What does it mean when a car displays TC with a slash?
2 Answers
A car displaying TC with a slash indicates that the traction control is turned off. The TC light is for the traction control system. When the anti-lock braking system detects that some wheels are slipping, it applies braking to the slipping wheels to prevent loss of traction on those wheels. The traction control system improves the vehicle's passability. When the system is active, the yellow TC indicator on the dashboard flashes to alert the driver. There are three possible reasons why the TC with a slash indicator lights up on the dashboard: 1. Accidentally turning off the traction control switch. 2. Driving too fast in rain or mud. 3. A problem with the traction control system.
That TC with a slash symbol means the traction control system is turned off, and I'll tell you why this happens. Normally when driving, if you manually press the TC button in the car to turn it off, this symbol will appear on the screen. This is intentionally done during snow or off-road conditions to prevent the system from interfering with wheel slip. However, if it suddenly appears without you turning it off, it might indicate minor issues with sensors or wiring, like dust accumulation on wheel speed sensors. At this time, you may feel the car unstable, especially prone to losing control on slippery roads. I've encountered this a few times before - I tried restarting the ignition key and waited for the car's self-check to complete to see if the icon disappeared. If it remains lit, it's best to take it to a repair shop for inspection, especially important during rainy or snowy highway driving. Nowadays many cars have this system's auto-recovery function that defaults to ON at next startup, so always pay attention to your dashboard and address minor issues promptly.
