Corolla TS Collection - poor traction from a standstill

[lauriolle]

I have the 2 litre tech version of the Corolla Touring Sports hybrid which came fitted with very low profile Falken tyres. I find that at low speeds or from a standstill it loses traction on uphill slippery surfaces very easily. Has anyone else had this issue and can anyone suggest how to deal with it?

[Obsidian Estate]

I can't say I've had too much fuss with mine. I've deliberately made it wheel spin by stomping on it, but it doesn't do it in normal use.

[TonyHSD]

If it’s cold and wet especially it’s normal, the car has a good amount of power and the tyres are uhp wide summer, these are full stop in temperatures below 10C°, they are only good for spring summer seasons. Take it easy when accelerate and you will be fine. , my one is 1.8 can’t spin its wheels even on gravel 😂👍

[Cyker]

I find I can wheelspin mine fairly easily, esp. if moving off and turning at the same time, but I just let the traction and stability computers deal with it  

In my case I suspect it's partly down to the car being heavier at the back due to all my junk in the boot, but also the Hankook eco kinetic tyres the dealer put on instead of the Hankook ventus primes that I asked for. They're okay but have a lot less lateral grip than the ventus primes.

[Red_Corolla]

Mine's the same, it's the torque delivery of the electric motor combined with tyres that don't bite very well in the cold. Just be progressive with the right foot until the weather warms up a bit.

[Cyker]

Could try Eco mode, as that has a more gentle acceleration slope (At first, up until about 3/4 at least, then it's suddenly MAX POWERRR  ), but I feel like the sort of person who'd get the 2.0 over the 1.8 would hate Eco mode  

[Hardy888]

This is an issue with the tyres in the cold/wet. There are plenty of better ones than the stock you can get. It's a shame that Toyota fit them imo.

[Cyker]

It's been a bit surprising as Falken are generally fairly well regarded. What sort of tyre pressures are you running out of curiosity?

 

[Red_Corolla]

1 minute ago, Cyker said:

It's been a bit surprising as Falken are generally fairly well regarded. What sort of tyre pressures are you running out of curiosity?

 

I run book pressures. The lateral grip and handling isn't so bad, in fact, it's pretty good in the dry, but traction is relatively poor in colder weather. I've spun mine up a few times trying to get out of junctions quickly and I'm relatively sensible with the right foot, I don't just plant it.

[bear807]

lol i can report that it is the same it just wheel spin everytime in the wet

[twintopp]

i agree with cyker about eco ,it`s good around town but u/s on the open road ,just try be a little more gentle with the right foot until you change to better tyres, yes i love to rag it when i can.

[DavidTC]

Maybe they are more suited for the 1.8, I don't think I've got wheel spin when driving normally, only when giving it some beans does it slip but that can be said for any vehicle

[Bozz]

To be honest in 4000 miles I've only noticed the traction light flicker once and that was when pulling away gently after a width restriction. Strange.

[lauriolle]

On 3/2/2022 at 8:56 PM, Cyker said:

Could try Eco mode, as that has a more gentle acceleration slope (At first, up until about 3/4 at least, then it's suddenly MAX POWERRR  ), but I feel like the sort of person who'd get the 2.0 over the 1.8 would hate Eco mode  

Not true! I usually use the Eco mode. The problem is really when starting on a slope with a less than perfect surface (loose, slippery, wet) from a standstill. It doesn't matter how gently I touch the accelerator I still don't get traction. If I give it the welly it just burns rubber and I still don't get moving. 

[TonyHSD]

The TC light will flicker if one or more of the driving wheels loose traction, but that can happen when going over large cracks or potholes while accelerating or de accelerating. Toyota traction control works very well and can help in many situations where one of the wheels loses grip but if both driving wheels loose grip the car cuts off all the power completely and if you trying to drive from standstill you may find yourself stuck and will go nowhere until disable the traction control.
Earlier hybrids didn’t have button for that and only option were to set the car into maintenance mode and get out of situations then restart the car and continue your journey. 
Sorry to say but Toyota hybrids are not able to do wheel spins at all, only a few slips on either of the driving wheels but never both together when TC is active( no burning tyres possible). 
Won’t recommend this fast accelerating and trying to spin your wheels  from standstill anyway as this is unnecessary heavy loading to the damper springs on your clutch of which a repair out of warranty is very costly. 

[lauriolle]

Thanks for that. Unfortunately, disabling traction control still doesn't get me moving when it is stuck.

[Cyker]

1 hour ago, lauriolle said:

The problem is really when starting on a slope with a less than perfect surface (loose, slippery, wet) from a standstill. It doesn't matter how gently I touch the accelerator I still don't get traction. If I give it the welly it just burns rubber and I still don't get moving. 

That's really weird... is this slope quite steep??

I've launched my Yaris Mk4 up a wet hill with a scattering of ground-in mud and grass from a tractor before, and although there was some initial slip the TC sorted it all out and it moved off no problem.

Maybe try adding 5 psi to your tyres and see if that makes any difference??

Your EPB isn't stuck on or something are they? 

[TonyHSD]

2 hours ago, lauriolle said:

Thanks for that. Unfortunately, disabling traction control still doesn't get me moving when it is stuck.

In that case it’s all down to the tyres. With tc on all you can do is one full turn and the power will be totally cut, with tc off you will spin your tyres and this should get you going, not only on wet roads but mud, sand, snow and ice, as long as you have good tyres, tyres are everything on any car, not the drive train or power. 👍

[Cyker]

The tyres surely can't be that bad when they're this new. The way it's described it's like they're on racing slicks  

The hill must be very steep or the surface worse than the nasty chipped up roads I normally drive on!

 

[TonyHSD]

1 hour ago, Cyker said:

The tyres surely can't be that bad when they're this new. The way it's described it's like they're on racing slicks  

The hill must be very steep or the surface worse than the nasty chipped up roads I normally drive on!

 

Indeed, but the tyres can be as bad for sure especially these falkens 235/40 18  uhp, these are the most unsuitable tyres for that car. Uhp tyres are designed with sport driving style and similar to sport brake pads they need to be warmed up to perform as intended to. In cold temperatures below 10c° these falkens becomes hard like plastic, add the low profile plus wider track and the combination is literally lethal for general use., this is also one of the reasons why they are noisy. OTOH they can be a good choice for hot summer days and enthusiastic driving on faster and dry roads. 👍

[frizzbee30]

Falken's are summer tyres, sadly there is an amazing amount of ignorance around tyre compounds ('nothing wrong with remoulds' is a classic example ').

As pointed out, wait till summer and warmed rubber 👍

[Cyker]

Ahh so the wheelspin just helps get them up to operating temperature?  

Never used a UHP tyre before, always stuck with premium summer touring tyres as they usually do the job all year round down here!

[jukie]

On 3/2/2022 at 7:56 PM, Cyker said:

Could try Eco mode, as that has a more gentle acceleration slope (At first, up until about 3/4 at least, then it's suddenly MAX POWERRR  ), but I feel like the sort of person who'd get the 2.0 over the 1.8 would hate Eco mode  

Yep i get plenty of wheel spin in my 2.0....whats Eco mode 😮