TCS Expination for a complete newbie

[schnipps]

Hi, on my FR it obviously has the TCS button, I dont really have a clue what it does. I know what it stands for butam just a bit lost as to why its needed on a 150bhp car. Is the car quicker straight line with it off? Just after a plebs guid to TCS really. Cheers

 

[CupraUK]

Don't know about the FR but the TCS in my cupra just kills in the power when it senses wheel spin. Its totally rubbish and can result in you losing all acceleration when trying to get across a roundabout when someone comes flying round.

I switch if off the second I turn the key, rain or shine.

 

[MarkE]

Picture the scene :

You're coming off a wet roundabout and you put your foot down. The inside front wheel spins up as it's unloaded so the car drifts out towards the Isuzu Trooper going the other way down the road. The TCS kills the power, your car pulls back into line and you continue down the road, unhindered by Isuzu Troopers in your face. All is good.

 

[CupraUK]

I powerslide all the time in the wet, I still think I can do a much better job than the crappy system. If it were something clever like the 4 wheel stuff in the Skyline then I'd have some faith in it.

If I've got understeer then I want power to get me out of it.

 

[CupraSteve]

Don't know about the FR but the TCS in my cupra just kills in the power when it senses wheel spin. Its totally rubbish and can result in you losing all acceleration when trying to get across a roundabout when someone comes flying round.

I switch if off the second I turn the key, rain or shine.

same same same

only ever used it in the snow

 

[MarkE]

I powerslide all the time in the wet

No, you dont. You don't have rear wheel drive. You understeer.

 

[schnipps]

Ok good replies cheers, but straight line speed does it effect it atall?

 

[MarkE]

If I've got understeer then I want power to get me out of it.

In a front wheel-drive car, all the power in the world is just going to make you understeer more. Best of luck.

 

[cheekyfella]

I don't touch mine! never had the need to turn it off.

 

[CupraUK]

No luck required, almost 600,000 boy racer miles without a meaningful own fault accident!

 

[StuLCR52]

i must admit, at first i drove with the tcs on and only turned it off for that extra special 'boy racer' moment wen the fiance grips that passenger ever so much more u think the seats gonna get claw marks!

ne hows now i drive everywere with it off and to be honest i mite just be me but with tcs off a few extra miles in the tank !?

 

[aphix]

I think it has its place... in the wet it has saved me from a couple of nasty curb instances.. especially coming off wet roundabouts.. .

In the dry i drive with it on most of time.. but occasionally turn it off when i want to know im in control..

A slightly gravelly surface does confuise the hell out of it.. floor it away and you get initial lack of grip.. then it steals all the power and you have nothing.. at which point your on the grippy tarmac. when you need as much power as you can to get up to speed away from the traffic coming up behind you... so a bit unsafe there... but you could argue.. a good driver would be aware of the the surface and road conditions they where on.. and adapt to suit.

However since changing the engine mount to a neuspeed one, and getting goodyear eagle F1's it doesnt come on as much.. and i really cant feel it making any real noticible differnce...

If i know the roads.. the weathers good and im looking to drive fast.. it will come off.

Rob

 

[schnipps]

So as I have asked 3 times does it make a difference to straight line speed?????????

 

[aphix]

nope.. only when your pulling away or nailing it out of a corner.. as far as im aware.

Youshould see the light flash when its actually doing something

Rob

 

[Reg]

Does nobody actually consider pulling away from lights normally? i.e. do you really have to rag away from every standing start? And charge around every roundabout and corner so hard that the TCS cuts in? You will make progress a lot faster if you drive smoothly. Provoking a car to the point of skidding and wheel spinning ultimately means you are going slower, particularly in a FWD car.

As for needing more power to pull you out of understeer - I think some people here need to do a day on a skid pan or something and learn a few basics.

Here's the basic principle of Understeer. Scenario is, you've approached a roundabout too fast. You turn in, the wheels point to the right, the vehicle basically carries continues straight along its original path. Tyres really only want to do one thing at a time. Accelerate, brake or turn. To do more than one thing at a time means a compromise - you can't turn and accelerate full bore at the same time.

So there you are sliding onwards towards the kerb. Tyres have lost grip already, so booting it and loading them up even more isn't the answer. Correct drill is to gently lift off the throttle and at the same time quickly, but smoothly, unwind the steering lock you have (i.e. back towards straight), then turn into the corner again. All this should only take a fraction of a second, but in that time you would have lost some speed, and turning the wheels straight allows them to regain their traction and turn into the corner. Sadly, by the time most of this has happened you have smashed into the kerb/traffic island/another car, and ruined yours and possibly someone elses day.

I agree that a good driver will 99% of the time get around a circuit or up a drag strip faster without traction control, using a little bit of slip and slide to balance the car through a turn, etc. But for the road, its there to help you in those unexpected moments. Drive without thrashing the arse out of the car every centimetre of the way and you probably won't even notice it.

 

[CupraUK]

Fair point, well made. Hence the need to take the plumb out of the mouth of motorsport and make it accessable to the masses. We'd end up with better drivers on the road and we'd probably find the next Michael Shumacher to drive for GB!

 

[CupraSteve]

whats with this incase you slid into someone at a roundabout nonsense? can nobody feel when there cars about to slide without a crappy device cutting in??

i know sure as hell i know precisely when im about to lose traction

 

[Reg]

CupraUK, I wish people could do a skid pan day as part of their driver training. If people are not told why stuff happens, and what to do when it does happen, how can they be expected to deal with it?

And you're right about motorsport should be more accessuble.. Too many people involved to have their heads shoved firmly up their own arses. I'm involved with the VW Cup, and if it wasn't for a few of the decent people (including Shaun from BBT), it wouldn't be worth doing. This year the VW championship is supporting the F3 & GT boys. All very nice from a corporate point of view, but what a load of stuck up nobs! Still, the dolly birds they bring with them are a nice treat on a Sunday morning!

 

[andycupra]

So as I have asked 3 times does it make a difference to straight line speed?????????

NO.

its only cuts in when wheel spin is detected.


You however cant just put your foot down and expect the traction control to get the best acceleration for you, as its not a performance programme.
It fundamentally for safety.

If you simpy boot it it can cut the power quiet aggressively, but if you are trying to feed the power in and only spin the wheels a little then its quiet good. Well i think so.

ALthough having said all that ive got ESP (electronic stablility programme)
should be the same traction control wise though id expect.

 

[Reg]

whats with this incase you slid into someone at a roundabout nonsense? can nobody feel when there cars about to slide without a crappy device cutting in??

i know sure as hell i know precisely when im about to lose traction

You'd think so, but plenty of people don't. Or if they do they have no idea how to sort it. Thats why the 'crappy' device is there, to try and build in a safety margin.