shutting off the trac control - same thing.

Took to the dealership, two of the maintenance managers test drove and duplicated the problem. They called GM tech support and was advised that the car is functioning properly because "that's the way they are made".
What???

Is my car totally unfunctionable in this type of weather. Can I somehow further disable the trac control from cutting cylinders, applying brakes or whatever else it does to deter wheelspin? (ie. pull fuse?)

Any info greatly appreciated

[gtgp97]

yeah there is a way to complete defeat the system because from my experience turning the traction off does not shut down the system completely enough because it pulls timing when i try to go up a hill on my street in the snow. I have pulled the fuse to defeat the system completely atleast for use in the winter because i have had the same problem.

[Ripn12s]

Fuse number 28 in the engine bay fuse box.

This will kill the Traction control/ABS/Powersteering/AC

[cashriver]

thanks for the info, I'll give it a try and let you know

[cashriver]

Yep, worked like a charm. Thanks for the help

[kilroypr]

Ripn12s, shouldn't be there other option than killing all those system at once with fuse 28?

[Ripn12s]

No other option. None of the PCM makers can, or are willing, to remove this from the PCM. Ive been told that the traction control is tied into too many other PCM parameters.

Many people rig up a switch so that they can turn it off w/out opening the hood to pull the fuse. The switch just acts like manually pulling the fuse.

[cashriver]

I was flirting with that idea myself (installing switch), will make it alot easier for the wifey.