Traction Control EDL for a Diesel ???

[sunj26]

I was wondering if traction control and edl were actually necessary for the TDi SE. Day to day driving does it really need traction. I can understand the cupra having it but am suprised that the diesel needs it. I guess the obvious answer is that it produces the same torque as the cupra, but when I test drove one I wasn't blown away with the torque and so can't see how it needs traction control.

 

[mik]

Day to day requirement? No.

Cupra needs it? Maybe. Depends on your opinion of traction control in general. Leon has a kinda clumsy system.

With same torque as 20VT it needs it as much in 1st, less so as you go through the gears, as TDI is higher geared (so less torque hits the wheels). You'll probably find it's useful to those with remaps/tuningboxes.

 

[Tdi 110]

......If only my blo*dy EDL worked...!!!:frown:

....and when your chipped you need Traction control, in 1st and 2nd gear!!!

 

[markmck]

mine too....

 

[Leon the Diesel]

and me!

 

[markmck]

wouldlove to know what EDL is supposed to do cos on a wet day in low gears the car spins very easily.

Traction control - yea my right foot !!

 

[Tdi 110]

Read the owners manual....

Bacially, it applies the brakes (via ABS sensors) to slow down the spinning wheel....... you shoudl hear an ABS type vibration when it happens.....

 

[aki508]

Dont supposew theres any way of de activeating the EDL is there, my traction control is going crazy and effecting my car big time

 

[SmallEngine]

Really? Because last winter with one wheel on ice up a steep hill in 1st, my diesel made it up where it would have been IMPOSSIBLE without traction.

In day to day driving, if you can't gain grip on both wheels without electronic help you are eithr driving like a 15 year old car theif OR your tyres/chassis is so bad that all hope of even grip is lost. I had this once, breaking traction all the time in 1st, on an octavia that had a partially siezed brake caliper and very very badly shot rear front arm bushes along tracking a mile out and loose ball joints.

Fully rebuilt with poly bushes & a whiteline rear anti roll bar, it's ASR light never flashes now, where it used to cut in all the time to stop wheel spin as the car lurched across the road....

Greg.

I was wondering if traction control and edl were actually necessary for the TDi SE. Day to day driving does it really need traction. I can understand the cupra having it but am suprised that the diesel needs it. I guess the obvious answer is that it produces the same torque as the cupra, but when I test drove one I wasn't blown away with the torque and so can't see how it needs traction control.

 

[cordoba lad]

Personally I only ever have the traction control on when it is a very wet. It only stops the wheels from spinning and if you can't do that with a bit of throttle control then...

I actually find the car faster with the TC off may just be a placebo though.

 

[aki508]

Thats fair enough but still need to sort the traction control problem out. I cant go faster than 60mph with it on as it automatically activates and slows me down. Only when i have my foot on the throttle though?! Bad times!!!

 

[Muttley]

Can you give a fuller description of the problem, and why you think it's traction control and not, for instance, ABS?

 

[SmallEngine]

That's a problem, I haven't seen mine come on since the winter, excepting one 'dump clutch/wheelspin' start, where it got me traction instead of burning rubber like a 'lad'.

I'd get it scanned, post your report and it may well have a faulty abs sensor or something like that. You could also view the real time feedback from each sensor which may be useful, as if one is slower than the others or looks flakey in any way it may point you to the problem. Traction control is little more than a slightly better program in the ABS unit, it's still all about measuring wheel speed and comparing them with each other.

Greg.

 

[aki508]

Can you give a fuller description of the problem, and why you think it's traction control and not, for instance, ABS?

Basically when i accelerate to around 60 mph with the tcs on the traction caontrol comes on and doesnt let me go above 60mph. I can physically feel the car slowing down dispite me having my foot to the floor.

I think its a traction control problem cos when i turn it off its fine and i can accelerate to whatever.

Ive had it plugged to a diagnostic machine and doesnt come up with any faults.

I dont know if the abs sensors give different readings or not though. One could possibly be on its way out but hasnt totally failed so is giving funny readings and but not coming up as faulty?

 

[Muttley]

TCS thinks your front wheels are going faster than the rear ones. It uses the ABS sensors to detect wheel speed, hence the question above.

Have you changed tyres recently? Do you have the same wheel/tyre combination on all four corners?

Have you got the spare wheel on, and is it a different wheel/tyre to the others?

 

[Jim H]

I am still not sure sure what the difference between ASR and EDL is.

ASR = Anti-Slip Regulation (That's what Skoda calls it, don't know about Seat)
EDL = Electronic Diff Lock.

They both do similar things, both brake the wheel with the least amount of grip (stop spinning) when accelerating. One of them might possibly have something to do with the rear wheels, but I'm unsure.

 

[aki508]

TCS thinks your front wheels are going faster than the rear ones. It uses the ABS sensors to detect wheel speed, hence the question above.

Have you changed tyres recently? Do you have the same wheel/tyre combination on all four corners?

Have you got the spare wheel on, and is it a different wheel/tyre to the others?

All the wheels are the same size and all the tyre wheel combinations are all the same. It used to ork fine and then suddenly one day everything just went wrong.

 

[Muttley]

This is what I can find out about the alphabet soup from my own manuals plus some googling.

It all begins with ABS
ABS Anti-lock Braking System

Rotational speed sensors on each wheel detect lock-up and release the brakes on that wheel (pulse them, high-speed cadence braking, which is what you feel through the pedal). If either rear wheel locks, both rear brakes are pulsed.


TCS Traction Control System
ASR Anti-Slip Regulation (seems to be Skoda-speak for TCS)

The same wheel sensors are monitored for difference between rear and front wheel speeds. If the fronts appear to be going too fast, the TCS system tells the ECU to reduce engine power.


EDL Electronic Differential Lock
VAG seem to combine this with TCS/ASR. It mimics the effect of a limited-slip differential by sensing any difference in the rotational speed of the two front wheels and braking the faster wheel using the ABS system. Power is cut back at the same time.


EBC Engine Braking Control
MSR Motor Speed Regulation
This is the equivalent to ABS but applied to engine braking: if excessive engine braking on a slippery surface starts to lock the front wheels, some power is applied to reduce the engine braking. Not seen on Seat's as far as I know, seems to be found on some Skoda's and VW's


ESP Electronic Stabilization Program
This system uses extra sensors which measure the steering angle, yaw rate and sideways acceleration and modulate both engine power and wheel braking to stop the car spinning, keep it pointing more or less where the steering input says it should go.



So, ABS and EDL use the brakes via the ABS pump, which you should notice. That leaves TCS, unless you have ESP? The TCS fault is most likely to be in one of the wheel sensors, which can get dirty, or be knocked when changing pads or disks, dislodging or disconnecting them. A VAG-com scan should detect a wheel sensor issue. If not the sensors, then a dealer would recommend changing the ABS unit, where the TCS software sits. I think they're expensive.

 

[aki508]

Thats absolutely brilliant!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks very very much for your help its massively appreciated!

I connected my car up to vag com today and it doesnt have any abs faults so i guess ill have to start leaning towords the abs pump. All the abs sensors are clean and are deffinatly in alright.

Its going to get pricey!!!!!!!