Traction Control Override

[Rightfish]

Hi friends new here. I have had a 4x4 for 47 years. I turn them in, shift them in or turn them off! So I retired and son said I could not have "a car" you have to have an "SUV" whatever that is. 2015 Edge AWD Problem: I only want TRACTION CONTROL when I want it, not all the time and having to turn it off every time I start the car. Took my first road trip about 350 miles and at my son's coaching turned off the Traction Control on the way back (while not official!) I got about 3 more mpg. That's a lot...but even 1mpg is worth having it off. So help me out can I lock it out until I want it? Or do I have to shut it off each time I start the car? (Ford should have me design a car! I know what old country boys want form over function...rubber flooring, cargo doors that open when the engine is running.....knock off all this assist stuff.) 

[Perblue]

Not that I'm aware of. Your increased mpg is likely caused by either the wind on the vehicle being different or your way back is more downhill, even if you don't notice it. 

[The Blue Wedge]

Unfortunately, you have to shut it off every time you start the vehicle, the Edge's, Explorers, Fusion's are all the same. And most unfortunate is you still can't shut off Stability control at all in an Edge, just traction control. ?

[DaMiFo]

That's not how traction control works...  It's only active if it detects slipping. Same with stability control - it's only active when it detects the vehicle out of control or sliding. As Perblue said, if your MPG's are different in any way, it's a different factor in play here.

 

Personally, I don't see a reason why traction or stability control should be turned off 99% of the time, especially during normal driving in a car like the Edge. It's a "just in case" system - it's almost always inactive, but in the off-chance you have to swerve at 50MPH, that's the only thing between either the rear end slipping out and you rolling the car, or the car applying one rear brake for 0.2 seconds so it straightens out the rear end and you can keep going on your way.

[Waldo]

Traction control has 0 effect on your fuel mileage.  As noted, something else changed.  Traction control is regulated by the government, so even if Ford had you design a car, it would still have to have a button that turns off traction control every time you start it, just like every other car for sale in the US right now.  I really don't understand why you would want to shut it off every time, the only reason to shut it off is if you're stuck in snow or sand or if you just want to make some noise spinning your tires.