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Bring It On! 2009 Chevrolet Traverse LT, Part 2

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February 11, 2009

2009 Chevrolet Traverse. Click image to enlarge

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2009 Chevrolet Traverse

Ottawa, Ontario – We had hoped for a big snow and we weren’t disappointed when the forecast one day predicted 10 cm. And we were happy when we received several more centimetres than predicted, whipped up by a good breeze leaving snow drifts on back streets, slippery and slushy intersections, and traffic hell for Ottawa’s transit-deprived commuters.

I avoided the traffic and instead headed out to the suburbs and country to test the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse’s all-wheel drive and electronic stability control systems.

Our Traverse was optionally equipped with GM’s intelligent all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. This system provides increased traction on slippery roads by actively managing the torque distribution between the front and rear axles, based on factors such as wheel speed, throttle and surface conditions. In most driving situations, torque is split 90/10 front/rear, but it can send 100 per cent of the torque to the rear wheels when necessary. There is no driver intervention; the system automatically decides how much torque to apply and delivers it to the wheels that have the best traction.

2009 Chevrolet Traverse. Click image to enlarge

The system uses a Getrag power transfer unit mounted to the output of the front-wheel drive transaxle. A driveshaft delivers torque to the rear drive module (RDM), which includes a torque tube, rear differential and halfshafts equipped with constant velocity joints. The RDM’s controller interfaces with the StabiliTrak system when the electronic stability control system intervenes to control a skid.

The Traverse is also equipped with traction control, anti-lock brakes and StabiliTrak elecronic stability control. StabiliTrak works by recognizing wheel skid. Sensors detect the difference between the steering wheel angle and the direction the driver is actually turning by “reading” the steering wheel position 25 times a second and factoring in the amount of sideways force in play, vehicle speed and the vehicle’s response to steering wheel input. The system then uses the brakes to enhance control of the vehicle’s direction and reduces the engine torque while applying precise amounts of pressure to individual brakes to help keep the vehicle on track. These brake and engine interventions help realign the vehicle’s actual path with that being steered by the driver. StabiliTrak is standard equipment on the Chevrolet Traverse and will be standard equipment on all GM vehicles sold in North America by 2010.

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