Traction control light

[cuprablue]

How easy should it be to get this to come on when accelerating (in a straight line) in this weather? (ie cold and dampish). I've never seen mine come on and I've had it up to near on the red line in first and second a few times now (but probably with only about 80-90 % full throttle.

I've got a 180bhp version and Goodyear Eagle NCT 5 tyres with plenty of tread.

Just beginning to think maybe my car isn't making full power maybe?

I can hear a quiet whistling when pushing it so I'm assuming the turbo is kicking in. I don't get any significant delay between the car accelerating and pushing the throttle either.

With it off I don't seem to get any wheel spin either, that I've noticed anyway.

Doesn't feel like anything obvious as the engine seemingly revs quickly and freely. It also feels very smooth with no flat spots that I can notice.

Am I expecting too much ? or do you really have to floor it in first to get any wheelspin/traction control. It's just that before buying the car everything I read seemed to indicate the traction control was if anything too sensitive on this car.

cuprablue

 

[Fitzy7375]

Hi,
I've had my LCR 210bhp ( uprated to 265bhp ) for 3 months now and my traction control light comes on mainly in first gear when I put my foot down and get a small amount of wheel spin, think it's around 5 and a half to 6k revs.
The light should automatically come on when you start to wheelspin.
Does your light on the dash work when you switch it on permanently ?
If it does work with the switch and not automatically there maybe a sensor buggered or somat.

 

[lil3520]

my came on twice when i was driving on snow.

 

[m.r.davies]

got a 210 R,
I can light up the dash when pulling off from the round about outside my house (they drive like t1ts round it so i have to be quick)

I can light it up in the dry and definetly in the wet
my mate has a 180 cupra and i've seen his light up in the wet

 

[charvel]

i've got my 180 to light up in 1st and 2nd.

 

[scottzedal]

My LCR spins in 1st, 2nd without trying and if i really try 3rd.

The ESP on the LCR's is in my opinion dangerous so gets turned off everytime i get in the car.

Gotta say your car should easy spin up in 1st in this weather.

Makes it easier if you pull out of a juction with your wheels turned as this takes a bit of weight of one wheel. i.e right turn should off-load the front right wheel.

If that's what you so desire!!!???

 

[omg!]

My LCR lights up all the time in this damp weather in 1st and 2nd and if I am really booting it onto the dual carriageway, it has lit up in 3rd. Mind you, the car was going sideways!
Maybe I should wear lighter boots.

 

[RikH]

it "should" only come on in first if you leather it from a standstill

if you are being very aggressive you can have it spin through first gear into second
ive had it on in snow alot and if you push a bend or roundabout that little too much

 

[Chris 16v]

I have a Cupra 180 and in this weather 1st is fairly pointless as it just spins of you give it any beans, and 2nd it will come on quite frequently if i am accelaerating off roundabouts.
In this weather it comes on loads lol

 

[chillcupra]

Mine comes on really easily with all the torque in 1st 2nd n and 3rd even with new goodyear f1s.

 

[cuprablue]

Thanks for the replies.

To answer a question. Yes the light does work as it comes on when I press the button to deactivate the TCS, so that's not the issue.

The next question I have is this, how agressively do all of you guys with 180 cupras boot down the throttle when you get your wheelspin? I have to admit I've never actually tried booting it down really hard from a standstill. I tend to push the throttle down progressively. Could it be my driving style?

I'm not really interested in spinning up my wheels to be honest as I see it as a pretty pointless thing to do I was just wondering if the lack of TCS light coming on is due to a lack of power on my particular car, as all the reviews I read seemed to give the impression it is relatively easy to get the traction control to kick in. To me that implies that the car would wheelspin in 1st in the wet easily by which I would expect to have to be careful with the throttle. Maybe I just have a different expectation as far as the meaning of such statements coming from being a biker where I could easily spin up my rear wheel, (as in on about half throttle in first), on anything but dry roads.

Reading your responses makes me think that it's actually quite hard to get the TCS to activate on the car even in the wet. ie you have to really floor it agressively in first to get it to happen. Would that be about right?

I should probably point out that I live in London and that the coldest it's been when I've tried to see if I can get the TCS to light up is around 10deg C but with a slightly damp road.

cuprablue

 

[cuprablue]

ok well I went out last night and answered my own question. If I floor it in first in the damp/wet the TCS light comes on. I found a quiet road near me (in a closed retail centre) and tried being a bit more agressive with the throttle. Result is that in first it's actually quite easy to get the TCS come on if you're agressive with the throttle, don't even need full throttle to do it. Just to make sure I really was due to power I turned if off wound down the windows and lo and behold loads of wheelspin.

So it looks like there's nothing much wrong with the power on the car then !

cuprablue

 

[luke]

Mine will in 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the wet but my front tyres are getting on a bit.

 

[ste-lfc]

1st 2nd and 3rd foot to the floor spin, tc cuts power when starts to spin so i turn it off

 

[CupraUK]

I turn mine off, its light up in 1st and 2nd all the time even with improved DBM