Traction control in 182 - turned it off and saw what the fuss is about!

[tameracingdriver]

Seems crap to me.

Almost exactly the same as the one in my Skoda vRS, a total nanny over what you can do. So what i'm saying is not surprising to any of you, but it just confirms in my mind that most traction control systems on hot hatches are pretty poor.

It just crudely cuts the power and stops any tomfoolery around corners, and blunts its character.

I turned it off for the first time today since I had it (i like to get used to cars before I drive the tits off them), and the car seems to feel a lot more lively without it, much more controllable around the corners, just use the throttle to control, and even though it was cold and damp, I cant say I had any issues with traction - the wheels do scrabble for grip a bit at 55 - 60 in 2nd though, but thats actually pretty amusing

For the first time tonight I really see what the fuss is about with its handling. The pace of it is pretty impressive as well... this thing is definitely faster than my Skoda vRS and Golf Mk2 GTI. The Golf GTI handles extremely well, and is in some ways more fun round corners due to its lower limits, but the Clio is definitely better handling overall, goes around corners at silly speeds like a go-kart. The Skoda vRS is rather sloppy handling.

I love the sound of the engine at high revs.

Its just a great car out of the box - like a sports car without the "bling".

 

[RobertCL]

Interesting... I've never really tried mine with the traction control turned off Well, only in a straight line while crusing!

Don't think I'd be very tempted to turn it off for the first time in the middle of winter! But thats just me :boring::sleepy:

 

[telford_mike]

Jeez, cars have only had traction control for a couple of years - it's just a safety thing. Doesn't really affect the way the car drives at all unless you rag it from a standstill.

ESP is different though. It WILL save you in 70% of those nasty moments - so leave it switched on.

 

[ant_v6]

I don't like either of those things and can't really see the point in a 182. People buy those cars to drive enthusiastically, they have a great reputation for handling and when it comes to it are FWD and incredibly easy to control.

If I had something with silly power like the M Coupe I'd probably want it in the winter though.

 

[tameracingdriver]

I'd leave it on for day to day driving around town, but if I'm out on a fast drive, off it will go in future...

 

[Liam]

I disagree. Sure if you are on a track day or something its good to be able to turn it off. which you can.

It aint just traction control on the 182 its ESP.
There was a brilliant video done by 5th gear when they went to test ESP with Bosch. Tiff could not get round the cone course in the snow without ESP.

It checks direction of car with the way you are wanting to go 20 times a second or something and reduces power/torque and even applys brakes to keep you in line.

Overall a brilliant safety aid. ESPecially in winter.

 

[Jay]

normally have mine switched off! but now the weather is shiter and colder, i leave it switched on.

It did save me a bit the other day when i was going a bit to quick into a roundabout with frost on the roads

 

[Lagerlout]

I found over the last few days that the ESP is actually quite effective. lol.

It reacted quicker than I did..... felt back end go, went to turn in to it, lights flashed on dash and I'm back in a straightline.

It's far from perfect but I often wonder about the sanity of those who call it useless for day to day driving.

Sure on a track it would be a pain in the arse - at the slightest bit of oversteer/understeer it just sort of kills everything - (I'm pretty sure it even braked the rear wheel) which isn't ideal for carrying speed through corners although on the road it may just keep you out of the ditch.

 

[ant_v6]

Come off it you lot. You know that ESP has kicked in and you all of a sudden think it has saved you. I'm sure if the car had lost a bit of traction you would have reacted and kept control of it.

I'd be worried about relying too much on electronic aids and forgetting how to drive properly. I agree it is a good bit of kit for most but 182 owners??!! I thought the car only appealled to the 'enthusiastic' driver?

 

[Lagerlout]

Come off it you lot. You know that ESP has kicked in and you all of a sudden think it has saved you. I'm sure if the car had lost a bit of traction you would have reacted and kept control of it.

I'd be worried about relying too much on electronic aids and forgetting how to drive properly. I agree it is a good bit of kit for most but 182 owners??!! I thought the car only appealled to the 'enthusiastic' driver?

You'd struggle to drive enthusiastically in any vehicle on roads around me. lol.

I agree with you though - I would have straightened the car myself had ESP not intervened.

I wasn't relying on traction control in anyway - I just got caught out. I was'nt even going fast which was probably a good job. lol.

 

[Steve2004]

I don't have TC or ESP and have no traction problems? Unless I'm a complete idiot

 

[Lagerlout]

Then your car is a one in a million. Either that or you've got miss daisy in your car with you!!

A f**king tractor could have traction problems on the roads how they are now. lol.

 

[polarbert]

does the 182 have traction control? because i span the wheels today with the esp thingy on and i was a bit concerned as i thought that it had traction control

 

[Ad]

^^on mine it lets them spin a bit, quite a bit more than the ESP. I really dont find them, intrusive at all for road drivin.

 

[polarbert]

thats reassuring, i was trying to drive away and thought, hang on! now that i know thats good

 

[LegoHead]

I have TC on my 172 phase 2 does it mean i have esp too?

f**k it i'm ignorant......should really know this.

 

[polarbert]

I have TC on my 172 phase 2 does it mean i have esp too?

f**k it i'm ignorant......should really know this.

how do you know if it has traction control?

 

[LegoHead]

I am wondering if TC and ESP are one package, I have the button on the right next to the dimmer and Cruise control button.

 

[tameracingdriver]

It was -1 round here tonight, i still had no problems driving in a spirited manner with ESP off... it handles very well, i havent drawn definite conclusions yet, but so far i prefer the car with ESP off.

 

[Martin]

esp, traction control....pah! Ghey as fook!

 

[The Hoff]

Dave3141 - Your traction control and your ESP are in the same switch mate (the one you found) as they both operate on the same system, but reversed. So you can't have ESP on and TC off, its all or nothing.

I've been driving for the last 2 weeks without ESP/TCS/ABS due to a wheel sensor error (which is getting sorted tomorrow) and i can't say i've needed any system in the conditions we've had. And im no slouch to be fair.

However, prior to it going tits up i did do some tests while the roads were wet one evening. Basically went round a roundabout constantly 3 times each with ESP on/off. Basically my findings were ESP was great as it effectively countered the massive amounts of understeer when i put any power down, it braked the correct corners and kept me going pretty straight. With ESP off, my front end understeered badly and at greater speed the back slid out too - all good fun, but slower cornering due to drifting.

So in essense, i'd only ever turn ESP off if i needed to launch at a good speed, say at SantaPod. The rest of the time i'd leave it all turned on. as imo it doesn't intervene in normal driving conditions, and is there to save you should you be caught unaware.

 

[LegoHead]

^^^ok cheers, thats the way I thought it was. I have picked a nice big car park with no obstacles and will be testing the stuff out when the snow comes.

And i switch it off at traffic light drag races (on private road) as the banging seems worse with it on.

 

[The Hoff]

Yeh with it on, it keeps cutting the power if your drag-racing and that seems to exagerate an already horrible noise.

 

[ChrisO182]

never had it in any of my previous cars and to be honest it`s not something that i need, but in winter and with the GF driving it, it does give a bit of safety.

 

[TonyRS182]

I must say ESP has saved my arse on more than one occasion,when i did my trackday at prodrive it was quite damp in the morning,i went out for a few slow laps to warm the car up and get used to the track,then i turned it off,spun on the first quick corner,back came round way too fast for me to react,if this had of been on a road with other cars...

 

[ianlowry]

Is there anything on the dash to indicate when it is activated i.e. the ESP light warning coming on, or is that only lit when you switch it off?

 

[Liam]

when its working to help save you it flashes. The more it works the faster the light and the more it comes on.

When you turn it off the light is on all the time.

 

[fizzy_drink]

My ESP light has come on on a few occasions (mainly track-days when I've forgotten to turn it off).

Not sure what it does... but it involves slowing you down!

I've had it interfere only once on the road... middle of summer coming of the motorway onto a nice long sharp left-right sliproad.

ESP light went mad, and I heard/felt the rear outside wheel have ABS applied to it.. and it was trying to slow the car down (BUT the car was nowhere near to slipping).

As for the ice/snow - I've tested it, and yes it does cut the engine out quite quickly... but you can feel so so much in the steering that it's not really needed.

ESP will probably be quite useful in those sh*t you pants panic moments... when one tends to stand of the brakes AND steer at the same time!

 

[Andy GDI]

my biggest beef with the std system is its soooo sllow to react to the spin..... and then bang it cuts.

 

[Phill1978]

my biggest beef with the std system is its soooo sllow to react to the spin..... and then bang it cuts.

too true, imo its useful for those miscalculations of corners when you ham fist it around and it helps out, all other times it slows the car down accelarating and cornering.. do you keep it on ??? safety net makes you drive faster than you would normally so its a catch 22 and one i dont have to worry about as i own a cup now teehehe

best bet is to fit a racelogic unit, proper traction control i.e you can control the level of traction and the unit is miles more complete and sophisticated than stock ESP systems

 

[Andy GDI]

too true, imo its useful for those miscalculations of corners when you ham fist it around and it helps out, all other times it slows the car down accelarating and cornering.. do you keep it on ??? safety net makes you drive faster than you would normally so its a catch 22 and one i dont have to worry about as i own a cup now teehehe

best bet is to fit a racelogic unit, proper traction control i.e you can control the level of traction and the unit is miles more complete and sophisticated than stock ESP systems

indeed, i have one in our demo car....

 

[Phill1978]

indeed, i have one in our demo car....

good good

pics please of that ickle green control unit in your 182

 

[miketheman2k]

But racelogic doesn't do ESP does it?

I had a rather large sideways moment (lift-off oversteer) the other day, and the light-flashed but nothing happened. Fortunately I'm a driving god so I corrected it

Can't be bothered to turn it off on a daily basis though, even if it is rubbish.

 

[Phill1978]

But racelogic doesn't do ESP does it?

i was under the impression the whole point of the unit was for ESP / TC but i could be wrong ?

http://www.racelogic.co.uk/

http://www.racelogic.co.uk/?show=Traction_Control

 

[Phill1978]

.. ohh check out the cool Drift Unit and Vids at the bottom of the page

 

[m03nn400]

i don't think i have traction control on my 172, its an 02(start of the year)!!! don't get the light come on but i do have esp. Also i can't turn the traction control off wiv the switch next to the dimmer as i don't have a switch :dapprove:

 

[Phill1978]

i don't think i have traction control on my 172, its an 02(start of the year)!!! don't get the light come on but i do have esp. Also i can't turn the traction control off wiv the switch next to the dimmer as i don't have a switch :dapprove:

unlucky m8 your cars as heavy as a fullfat but has the lack of electronics like a cup


dont fret you can still get racelogic for your 172 and its better than the stock system works off the ABS sensors but even if you dont have ABS you can get it done with wheel speed sensors fitted. £800 `ish for fully controllable traction and the system is apparently so good you can keep your foot in it around corners and it will control it and thats in a 172cup ! as i got a personal email from the guy at racelogic about this

 

[m03nn400]

thats no good . i do have abs cos the light comes on when i switch the ignition on so i know i got that. thats why i had some back end slippage on a roundabout the other day lol. was quite fun actually

 

[Andy GDI]

if anyone wants a demo of the racelogic system.... its really quite supprising...

the test with redline mag the other day proved intersting... the mag writer was unconvinced it was worth it, until he drove the car.....

in the poor weather I find it very usefull.

 

[m03nn400]

yeh sounds good andy but if i'm gonna buy one it'll have to be after christmas, i'll just have to take it easy in the bad weather :S