the VDC switch
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 30,341
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From: Cambridge, Ont. Canada
Originally Posted by adamG35
I have a funny story about the VDC. a couple of weeks after I bought my 03 G, my wife was driving it and it happen to be raining. when I got home that day she had asked me "how do I know if the traction control is working?" being that she like most people were brought up to think that FWD cars don't lose control, I had to go back and explain the whole process of the LSD and how wheel spin is controled with the brakes yada yada yada. so anyway I had to pick up a friend from the airport that night anyway, so I figured I put the car through its paces to try and find itsboundries in wet weather. now for you SoCal drivers out there you know the minute the clouds roll in people slow down to 5mph on the freeways, but I would not be deterred by this. with it close to midnight and raining to make cali a little thinner, I was tearing down the 8W at speeds of around 80mph and not once did I get the sensation that the car my lose control even when hitting small patches of water that so convieniently populate cali highways. so I figured maybe it was just the tires and the fact that this G was much better car than any I had driven up to then but no slip light came on to tell me that things were out of wack. well once I got to the airport I was finding myself in start and stop traffic sometimes right in a puddle. I hit the gas the slip light would flicker a little but the car darted ahead as if everything was ok. even when punching itno a turn from a standstill she held her lane and didn't skid or slide, nothing. so to make a long story short after I dropped my buddy off at his house I cam to a stop sign, checked for the absense of oncoming traffic, and disengaged the VDC. when I hit the gas I was surprised to find the car pointing in the other direction, and and had even spu a little past 180* before I took my foot off the gas. and that was at only 3000rpms. needless to say I turned the VDC back on got the car poiinted back in the right direction, and drove home. the moral of the story is I'm never turning it off again. at least not until its paid for, and then I may have some fun with it, but not for a while.
C.
With the VDC off, I can get my 05 6mt sideways and spinning no problem. I do remember seeing the slip light coming on with the vdc off one time. It seemed strange at the time, but don't remember it hitting the brakes like when the vdc is on. I wish there was another setting on the VDC for 1/2. I like having traction control for those unexpected uh-oh times but so sick of being shutdown on hard shifts on dry pavement.
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: San Diego, CA
You gotta be careful here on the California freeways when it rains. We get so little rain that A) nobody respects it, and B) all the oil and dirt builds up and makes the first rain of the season extra-slippery. Even with traction and stability control systems and ABS, I wouldn't recommend speeding in the rain. The car may not spin out of control, but it's not going to be able to follow as tight a line or stop as quickly as in the dry, and you can never predict other drivers' actions. 80 into a sufficient patch of water will cause you to hydroplane, as well, and VDC can't help there.
That's not to say I haven't done a full-throttle hard-left at a stop sign to see what VDC is capable of, but that too was a barren street.
As for FWD cars not losing control, I've hit a patch of water just right turning a corner and fishtailed an Accord. Thoroughly unexpected, it was. Not common, but not impossible.
That's not to say I haven't done a full-throttle hard-left at a stop sign to see what VDC is capable of, but that too was a barren street.
As for FWD cars not losing control, I've hit a patch of water just right turning a corner and fishtailed an Accord. Thoroughly unexpected, it was. Not common, but not impossible.
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Joined: Nov 2005
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I just bought an 04 coupe and previously I had an 04 RX-8 in the RX-8 we had to hold the TC button down for seven seconds to completely deactivate everything. That doesn't seem to be the case with the G35, yesterday I just taped the the button, the VDC turned off and I did alot that I tried to do earlier with the VDC on but the "Slip" light came on and the TC kicked in. With just one tap of the button I could put it in a slide, bark the gears and get sideways and I even did a controlled launch/spin and the TC never seemed to kick in and the "Slip" light never came on. But as I have only owned the car for a day I couldn't tell you if it was fully deactivated. What do most people on here think fully deactivates the TC? By unpluging the "brain" under the dash does that disable the ABS? How do you unplug the "Brain"?
Thats strange I have an 05 manual G35 Sedan and when I turn off my vdc its off. I've gone to drift events with my car, complely sideways smoking the rear tires and no vdc light. My car comes with the VLSD also.
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Joined: Apr 2005
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I can confirm in my 05 G35x that VDC is never really off.
Even with it "turned off"
I tested the other day VDC off, made left from stop at full throttle, rear got a little sideways and then SLIP and reeled it back in.
Even with it "turned off"
I tested the other day VDC off, made left from stop at full throttle, rear got a little sideways and then SLIP and reeled it back in.
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Joined: Sep 2005
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There are two different LSD systems in the discussion here and some people seem to be confusing them:
The one ryoken mentioned is ABLSD or "active Brake" LSD.
The one iewsemaj has is the optional "viscous" LSD which is built into the rear end. It will not cause a SLIP light, it's more like the old posi-trac rear ends we OF's remember.
Both LSD systems are enabled regardless of VDC status, but only ABLSD causes a SLIP light when active. So even if the VDC (and TCS) system is off you might get a SLIP light, depending on whether or not you have a VLSD on your car.
The one ryoken mentioned is ABLSD or "active Brake" LSD.
The one iewsemaj has is the optional "viscous" LSD which is built into the rear end. It will not cause a SLIP light, it's more like the old posi-trac rear ends we OF's remember.
Both LSD systems are enabled regardless of VDC status, but only ABLSD causes a SLIP light when active. So even if the VDC (and TCS) system is off you might get a SLIP light, depending on whether or not you have a VLSD on your car.
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Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Chicago
Slip light WILL come on with VDC off
I live west of chicago. We got our first huge snowstorm today. Never drove a rear wheel drive sports car in the snow before - one with summer tires at that.
It took me 4 hours to get my car from office into my garage. Needless to say, I have learned a lot about this vehicle. VDC can be off and the slip light still come on, under extreme conditions. I had to do that up Ogden, for like a half mile to prevent the rear end sliding into the shoulder, where Id be ****ed and everyone behind me pissed.
I have an 03 coupe, sport, aero,
18" 245/45/R18 Front
275/40/R18 Rear
Falken summer perf tires still on, was scheduled to get winter tires put on today too.. Getting Dunlop M3s and after tonights tragic experience, cant wait
It took me 4 hours to get my car from office into my garage. Needless to say, I have learned a lot about this vehicle. VDC can be off and the slip light still come on, under extreme conditions. I had to do that up Ogden, for like a half mile to prevent the rear end sliding into the shoulder, where Id be ****ed and everyone behind me pissed.
I have an 03 coupe, sport, aero,
18" 245/45/R18 Front
275/40/R18 Rear
Falken summer perf tires still on, was scheduled to get winter tires put on today too.. Getting Dunlop M3s and after tonights tragic experience, cant wait
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