LCR Traction Control Lag?

[AntneeUK]

I've noticed since the weather has turned worse, and my front tyres are nearly shot, that I'm seeing the traction control light flashing a lot more often, but it seems to be lagging, and is flashing after any perceived slide while I appear to be pulling OK. Is this normal?

 

[JamJay]

Yeah it's totally normal. The ESP works by cutting boost when the tyres lose traction, hence your massive lag. This can be semi-cured by doing an N249 Valve bypass but won't completely eliminate it, after all, the TCS is there to try and save you even though it's a tad sensitive at times.

Get some new tyres on, good ones and that light will be a little calmer .

 

[AntneeUK]

I'm getting some Goodyear F1 GSD3s fitted tomorrow, Friday or Saturday (basically as soon as I can get spare time to visit the fitter) which will make a big difference, I know. I just thought it seemed late, if you know what I mean. I've been spinning the wheels for a second or so before it seems to come on. I know that the ESP in the LCR is far from the most advanced traction control in the world, but there are more effective systems on motorbikes now, and they've only had traction control available (on very few models) for a couple of years. I was just a bit disappointed.

 

[JamJay]

Yeah it's a bad point for certain but there is no harm in turning it off for some more enthusiastic driving. When your wheels spin, the ECU picks this up and tells the N249 to dump your boost. Bypassing the N249 will stop this boost dump and let you control the DV with the throttle. Some people, like me, have had great results by doing this, the car feels much more aggressive but others don't see the same gain, the only way to tell is to try it out.

Check my build thread to see how I did it.

 

[AntneeUK]

Cheers. I don't drive with the ESP off very often, but when I do the car does feel much sharper; more responsive if you will. Normally it feels like it's holding me back. It might be psychological, I don't know, but as a result I only every turn the ESP off when it's nice and dry and I'm on roads that I know

 

[JamJay]

Good choice with the ESP, much better to leave it on in the wet for a bit of safety but after a near head on crash in the wet a few years ago, I am a granny when it rains now.

 

[AntneeUK]

Yeah, I did the same on the bike. Only slightly wet, came off because I braked slightly going through a 'kink' in the road. No good reason for it to have binned me, must've been a diesel spill or something, but I hit the floor hard, slid for a long way (across a major junction) managing to not hit anything at all and came to rest against a kerb. I'd dislocated my little finger, badly hurt my right hip (no breakage thankfully), smashed three teeth, cracked two ribs and smashed my elbow to pieces. I also detached my tricep from my ulna and can no longer get my arm anywhere near straight, so I became very weary of the wet. I'm the type that likes to find the limit of traction though, and had my last bike sliding all the time. Some people just never learn

 

[JamJay]

Wow you trump me lol. I aquaplaned around a long swooping bend on a country road when I was doing 50mph in a 60mph zone. It was so dark and rainy, should really have done 40mph but I was silly, I couldn't see the sheet of water covering the road so I was drifting my FWD car, nose into the inner corner or should I say the kerb of the opposite side of the road with a car coming round at me. I had no control but somehow the car twitched and planted itself back on the road, narrowly avoiding a horrific head-on. This was with Toyo-T1R's and I swear by this tyre still today.

 

[AntneeUK]

Was that because of the steering assist on the LCR do you think? When I first experienced it I was a bit concerned, but then read up on it and understand what it was doing, and why. Very helpful in low grip situations I think

 

[JamJay]

That wasn't on my LCR, was on a old Honda Civic VTi with no safety equipment what so ever. So literally the tyres saved me and i'll be putting them on mt LCR after New Year when my current Falken's are dead.

 

[AntneeUK]

Gotcha

 

[M20FES]

mines kicking in all the time cause i cant stop the wheels from spinning when its wet.

 

[AntneeUK]

can or can't

 

[Shaunyboy]

Only problem is, even when its off, its not totally off and still interfears.

 

[traumapat]

if the esp system seems jumpy check your tyre tread for excessive wear. if one tyres poor it will constantly struggle as it will be sensing good grip to poor grip. makes a big difference causing the car to feel unconfident and twitchy.

decent rubber is a must on these cars as is a delicate and progressive right foot especially when the roads are slippy

 

[AntneeUK]

Agreed. When I bought the car it had/has two Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta on the rear, a Mohawk and something else unmatched on the front. All four are being replaced by Saturday with brand new F1 GSD3s

 

[traumapat]

should transform it once they bed in. if you still get issues after that find someone local with vagcom and run a fault check.

 

[AntneeUK]

I have Vag Com I just don't like to use it very often for fear of breaking things I want to enable the auto-locking doors like the Mrs has in her Leon, but couldn't work out how

 

[M20FES]

can or can't

edited

 

[AntneeUK]

Ha ha, understand now. Really looking forward to seeing what a difference the new tyres make. They're long overdue to be replaced TBH. They feel OK to touch, but I've not had a depth gauge on them to be sure. I was just told that three of the four have less than 3mm tread a couple of months ago, so they need to be done now!