When at least one of your tires loses contact with the road, driving can get a little bit scary. The friction that your rubber tires make with the surface is also referred to as traction. Once this is lost, you can feel the road more deeply. Your car will also be more susceptible to hydroplaning in wet conditions. And you might not be able to control the direction in which your vehicle travels.
Your car is most likely built to drive on four tires, and if only three are gripping the road, your vehicle is deemed unsafe to drive. Typically, the hazards are more pronounced in certain weather conditions, such as rain or snow. In the rain, for instance, your tire(s) won't be able to push through the water on the surface of the road.
Today, most automobiles have a traction control system that can assist you if you have difficulty driving in wet weather. And the sensors will alert you if one or more tires aren't making proper contact with the road. Whenever this alert comes on, the traction control system won't transfer any power to the tire that isn't creating friction and will instead distribute the power to the other tires for the greatest possible control.
Here are some of the possible explanations as to why your tires may be losing traction:
- You have one or more tires that are under-inflated
- You have a damaged or dirty wheel speed sensor. This can send false information to the control system.
- The engine control unit (ECU) could be buggy, making your traction control system vulnerable.
- Your tires are worn down and don't have enough tread to grip the road surfaces, especially during certain weather conditions. If your tires fail the penny test, you need new tires ASAP.
We highly urge you not to continue driving if your traction control system is triggered or if you feel as if your vehicle's tires are unstable. The professionals at Eurasian Auto Repair can conduct a complete visual inspection of your tires and run accurate tests on your traction control system to determine the issue. For high-quality tire services, please call (210) 361-7929 or visit our shop in San Antonio, TX!