Turning off/disabling VDC (For real.)

[Sagemark]

Originally Posted by Canadian

When I turn off my VDC it IS off. Ive autocrossed many times and been to the track once. With VDC off by pushing the button, it has never ever kicked in trying to slow the car. I wonder why it would be any different for you guys.

I can't imagine your car is any different, but not knowing your driving habits it is possible you are either not making it kick in or you aren't noticing it's operation. It's got to be one or the other, because it IS there! If you push your car hard enough around a corner to slide, whether over steer or understeer, VDC kicks in even with the VDC button off. When it kicks in the SLIP light flashes briefly. When that happens, the it trims the slide by individually controlling the brakes and cutting back on throttle.

If you aren't noticing, that doesn't necessarily mean it isn't still there. It could mean you aren't cornering hard enough to slide, so it doesn't kick in. It could also be that that when you corner hard enough to slide you are intently focusing on the road and don't observe the flashing slip light, AND that you fail to notice the corrective action the car is taking on your behalf, leaving you amazed by your ability to corner at high speeds without sliding or spinning out.

The system is pretty subtle in operation, and it is amazingly effective at keeping the car in a line on a corner at high speed.

If your car has not had the system disabled as described here, it MUST be there and doing it's job when required unless it is faulty which is highly unlikely.

Turning VDC off with the VDC button does allow greater amounts of wheelspin and changes the parameters of the system's operation, but it most certainly does not turn it off completely.

If you don't believe me just go out in a big parking lot and turn hard enough at a sufficient speed to cause the car to slide. Have a passenger watch the dash and they'll see the SLIP light come on. If you brake into a corner and turn in suddenly, a bit too hard, you'll understeer. If you pay close attention you'll feel the outside front wheel stab the brakes a couple times briefly and halt the understeer. It doesn't take it long, and you keep moving pretty fast, just slowed down enough to stop the slide. If you turn in hard with an open throttle, breaking loose the rear end, you'll feel the rear brakes apply and the rear quickly comes back in line. It's impossible to do a power slide and smoothly, gradually bring the rear back in line without completely disabling the VDC, instead it kind of stops the slide hard, and jerks back in, effective but ungraceful. That's the best I can describe how I've experienced things with my 2004 sedan, and the 2003 Coupe I used to have.

I'll be interested to hear what you find but I'm dead certain I know what I'm talking about on this, wholly from personal experience. I've got a couple of favorite 270 degree off ramps I drive every day that are 50mph low 3rd gear corners (just above 2nd gear redline speeds). I push the limit through them regularly. Through the familiarity that comes from this repetitive practice I've gotten used to exactly what the car has been doing in the situation.

I expect that because of your autocross experience and the fact you don't realize the VDC is still there you will find what I'm writing unlikely, but if you go do as I'm saying I'm sure you'll find I'm right.

I'm sure we could get a fair number of folks chiming in here, some agreeing with you and some confirming what I'm saying. I'll stand by what what I've said here as indisputably true though. To prove it isn't so for your car, take a video of your dashboard AND view out the windscreen as you slide your car through a corner. I guarantee you can't make a video that shows you sliding, with the VDC OFF light illuminated and no flashing SLIP light.

Sagemark

[Sagemark]

Originally Posted by Jeff92se

^ Are you just expanding on the OP's comments?

For me, it would be nice to be able to get around the electronic nanny that prevents us auto guys from getting a good launch. With my oem tires, I could do a burnout w/ the VDC off no problem. But with the 19" 245-40s RE050s, the car just bogs. If putting the Yaw sensor on a switch (I assume this the orange wire everyone talks about) would accomplish this, that would be great.

My car's a manual so I can't say for sure about your auto, but I'm pretty sure it would deal with your problem. You don't have to cut the orange line unless you are installing a switch though. You just need to unplug the sensor's harness, then go test. If it does what you want, put in a switch. You could just leave it unplugged but I wouldn't. (Even though I leave it off all the time.)

[Canadian]

Originally Posted by Sagemark

I can't imagine your car is any different, but not knowing your driving habits it is possible you are either not making it kick in or you aren't noticing it's operation. It's got to be one or the other, because it IS there! If you push your car hard enough around a corner to slide, whether over steer or understeer, VDC kicks in even with the VDC button off. When it kicks in the SLIP light flashes briefly. When that happens, the it trims the slide by individually controlling the brakes and cutting back on throttle.

If you aren't noticing, that doesn't necessarily mean it isn't still there. It could mean you aren't cornering hard enough to slide, so it doesn't kick in. It could also be that that when you corner hard enough to slide you are intently focusing on the road and don't observe the flashing slip light, AND that you fail to notice the corrective action the car is taking on your behalf, leaving you amazed by your ability to corner at high speeds without sliding or spinning out.

The system is pretty subtle in operation, and it is amazingly effective at keeping the car in a line on a corner at high speed.

If your car has not had the system disabled as described here, it MUST be there and doing it's job when required unless it is faulty which is highly unlikely.

Turning VDC off with the VDC button does allow greater amounts of wheelspin and changes the parameters of the system's operation, but it most certainly does not turn it off completely.

If you don't believe me just go out in a big parking lot and turn hard enough at a sufficient speed to cause the car to slide. Have a passenger watch the dash and they'll see the SLIP light come on. If you brake into a corner and turn in suddenly, a bit too hard, you'll understeer. If you pay close attention you'll feel the outside front wheel stab the brakes a couple times briefly and halt the understeer. It doesn't take it long, and you keep moving pretty fast, just slowed down enough to stop the slide. If you turn in hard with an open throttle, breaking loose the rear end, you'll feel the rear brakes apply and the rear quickly comes back in line. It's impossible to do a power slide and smoothly, gradually bring the rear back in line without completely disabling the VDC, instead it kind of stops the slide hard, and jerks back in, effective but ungraceful. That's the best I can describe how I've experienced things with my 2004 sedan, and the 2003 Coupe I used to have.

I'll be interested to hear what you find but I'm dead certain I know what I'm talking about on this, wholly from personal experience. I've got a couple of favorite 270 degree off ramps I drive every day that are 50mph low 3rd gear corners (just above 2nd gear redline speeds). I push the limit through them regularly. Through the familiarity that comes from this repetitive practice I've gotten used to exactly what the car has been doing in the situation.

I expect that because of your autocross experience and the fact you don't realize the VDC is still there you will find what I'm writing unlikely, but if you go do as I'm saying I'm sure you'll find I'm right.

I'm sure we could get a fair number of folks chiming in here, some agreeing with you and some confirming what I'm saying. I'll stand by what what I've said here as indisputably true though. To prove it isn't so for your car, take a video of your dashboard AND view out the windscreen as you slide your car through a corner. I guarantee you can't make a video that shows you sliding, with the VDC OFF light illuminated and no flashing SLIP light.

Sagemark

I'm sorry dude, but you're wrong. It may be different for your cars, and for that reason I have no idea why. Take a look at this video, the ground was freezing and my tires were freezing, and I decided to try one run with VDC off. All I did was turn off the button.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GcxbeG-eLIw

No slip light or anything, I just spun. I've noticed in my dads M35 the slip light still comes on with VDC off, but in mine is does not. And again, I don't know why it would be any different than your car..but I know what it feels like to have the VDC kick in. Trust me, it kicks in everytime I drive.

[GrayG35]

lol std's

[Canadian]

Originally Posted by GrayG35

lol std's

Damn spin outs

[EricIsKlumzyee]

Originally Posted by Jeff92se

^ Are you just expanding on the OP's comments?

For me, it would be nice to be able to get around the electronic nanny that prevents us auto guys from getting a good launch. With my oem tires, I could do a burnout w/ the VDC off no problem. But with the 19" 245-40s RE050s, the car just bogs. If putting the Yaw sensor on a switch (I assume this the orange wire everyone talks about) would accomplish this, that would be great.

mm I duno? just thought u guys want to hear on someone thats had it done on their G (my 05) ..

Supposely we're electronically limited on throttle when we hold on brake and gas down at the same time which is the whole reason for this mod.. weather or not it actually TURNS VDC off even more is still ??? sole purpose IMO is to make it easier to do a burn out by allowing us to WOT under braking and load..

What it really does is confuse your VDC module to think that the YAW sensor is at fault and turn itself off but keeping ABS on while you do this..

[Andrei]

Originally Posted by Klumzyee

On our cars the VDC wont let you do a full burn out even when its off.. its quite fustrating for some of the guys that track at the drags..

Anyways the ONLY way to disable the traction control completely without disabling ABS is to add a on/off switch on the YAW sensor.. Your slip and VDC light will remain on after that and you will NOT be able to turn the VDC back on without reconnecting the YAW sensor and cycling the key. You can also disable the system by throwing your car COMPLETELY out of wack IE doing doughnuts and it'll disable the system for your own saftey (since the traction control module has no idea whats goign on anymore and is doing it for your own saftey). ALL other ways, pulling relays, fuses, etc.. will result in disabling the complete control module for both ABS and VDC..

This method is completely pointless unless you need it do drift or do burnouts.. some guys disable it to dyno but as you can see our cars dyno just fine with a simple VDC off..

So disconnecting that sensor in the center console wont let you do burnouts?

[EricIsKlumzyee]

^ disconnecting WILL make it easier for u to burn out but to re-enable VDC u gotta cycle the key

[Andrei]

Originally Posted by Klumzyee

^ disconnecting WILL make it easier for u to burn out but to re-enable VDC u gotta cycle the key

So if I disconnect the sensor VDC is completly off?

[EricIsKlumzyee]

that is correct

[Sagemark]

Originally Posted by Canadian

I'm sorry dude, but you're wrong. It may be different for your cars, and for that reason I have no idea why. Take a look at this video, the ground was freezing and my tires were freezing, and I decided to try one run with VDC off. All I did was turn off the button.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GcxbeG-eLIw

No slip light or anything, I just spun. I've noticed in my dads M35 the slip light still comes on with VDC off, but in mine is does not. And again, I don't know why it would be any different than your car..but I know what it feels like to have the VDC kick in. Trust me, it kicks in everytime I drive.

I have done donuts with the VDC button turned off (not with sensor unplugged) Turning the VDC button off does turn off the traction control, allowing wheelspin, and it is possible to spin the car. I don't remember whether the SLIP light flashed when I did donuts but I would just think it probably did.

I'm not going to argue that you can't spin with it.

You're in Canada? Maybe VDC off functions differently for US market versus non-US market cars?? The only other explanation I can think of is a faulty G-Sensor but then it wouldn't work when it was turned on so that's not it.

I wonder if anyone else out there might know about different programming for different markets? Its total speculation on my part. It's hard to believe your car is different from others in this respect, it just doesn't make sense.

Post back if you ever figure it out, I'd be interested to know.

[mIKE]

I've seen guys doing burnouts and semi-donuts in parking lots with their G's... Havn't seen a 1st gen do it though.

[DaveB]

Originally Posted by Canadian

When I turn off my VDC it IS off. Ive autocrossed many times and been to the track once. With VDC off by pushing the button, it has never ever kicked in trying to slow the car. I wonder why it would be any different for you guys.

Because you're not trying to do a burnout. Also, you might have sticky tires. I can hang my cars butt out real wide and spin the tires quite aggressively with the VDC simply turned off. But if I spin the tires on wet pavement and the car is hardly moving forward, the traction control will kick on because the rear tires are moving much faster than the fronts. Now if I disconnect the yaw sensor, then the traction control won't intervene.

With the VDC turned off, I can't effectively do a burnout. If I disconnect the yaw sensor, I can melt the tires quite easily.

[DaveB]

Originally Posted by Canadian

I'm sorry dude, but you're wrong. It may be different for your cars, and for that reason I have no idea why. Take a look at this video, the ground was freezing and my tires were freezing, and I decided to try one run with VDC off. All I did was turn off the button.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GcxbeG-eLIw

No slip light or anything, I just spun. I've noticed in my dads M35 the slip light still comes on with VDC off, but in mine is does not. And again, I don't know why it would be any different than your car..but I know what it feels like to have the VDC kick in. Trust me, it kicks in everytime I drive.

That video doesn't prove much because the traction control/VDC won't always save you from hamfisted manuvers like that. My G has done the same thing.

[Canadian]

No, I'm not in Canada. I live in Vegas and the G was bought here too.

All I'm trying to say here is that my G has NEVER had the SLIP light come on when VDC is off, and I can guarantee you that I've NEVER felt it kick in before when VDC is off - and I'm not an idiot, I know what it feels like.

Another example is earlier this week, with VDC off I gunned it in 2nd gear and my tires spun for a good 2 seconds and my speedo just jumped all the way to 60mph in about a second, no slip light.

This guy is saying the slip light comes on, IT DOES NOT. He also never specified that this is just for doing a burnout, which makes more sense. But in order for that to happen, wouldn't you need to remove or get a higher stall speed? For the AT's you need to be able to rev higher to spin the tires. I do know that a few times with VDC off I've held the brake and floored it and I've spun the tires a bit, but I'm not a fan of wasting tires so I don't ever even try to do a burnout.