I had to put the spare tire on my 2009 cobalt SS because my stock SS/TC wheel has a crack in it and its being repaired. However, out of habit I always turn the traction control off when i get in my car and I noticed it did not turn off. I tried holding it down to turn on the Launch control and nothing worked. Is this a safety feature that prevents you from turning off traction control because you have a spare tire on or is something else wrong?

I am wanting to know because my car was just in the dealer for brake replacements and I need to know if it something they may have done or not.

 

There is your answer.

 

I cant see it doing that... Maybe its because the spare doesnt have the tire pressure sensor in it?

 

none of my wheels have sensors i can confirm i can turn off traction control, lol

 

hmmmm, thats odd. it may just be a safety thing. never heard of anyone having this problem before.

 

It is the spare turning off traction control. I can confirm this because I ran the spare and it did this and as soon as I threw on the new tires it stopped. The spare is smaller and I think its throwing off the speed sensor.

 

Yup, you were right. I got my wheel repaired and put back on and my traction control is back to normal.

 

You have on a spare tire. why are you worried about not being able to turn off traction control/launch control?
And to buildmeanempire his complaint isnt no traction control it's not being able to turn it off...

 

Said why in my first post...

 

The two different sized wheels/tiress were spinning at different rates, confusing your car into thinking one tire was spinning and losing traction.

 

Sounds about right ^

 

On a spare it's ill advised to even travel at high way speeds for a long period of time cause its a spare/temporary tire/wheel usually. let alone try competition mode/traction off and haul ass anywhere! Glad it's fixed but there was nothing wrong! If his traction was engaging the whole time he had his spare on the TC light would illuminate and it may even make an audible sound to it turning on/off constantly!