[drtravel47]

I've noticed that when my car's traction light goes on (or is it anti-lock brakes kick in) the car seems to lurch forward. Is this common?

 

[Hep]

I've noticed that when my car's traction light goes on (or is it anti-lock brakes kick in) the car seems to lurch forward. Is this common?

It is the stability control "straightening" you out. It does change the direction of your momentum enough to feel like a lurch. If you slide even more it beeps, and if even more it slaps you up side the head. Clever car!

 

[DanMan32]

The slip indicator will light during ABS, Traction, and VSC. With VSC, it will be accompanied by a buzzer.

Traction will kick in during excessive acceleration where the tires start to slip. For the OEM tires on certain road surfaces, that might not be much.

ABS will occur during braking where the tires lose grip to the road. Usually that is defined in straight line braking.

VSC occurs during turns, and not necessarily during braking in turns. If the car notices the car is turning on its center axis, but you didn't tell it to do so (or it is turning more than you required), in other words you are starting to fishtail, it will activate.

 

[mrv]

If one tire starts slipping (going over gravel/dirt on a turn, bounce on a pothole or manhole cover, etc.) the Prius will cancel the regenerative braking and switch to complete hydrolic (normal) braking. Unfortunately, the switchover is not instantaneous, so it can feel like your car will lurch forward (until you apply more braking force on the brake pedal).