What is it specifically, is it traction control?? When is it good to have it on and off?

 

vdc = vechile skid control...wooty woot...shut it off to spin tires..turn it on to get tracking...so when tires spin with it on the power to that wheel spining is minuimized....

Joe

 

VDC = Vehicle Dynamic Control. Not only does it prevent wheel spin but it will also help the car track straight down the road if you get a little too western. turning it off doesn't completely disable it. you have to pull the fuse for that.

When to have it on or off is up to you. I leave it on most of the time unless I know I need to make a quick acceleration.

 

hehe good way of putting it...thx for assist mate

 

thanks y'all and thanks for not flaming a newb, hmm maybe thats why i'm so herky jerky when driving but could be my manual newbness

 

This wouldn't mean much to you southern guys, but you need to turn VDC off if you are driving in heavy snow. If you are going up a hill with VDC on and it is very slippery, VDC will keep hitting the brakes on the spinning wheel until the car stops. Imagine your embarassment as the guys pushing you are yelling at you to hit the gas, you have it floored (but the wheels are now locked), and the car goes nowhere!

 

traction control.........keep it on

 

If you want to race then turn it off or you'll be sorry...=o)

 

When u have VDC off, it's still on? Explain.... And another thing... What does it mean when the "sLip" light stays on after a burnout or when the tires break loose for a long period of time? I always just turn off my car after it lights up...

 

That doesn't sound good... The light should go off as soon as "slipping" stops. You shouldn't have to turn the car off. Sounds like a dealer visit is in order.

 

BOOOOOOOO!

 

keep it off in the winter time?

 

At first I would only turn it off when I wanted a good launch. Now I keep it off most of the time. Only when the weather is bad to I turn it back on.

 

I do the same thing as Gamma. Mine is off all year except winter. When it's on, I find the engine cuts power as soon as you lose traction on either rear wheel. The same thing when breaking hard, if one tire slips a little the engine cuts power again. The Nissan system is not a very intelligent one. Theirs is more an anti-slip system, meaning it does not give you more traction but simply keeps the wheels from slipping.

As for it never being off, I have read too that even when you turn VDC off, the system will reactive if the car gets seriously out of control. The Porsche system is known to do the same thing, when it's off; it will turn itself on to keep the car under control and then turns off again when not needed.

 

^+1 (unless u'r doing a burn out) I turned it off and a couple of spins later I was up against the turnpike's concrete devider with passanger side air bags deployed!! It really, really sucked. Granted the road was wet but you never know when u'r gonna run in to a little gravel than can screw up u'r baby. Total cost of repair 'bout $18,000 and 1+1/2 w/o my ride.