traction control

[MattyMarsh]

Does traction control prevent wheel spinning or simply reduce it ?

...and do you get any sensation when traction control kicks in (like ABS you can feel it through the brake pedal).

172 / 182s do have traction control dont they. Is this part of the ESP or something separate.

 

[Liam]

they have traction control with ESP. its all explained in the manual my friend.

They do a similar job, ESP applies brakes/reduces power to any wheel needed in order to remain in control, using a sensor in the steering to make sure you end up on the path you want.

 

[iceblue182]

it is supposed to remove it but in reality it just reduces it

the sensation you get is higher engine revs and it all feels and sounds a bit stuttery

i cant believe you have not experienced it in recent conditions!?!

 

[STEAMY WINDOWS]

i set off one day and got a bit of wheel spin so i pressed the button the light came on the dash and i thought super its on now so i tested it round a bend at about 30mph the back span out i was all over the road i was lucky cos it was a wide road and nothing was coming but a guy in an mg zt came right up my arse thinking i did it for fun he wanted a race i went very steady all the way home tho(in shock).but next time i will know when its turned on or off

 

[iceblue182]

lol sometimes it pays to read the manual

 

[dk]

yeah, if you floor it at the moment the front of the car sounds like the wheels are jumping up and the engine is about to jump out of its bay, very loud juddering motion when the traction control kicks in to try and stop the wheels from spinning.

 

[STEAMY WINDOWS]

yep should have done.i drive really carefully now cos i dont trust the car around bends but i will have faith again one day im sure

 

[Liam]

Quote: Originally posted by STEAMY WINDOWS on 13 December 2004

i set off one day and got a bit of wheel spin so i pressed the button the light came on the dash and i thought super its on now so i tested it round a bend at about 30mph the back span out i was all over the road i was lucky cos it was a wide road and nothing was coming but a guy in an mg zt came right up my arse thinking i did it for fun he wanted a race i went very steady all the way home tho(in shock).but next time i will know when its turned on or off



take it you realise you turned it OFF when you pressed the button.

 

[peterh2]

I was under the impression the traction control was just designed to stop me getting wheelspin? Didnt realise it was also meant to stop me from spinning the car. Im sure I have had the back end out a bit a few time and didnt really notice anything?

I do see the red light on the dash flickering when pulling away hard in 1st and 2nd in these conditions however.

 

[Liam]

Quote: Originally posted by peterh2 on 13 December 2004

I was under the impression the traction control was just designed to stop me getting wheelspin? Didnt realise it was also meant to stop me from spinning the car. Im sure I have had the back end out a bit a few time and didnt really notice anything?

I do see the red light on the dash flickering when pulling away hard in 1st and 2nd in these conditions however.

if i recall correctly the manual states, the traction control prevents wheelspin and the ESP overall keeps you going in the direction you want. Obviously it is all part of one big system.

 

[MattyMarsh]

dave182-

".... the car sounds like the wheels are jumping up and the engine is about to jump out of its bay, very loud juddering motion when the traction control kicks in......"

Yep, been getting that. Sounds / feels bloody awful.

Thanks.

 

[MattyMarsh]

The reason for asking the question, sometimes the wheels spin, other times I get the juddering motion.

For example, when I pull out of my side street at home, the wheels usually spin because Im not really flooring it,

but when I plant the throttle on a slippery road, I get the juddering.

I guess the car knows whether you need traction control or not.

 

[Toypop]

I was speaking with my neighbour about this today and we both find that the light comes on but our wheels still spin.

In my old Vectra the TC would absolutely 100% stop even the slightest bit of wheelspin occuring. I did find in certain circumstances that this TC would be too intrusive and completely bog down the car - when pulling out of a junction with a fair bit of steering lock you would tend to get one wheel spinning and the TC would seem to slow things down to suit that particular wheel.


I guess Renault have gone for the middle ground to avoid this problem but we were both worried that our TC didnt work!

 

[ViolentJ]

my astra has ESP and does what your vectra did, totally kills any wheel spin!

 

[Topper182]

My 172 used to do the same juddering but i did not think that it had traction conrol as it had no ESP switch on the dash, my 182 has the switch and does the same awful judder too . I find the wheels still spin up even with traction control ...

 

[stevoversteer]

My Punto HGTs traction control flashes a light at me but still lets me spin the wheels to my hearts content!! I like to call it Traction Awareness instead of Traction Control!

 

[jph172]

I reckon it prevents it cos when the light is on u CAN wheel spin,meaning traction control is turned OFF! Mine judders as well-its annoying but it saves me burning out my tyres! But remember it wont always stop your car from spinning out. Ive done it twice now&didnt enjoy it-left a nasty stain in my trousers!!

 

[stevoversteer]

Traction control works by comparing the speed of the 2 front wheels to the speed of the 2 rears. If the fronts exceed the speed of the rears at all, then the system will cut power from the fronts. Hence this cant, and wont, stop you spinning!! Opposite lock and a bit of power, however, sometimes can!!! ESP works on the same sort of principle, however it applies braking to the outside wheel when you get out of line, hopefully bringing you back into line. I find most VAG group cars traction control to be fool proof. The slightest amount of wheel slip and it cuts power

 

[iceblue182]

^^^ i had no idea it worked that way! you learn something new every day (or do you?)

 

[MoJocvh]

so when the lights ON the system is OFF ....................I can see the way that logic works cos youd (hopefully) spot an unusual bright light on the dash....



MoJo.

 

[edgerfs]

Yer which is why whenever you start the car by default ESP & Traction control is on. And btw if u try and do a very quick start with the Traction disabled (ie light on) you will get a lot of wheelspin, take it from me