driving with TCS off

Nef

Looking Rather Dappa
Mar 30, 2009
626
0
Cambridge
i used to turn it off now and again, but recently my ABS and traction control broke and is now constantly off, so i have no choice.
 

Murdered LCR

Wide mouthed mofo
Sep 9, 2006
6,646
8
Murder Inc.
off all the time .. since having it mapped it constantly kept coming on and makes it drive like a dog .. who cares about a bit of wheel spin :)
 

ArosaRacer

Wee man returns in a fL mk2 cupra
Aug 28, 2005
2,299
18
45
Bayview, Kent
how many people on here drive with there tcs off ??
this morning i had a play with a focus st on the way to work.i took a roundabout well hard and the tcs light come on and slowed me down resulting in me way behind and could not catch him:(:(but if i had it off i would of kept up fine.....so how many people drive with there off

Becareful around strood, theres a few unmarked cars floating that will take great pleasure in giving you a special prize for ragging around now!

Just be careful oh and tcs or esp as it is in the lcr stays on as i only do 4 miles a day!
 

JamJay

California Bound
I keep meaning to turn it off in the dry but always forget and then wonder why it feels sluggish. When I turn it off it goes like stink but I really need to do some testing with it off before I fly about, I should get used to it 1st. I remember the 1st time I drove it after the map and with TCS on, I was extremely impressed and it covered 30mph - 70mph in no time but it was a perfect Spring day, cool enough & dry enough so no traction issues. In the wet it's always on but still impresses, as Mr Saab 93 Turbo discovered last night when trying to illegally undertake me, I sped up to the speed limit quickly to stop him from breaking the law, crime prevention :p
 
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Mar 29, 2007
1,207
1
Berkshire
I keep meaning to turn it off in the dry but always forget and then wonder why it feels sluggish. When I turn it off it goes like stink but I really need to do some testing with it off before I fly about, I should get used to it 1st. I remember the 1st time I drove it after the map and with TCS on, I was extremely impressed and it covered 30mph - 70mph in no time but it was a perfect Spring day, cool enough & dry enough so no traction issues. In the wet it's always on but still impresses, as Mr Saab 93 Turbo discovered last night when trying to illegally undertake me, I sped up to the speed limit quickly to stop him from breaking the law, crime prevention :p
I hope we don't have a middle/outside lane hogger in the midst...
 

JamJay

California Bound
No, it was a single carriageway that goes into a dual carriageway. I was doing 50mph in the 50mph zone (single) and then as it entered the national speed limit zone (70mph, dual), he tried to undertake me before I had a chance to move over.

As for holding people up...I think i'm the fastest thing on the A23 second to you Pat :p
 

b1nuzz

Active Member
Oct 27, 2008
271
0
Bristol
For everyone that drives with the TCS off, do you have to manually turn it off every time you get in the car, or is there a way to turn it off permanently?

Also, when you do have it off, does ABS and ESP still work, or do they turn off as well? :blink:
 

traumapat

Leon Cupra IHI
Jul 24, 2005
5,925
4
sunny sussex
No, it was a single carriageway that goes into a dual carriageway. I was doing 50mph in the 50mph zone (single) and then as it entered the national speed limit zone (70mph, dual), he tried to undertake me before I had a chance to move over.

As for holding people up...I think i'm the fastest thing on the A23 second to you Pat :p

Haha! Let you off:D

"Usually when i see 20 cars in the outside lane and nothing in the other two, i naturally assume they are queueing to turn right.... admittedly thats a bit of a thin excuse and im just as suprised as you officer that some suit in the highways agency decided to stick a side road on the m23, but surely there must be one or they`d all be keeping left"

Thats my excuse if im pulled accidentally undertaking sombody.... :whistle:
 
Mar 29, 2007
1,207
1
Berkshire
For everyone that drives with the TCS off, do you have to manually turn it off every time you get in the car, or is there a way to turn it off permanently?

Also, when you do have it off, does ABS and ESP still work, or do they turn off as well? :blink:
I have to turn it off every time I start the engine. ESP and ABS are always on (the button should really be labelled TCS rather than ESP).
In general a FWD car without traction control will not be dangerous in any way as the wheels can be pointed in the direction required. It's RWD cars where TCS is more important (ask E46 drivers exiting roundabouts too hard about that...)
 
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drue1

Active Member
May 27, 2009
193
0
kent
Becareful around strood, theres a few unmarked cars floating that will take great pleasure in giving you a special prize for ragging around now!

Just be careful oh and tcs or esp as it is in the lcr stays on as i only do 4 miles a day!

i dont do that round strood thats when i come off the a2 onto the bluewater turn off;);)
its only now and then
 

Shani

Habitual derv user
Aug 12, 2007
54
0
Baillieston, Glasgow
i only turned mine off last year when i was running worn tyres and the TCS kicked in all the time, and over the winter when i wanted to drift in the snow.

haven't turned it off in months now, plenty of grip with new sportcontact 3s and 4wd ;)

Yeah, yeah....... don't go rubbing in your fancy 4-wheel drive system that we've been so sorely deprived off in the UK

Anyway I keep mine on to limit the tyre shredding unless I want to have a play at the Duke's Pass in whcih case it's off.
 

smithygcupra

Cymru am Byth
May 25, 2008
271
0
Newport
When im having a play with other cars i will turn the tcs off... in normal everyday driving just plodding along theres no need to have it off....

But when im giving it some GO GO juice around roundabouts etc whilst leaving some chav in a saxo etc i have the tcs off.... its much more predictable when the tcs is off....

I mean if you do happen to get into some sideways action your gonna need to power out of it... with the tcs on you cant ....
 

EmDee

Omnishambolic
I switch it off every time I get in the car. I can't stand it. It's obtrusive and can't be good for the transmission the way it cuts in.

The only thing is good for is when you want a quick start in the rain (with no DBM and cack tyres) or if it's snowing.

I'd love to find out if there's a way to have it off by default, maybe through vagcom?
 

b1nuzz

Active Member
Oct 27, 2008
271
0
Bristol
Ok, So im missing something here;

People are saying that there TCS light is flashing loads....

I can get it to flash in first, but after that, nothing.
Am i just not driving it hard enough?
 

jonjay

50 Years of 911
Jun 27, 2005
5,843
1
Essex
I mostly drive with mine on as the diff has helped calm down the TCS. If I am in a spirited mood it comes off and the good thing is safety isnt compromised because the diff will transfer power to the wheel that needs it most :)
 

Gordz

Caught The Mod Bug Again!
May 31, 2007
1,325
1
North East
I've only had my Leon for just over a couple of weeks, so still exploring what it can do. But one thing I've noticed while in the dry, is that the TCS cuts in a lot when accelerating away from the lights, or slow corners in 1st or 2nd gear when giving it the beans!

But general day to day driving I can feel virtually no difference between having the TCS on or off (apart from the example above!)
 
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