I know in extreme maneuvers, the traction control, and advancetrac should do their thing, everyone gets that. But it just seems weird that if you push it even FURTHER than that, then you get the trailer sway control activated w/ the message?? So then it activates, even without a trailer?? Is this really how the system works? I guess some sensor readings could be so extreme, that the computer thinks such motions are only possible with the weight of a trailer attached?? I did some searches for more info, but we have the sum of it all on this thread pretty much. someone out there must know these details.....!


If the 4 or 7 pin connectors tell the computer to allow trailer sway control to go on, maybe some pins are just corroded, and it thinks you have a trailer connected? is that possible?

 

I don't think it matters if a trailer is connected to the trailer plug or not. The computer uses sensors to measure how the truck is traveling with steering input and yaw (sp) sensors. In the situations I was in the truck was loosing traction and the truck was swaying back and forth enough to trick it. They saw a reading and the computer reacted to it the only way it knew how. That's my best guess, we are talking about merging on to a highway via a inclined on ramp which is ice/snow covered at 65-75 mph with the throttle mashed wide open, even with my snow tires i couldn't keep traction 100%.

 

Yes the RCS will step in even if you hold it down 10 sec and turn everything off, it just takes more radical moments to cause it to kick in.

 

So the conclusion is that if you're a ****ty driver that careens across the road on a regular basis and explores the roadside shoulders and ditches of America, then you might get better mileage turning off trailer sway control.

I got better mileage the last 500 miles too because there was a heat wave across the country.

 

Trust me, it doesnt take going across from lane to lane, it's a very slight but noticeable sway.

 

Geeez.....So now I have to turn off traction control, then advanceTrac, and THEN into the menu to shut off trailer sway control too?? Everytime?? lol... Are there any tuners that can set these all to OFF by default?

 

If there are please let me know, so I can offer my services as their soon-to-be-very-busy defense attorney.

 

There's no way I'm goin into the menu for sway control everytime..lol. that's where I draw the line. And well, they give you a way to turn all 3 off already, so a program that just defaults them to off, isn't toooo far fetched..i think..

 

Why do you think the auto manufacturers put sway control and Traction control with the default being on?
Answer: Lawyers
Since reading this post I have turned off sway and traction control and have not noticed a change in mileage. However, the last road trip I made, I ran into some serious rain and turned it back on.

3/15/2016:
Today, I went on a 100 mile trip, most of it on toll road. My overall average was 17.2 mpg to and from my destination. It was 16.4 to my destination. I had a slight 10-15mph headwind going and same tailwind on return.
I had AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™ & sway control off on both legs of the trip. Turning off AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™ also turns off trailer sway control. So all you have to do is press the traction control button for 5 seconds or so and it turns it off.
I saw no noticeable increase in mpg with the AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™ off. So, leave AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™ on and don't worry about it. It will keep the Ford lawyers happy.