F150 Traction Control Kill Switch

[Shehab Alawadhi]

Good Afternoon. 

I had a problem during one of my Abu Dhabi drives where my ESC was turned on (I didn't know how to turn it off. I do now thought after some research) but the regular traction control was off where while trying to drift in between tight dunes so I don't fall in a ditch my engine would be shut off momentarily and traction control would initiate. It gave quite some trouble on that drive, and some of the crew and fellow members told me to either install a kill switch for all the traction control options or to remove the fuses. Where can I go to install one on my car (I drive a ford F150 4 door 2017) and can that kill switch also be used to turn off all the other un-wanted things like the airbags?

If my fellow pickup enthusiasts (or anyone that has a kill switch on their cars) can help me out and share their experience on how it works on their car and if there is a garage specifically for Pickups (just like the well known jeepers garages)

Thanks!

 

[Gaurav]

@Francois Germishuys @Malachy McGrogan @Melenany how are you dealing with traction issue on your F150?

[Francois Germishuys]

On 12/12/2020 at 3:33 PM, Gaurav said:

@Francois Germishuys @Malachy McGrogan @Melenany how are you dealing with traction issue on your F150?

Hi mate, yes the ESC doesn’t fully switch off even when the TC is turned off, this for me is only a problem when doing short sharp turn when the front end push out to much (under steer) because of my heave foot, it takes a bit of time to get used to how to make short / drifting turns with it though but its not a problem for me when driving “normally”, its only an issue when starting “playing” around and the back end doesn’t step out / break traction. 

I've never had issues at speed or while side slopping, fast drifts and most doughnuts 

My truck is a single cab though so I'm sure getting the longer double cab truck through the dunes might be more of a challenge as you have much more weight and length to deal with especially when turning... 

Also I've no idea how to deactivate the ESC so maybe something you’ll need to ask Ford technician about...

Do let me know when you find out how to turn it fully off, I’ll also try and find out and post it here when I do✌🏼

[Shehab Alawadhi]

16 minutes ago, Francois Germishuys said:

Hi mate, yes the ESC doesn’t fully switch off even when the TC is turned off, this for me is only a problem when doing short sharp turn when the front end push out to much (under steer) because of my heave foot, it takes a bit of time to get used to how to make short / drifting turns with it though but its not a problem for me when driving “normally”, its only an issue when starting “playing” around and the back end doesn’t step out / break traction. 

I've never had issues at speed or while side slopping, fast drifts and most doughnuts 

My truck is a single cab though so I'm sure getting the longer double cab truck through the dunes might be more of a challenge as you have much more weight and length to deal with especially when turning... 

Also I've no idea how to deactivate the ESC so maybe something you’ll need to ask Ford technician about...

Do let me know when you find out how to turn it fully off, I’ll also try and find out and post it here when I do✌🏼

To turn off ESC you hold the traction control button for 5 seconds and it will say "ESC OFF" after i did my tank of a car was keeping up with Pajero's and Wranglers.

Im not sure what model you have but it should be the same.

[Francois Germishuys]

17 minutes ago, Francois Germishuys said:

Hi mate, yes the ESC doesn’t fully switch off even when the TC is turned off, this for me is only a problem when doing short sharp turn when the front end push out to much (under steer) because of my heave foot, it takes a bit of time to get used to how to make short / drifting turns with it though but its not a problem for me when driving “normally”, its only an issue when starting “playing” around and the back end doesn’t step out / break traction. 

I've never had issues at speed or while side slopping, fast drifts and most doughnuts 

My truck is a single cab though so I'm sure getting the longer double cab truck through the dunes might be more of a challenge as you have much more weight and length to deal with especially when turning... 

Also I've no idea how to deactivate the ESC so maybe something you’ll need to ask Ford technician about...

Do let me know when you find out how to turn it fully off, I’ll also try and find out and post it here when I do✌🏼

Hi, i just had a bit of digging on YouTube and to turn the ESC off you have to push the TC button to turn of TC then what you do is you push the TC button for few seconds then you will see the ESC also turns off.... ive just done it and it works ✌🏼

[Shehab Alawadhi]

1 minute ago, Francois Germishuys said:

Hi, i just had a bit of digging on YouTube and to turn the ESC off you have to push the TC button to turn of TC then what you do is you push the TC button for few seconds then you will see the ESC also turns off.... ive just done it and it works ✌🏼

Yea I found that out last week after my first AD drive when the ESC was giving me problems in tight dunes. I haven't found anything yet on kill switches on pickups sadly. I need to ask Green Auto Works if they do something like that.

[Francois Germishuys]

Also to deactivate your airbag unplug the yellow plug underneath the driver or passenger seat and then you’ll see the airbag deactivated light on the bash board, remember to plug it back in afterwards. It’ll reset on the next key cycle ( turn of take key out and open door then close door and start car). 

[Rahimdad]

@Shehab Alawadhi don't get anything done this week. Let's meet up on Friday and we will try some magic on your vehicle. If magic does not work you have to be ready to spend some money.

[Shehab Alawadhi]

2 hours ago, Francois Germishuys said:

Also to deactivate your airbag unplug the yellow plug underneath the driver or passenger seat and then you’ll see the airbag deactivated light on the bash board, remember to plug it back in afterwards. It’ll reset on the next key cycle ( turn of take key out and open door then close door and start car). 

alright sweet, thx I was wondering where the airbag fuse is.

 

1 hour ago, Rahimdad said:

@Shehab Alawadhi don't get anything done this week. Let's meet up on Friday and we will try some magic on your vehicle. If magic does not work you have to be ready to spend some money.

Yea for sure, I wasn't planning on doing anything as of yet, the car runs beautifully with traction control off and ESC off, I was just wondering if a kill switch would be worth it.

On my second AD drive after I learned about the magic of holding the traction control button I was drifting beautifully between dunes, you know the types of drifting where sand is flying in your car and above your head.