Hey everyone! :) I was just wondering if anyone out there has noticed if their traction control warning light comes on briefly when turning the ignition on. I've been having traction control issues with my car and yesterday had the brainstorm to look and see if the warning light comes on when I turn the ignition on. (I never usually pay much attention to the indicators lighting up when I start the car.) All my other indicators come on, but the traction control warning light. I looked in the owners manual to make sure that the light should come on and it says it should briefly. I know that the light isn't burned out b/c I can press the traction control button to turn it off and the indicator lights up all right. I'm wondering if I might have a bad sensor or something. Any thoughts or similar problems???

I've been having traction control issues

what kind of issues? Just the light not coming on at start?

Owner's manual is incorrect. Traction control doesn't have a bulb test. There actually is more than one traction control telltale in your instrument cluster - one that tells you traction system is active and a different one that tells you the system is disabled.

As other poster asked - why do you believe you have traction control issues?

By other traction control issues I mean that I can have the wheels spinning hardly at all and it will engage, but then there are other times when I can be spinning them and it won't engage at all. I've almost gotten stuck quite a few times just trying to get out of my driveway (with no more than 3-5 inches of snow in the driveway) and there was no traction control engaged (and I haven't disabled the traction control at these instances.) There have also been times when the traction control has engaged and the car makes a near 90 degree turn without me doing anything to the steering wheel and when this has happened, I've almost caused accidents or gone off the road. Maybe it is normal, but it just seems strange to me.

I beg to differ on your saying that the owner's manual is incorrect. "The Traction Off indicator will also turn ON during the instrument cluster bulb check. When the ignition switch is turned to ON, the Traction Off indicator will turn ON for approximately 3 seconds and then turn OFF." This is quoted from a GM repair/diagnostic page I found. I agree with your saying that there are 2 traction control indicators; I'm just trying to show that I believe that the owner's manual is correct. I just want to see if anyone has any thoughts on my case here. I value any thoughts/opinions. Thanks! :)

TCS applies the brakes or lessens the amount of power to the wheels to limit loss of control it won't stop you from sliding or spinning the wheels necessarily (am I wrong on this?)
However Stabiltrak which is available on some other GM entries, not only reduces power but it combines a yaw rate sensor and a lateral acceleration sensor with the car's ABS, steering, suspension and traction control to improve directional and stability. I had Stabiltrak on the GP GTP that I traded, it worked like a dream with all the power that car had.

^ Correct Bob, TC will not help you in any way at all when turning, nor will it make you spin in a circle without turning the steering wheel. The G6 GTP has Stabilitrack. Wheels will still spin if the TC engeges and you keep on the gas. TC is there for times when you don't realize the slippery conditions. The system engages and slows the wheels a little while giving visual and tactile feedback, then you should realize the road is slipery and ease off the gas.

Hey, I don't think I'm a shitty driver! I've lived in NY my whole life, I also drive a rear wheel drive Chevrolet Silverado 2500 with a 454 in it with no problems, used to drive a '93 Grand Prix and no probs. there in the snow, hell that old GP of mine had plowed down my driveway with a good foot of snow in it with no prob. what so ever, another fam. member drives a Cavalier w/ no probs. in the same driveway so I don't think it is me. And...I sure wasn't laughing as the car was turning and spinning out of control!

And yes, I agree with the fact that the TCS won't stop spinning or sliding. I just don't understand how the wheels can barely spin on time and have the TCS working and other times they can be spinning pretty damn good and no TCS kicking in. And why isn't my TCS off indicator lighting up like GM says it should as I previously posted???

Believe me when I tell you that the 2005 G6 owner manual was incorrect regarding the operation of telltale ;)

Manual was corrected for 2006, however

Dealer has a document available covering this #PIC3264A

Here is a portion of it........

Condition/Concern:
(TCS) Light Inoperative On Bulb Check

Recommendation/Instructions:
This light WILL NOT turn on during key on (bulb check) as stated in the owner's manual. The Owner's manuals will be updated to reflect this informational change.

Okay...Thanks for the info. I guess I'm just going to have to live with how the TCS works, even though it makes no sense to me. Thanks again.

^ Correct Bob, TC will not help you in any way at all when turning, nor will it make you spin in a circle without turning the steering wheel. The G6 GTP has Stabilitrack. Wheels will still spin if the TC engeges and you keep on the gas. TC is there for times when you don't realize the slippery conditions. The system engages and slows the wheels a little while giving visual and tactile feedback, then you should realize the road is slipery and ease off the gas.

here's my TWO CENTS WORTH (and not a penny more)

both you and BOBG are correct, in an IDEAL WORLD. however, if and i do say its a BIG IF, our new friend actually has a defect in her TC System, it COULD do all sorts of things. remember years ago (a long, long time ago, maybe before some of you were born) at the start of the Indy 500 when it appeared kevin coggan abruptly turned right into a.j. foyt and caused a chain reaction crash at the start? this was due to a 'half shaft' failure. only one wheel had power to it and caused his car to veer out of control. 'could' a defective TC System not cause the same thing? if ALL the power is put to one wheel for a few seconds, would it not cause the car to veer one way or another?

while it may be true that she is just a 'shitty driver' in snow (jury should still be out since none of us have actually ridden with her) i think we should give her a break until we have more facts. afterall, if six months ago i came to you and said my steering wheel locked and i couldn't turn my wheel either direction for 2-3 seconds, you would have thought i was an idiot and didn't know how to drive.......now we know differently (i DO know how to drive, i'm just an idiot! ha ha) :D

I've been driving probably longer than all of you, bigbengt67 was out of line IMHO with his comments about AriesGirl2303. Ideally we would all have Stabiltrak, I can't speak highly enough about it. But, sometimes there can be snow barely covering a layer of ice or just ice and that can produce some scares that nothing will help with.
I am amazed driving in the winter to see 4x4 vehicles and SEMIs go whizzing past me while I am travelling at what I have determined to be a resonably safe speed on icy roads. I have also gone past them a few miles down the road when they end up stuck in the median facing the wrong way.

Thread cleaned. Guys, keep it civil. Sheesh.

Shoot, I always miss the good stuff!

My better half and I have owned several GM vehicles over the years and have been pleased. However, our 2008 G6 that we bought in March of this year has already been in the service department 4 times now. Today, the check engine light and traction control light both came on at the same time and no one seems to know what's wrong. Have any of you had the same problem with your G6.

I must say that if this continues with this car we will probably be the next family that swears off buying another pontiac.