Ok I have a 2005 Cobalt, if there is more than 3 inches of snow it won't go up my driveway. The traction control comes on and retards the timing and the car falls flat on its face and won't make any more forward progress. I know you can shift it to 2 or 1, but then rather than traction control the rev limiter steps in and basically makes it feel the same way as if the TC was on. I know this trick because I had a 98 Cavalier that did the same thing, but when you put it in low there was no rev limiter and it would go right up the driveway.

No other car I have ever had has any issue getting up my driveway except this Cobalt(and my dad's 06 cobalt, and my mom's 09 cobalt). My friend can make it up the drive in his 05 Mustang GT without issue.

Any ideas?

 

I would suggest that you talk to your dealer or call the chevy help line. Some cars dont allow you to disable at all. do you have chains or snow tires? my guess is if you had those the traction control would not cut in as often.

 

Where I am, we get 5-12 3in snows a year, so its hard to justify a $1200 set of snow tires. I don't think I have ever even seen anyone with snow chains here.(I have seen studded snow tires on one car).

I have spoken to the dealer and they told me there is no easy disable.

 

Try getting snow tires. You do not have to buy $1200 top of the line snow tires you can find some on tirerack.com or any similar tire site. You can even go to Walmart and get a set of 4 for under $350. This will aid with your problem as the reason it cuts in is because your tires have no traction in the first place. Cutting of the TCS will make it the same difficulty because either way you will have to ease on the gas rather than just punch it anyways. I have lived in Minnesota for all 25 years of my life and sometimes you just have to reverse and drive and ease your way forward.

 

A way to disable the TC is to set the parking brake, just a couple clicks until the brake warning indicator comes on.