I drove my S in the snow all last winter here in NY and it was a bit challenging at times, especially in getting started from a stop. But that was with all-season Goodyear tires on my winter setup. This year I am going to go with dedicated snow tires and am pretty confident that will make a marked improvement.

 

btw VDC is not what is cutting the power its the Traction Control that is TC is integrated with the VDC though. And I am pretty sure when you push the "VDC" button it turns off TC completely but leaves VDC on, but less intrusive.

^^ this is how it is on 03-06 models, I dont know about the newer ones.

 

From Infiniti's website -
"In an evasive maneuver, holding to your steered course is paramount. If the vehicle begins to under steer or over steer, Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) applies brake pressure to individual wheels and/or reduces engine output to help you keep on track. The traction control system (TCS) senses wheel spin and automatically reduces engine output and/or brakes the spinning wheel for a surer foothold when accelerating."

They both reduce engine output.

 

^+1 thanks for clearing that up

I think it just depends on situation. If you're coming around a turn and mash the throttle and the car starts to heavily oversteer it needs to kill the engine output for a little until the rear comes back in line, but if you're perhaps going straight or on a slight bend and the car becomes unsettled (like a hydroplane) a simple brake dab of one of the wheels will set the car straight.

Let me be clear I do think it's a great system. You'll definitely notice it come on if you're pushing, but it'll totally save your butt. And the car handles very nicely with it off, although it does still seem to cut in a little (i.e. won't go completely off) - but it will let you completely spin.

 

I've played with it on loose gravel, with VDC on the vehicle will go in the direction you intend it to go. At low speed/rpm it does feel like all its doing is playing with the brakes, but at high rpm/speeds there's a definite power loss while the vehicle regains control. At all times the dash light is flickering like a strobe.

Turn it off and things get rather fun.

I like playing in loose gravel because it doesn't take much speed at all to figure out the cars handling characteristics.

 

OHH it will cut power,

i have the 6mt rwd

if u have a rwd it will cuz u can spin the tires very easly,

the AWD you won't feel it cut power because you can never get all 4 tires rippen, so it never needs to, unless ur in the snow and you hammer it.


the VDC works well, it does the job. on rwd you can get the tires to break loos very quickly with some throttle input, and it will cut power, till they gain traction again, then it will return power, the power return is not like a light switch, its a fast gradual return, if they brake away again, the power cut will cycle again. the cycle is less the a second but you can feel it, and its not a linear return, its constantly modulated till full power is returned. this you can feel more so on the 6mt because there isn't a tork converter to soak up the small changes in power.



if you get the car sideways it will cut power and pump the brakes on the outside front wheel to bring you straigh again, which does a very good job of bring you straight again.

it works very well, however, it does limit the fun if you want to rip the tires just a little and you forget to turn it off, BUT it will keep you straight.

if you get inside wheel spin, it will bind down on the offending wheel which will transfer the power to the other wheel, this you will feel , it will launch you because the other griping tire has a small surge of power, which i like.


on the awd, you will get the binding and the front will grab and pull you aswell.



during under steer conditions (when the fronts loos turning grip and the car pushes straight) the vdc will cut the power, and pump the inside front brake which helps turn the car in the direction you have the wheels pointed.
this doesn't work as well as the fish tail correction. BUT it does help quite a bit, it also doesn't kick in as quickly as the fish tail correction does.
i have no idea how the under steer vdc works on the AWD,

in the snow and rain its grate, i can just drop the clutch and hammer it and not think about it, just point the fronts where i wanna go, the slip light goes crazy and i can hear the vdc worken its magic and i get there

i leave it on 90% of the time, i turn it off when i plan on doing some thing stupid.

ICC does not work if you have VDC off, which is expected.

if i could change the system i would make it so it doesn't cut power as quickly, get 3-5 tire rotations before a cut, right now it cuts in about 1 rotation.

 

^ excuse my iphone tying and spelling

 

you wrote all that on your iphone damn lol.

 

Very good explanation of the VDC, snowcrossmxz. Honestly, I never felt a loss of power, even with WOT at the apex of the corners. I did notice that the car tends to under steer when the VDC is on. It seems to be almost impossible to get the rear end loose with the VDC on (dry conditions), turn it off and the rear end does have a tendency to step out. A car that under steers is easier to control and safer than a car thats loose. I think I heard one of those NASCAR guys say "Loose is Fast"

 

exactly what i was going to say

how the hell did you manage to write all that? hahah, you must have really been interested in this topic!

 

Automakers favor far and away a car that will understeer vs. one that will oversteer. They set up most cars from the factory to intentionally understeer because that's a lot safer and easier to control than oversteer.

 

If the original poster lives in a snowy climate and is in the market for a G, he should give strong consideration to AWD. I drove Audi Quattros in Minnesota for 10 years, and there is no replacement for AWD - not tires, not technology. It's physics, under low friction conditions, the more driven wheels the better.

 

It cuts power too - that's why you get the dead feel even while flooring it if VDC cuts in. Full throttle will overcome just the brake, that's why it cuts both.

From Inifinit's web site:

Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
Acting in tandem with the Traction Control System, VDC[1] compares actual vehicle cornering performance to the driver's input, adjusting power levels and/or applying appropriate brake pressure to individual wheels to help correct oversteer or understeer.

I think you're right though, it doesn't seem to cut power completely (which could also create traction problems), it's more like it keeps it steady.

 

ur right, cuz it won't let the 6mt stall going up a hill.
i have tried it

 

interesting topic. Me likey. LOL

Anybody found the way to the fuse of the AWD system and/or VDC? That would help to see what it does without it and with it in the same condition.