Traction depends on the grip of the tyre and the weight pressing on it. Move weight over the drive wheels and use grippy tyres.
What the message means
The most force a wheel can pass to the floor is limited by friction. Beyond that the wheel spins.
Fix it in this order
- Put the battery and heavy parts over the driven wheels.
- Use rubber tyres or add rubber bands or tape around hard plastic wheels.
- Clean the wheels and the floor of dust.
- Ramp the speed up gently in code instead of jumping to full power.
- Check that the motors are not stronger than the traction can use.
- Test on the actual floor of the competition or the use.
If you see this, do this
| You see | Do this |
|---|---|
| Wheels spin at start | Ramp the speed up. |
| Slips on slopes | More weight over drive wheels or better tyres. |
Related
wheel speed calculator, robot drifts to one side.
Last reviewed: November 2026. These are the usual causes and the order that finds them fastest. Test on your own board; clones and cables differ.