How does the vdc work
 

NEWBIE..Just want to know how it actually functions. Whats the difference with it on and off.. Tried it once it may be me I thought the car function different with it off. Just want to know how it actually works..Any input would be appreciated.

Yes, it will act totally different. Be careful with it off coming out of a curve. When you turn it off it dulls traction controll.

From quick reference guide?

VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC) OFF SWITCH (if so equipped)
The Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system uses various sensors to monitor driver inputs and vehicle motion. Under certain driving situ- ations, the system will control braking and en- gine output to help keep the vehicle on its steered path. VDC may need to be temporarily shut off if you are trying to free a vehicle stuck in snow or mud.
􏰂 Push the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) OFF switch to deactivate the VDC system.
The light will illuminate in the instru- ment panel gauge area.
􏰂 Push the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) OFF switch again to activate the VDC system. The light in the instrument panel gauge area will turn off.
􏰂 The VDC system is active while the vehicle is running until the switch is pushed to turn it off.

VDC uses the brakes to slow down wheels to reduce spin and help control vehicle direction. Skidding: yaw and steering wheel sensors use brakes to slow down spinning wheels and re-direct power to the wheels with the best traction to re-gain control. Engine power uses the engine output to slow spinning by reducing spark to cylinders to cut back power and help re-gain control.

For what it's worth, I think the VDC makes people worse drivers. They begin to rely on the VDC to save them rather than learning how to actually drive their car, when it will give, how it feels in the rain, etc. Then when they turn it off, hell breaks loose. IMHO, we should all be turning it off unless we are driving in the rain or snow.

True that.

What is up with your rep? That baby is glowing.

It's a long, sexy story.

I drive with my VDC off most of the time. All you have to do is be more aware of your starts, stop, and turning while on the gas. I have noticed that while stopping my steering wheel pulls to the right alittle when VDC is off.

:icon18: @ frosts post.

Then turn us on, Frost-man.

Hope he's not talking about his junk?

Thanks for all da feedback. I understand now its basically like my past 335i when off its like a bat out of hell crazy loose no control. Feels very smooth, when vdc is on it feels like its holding back power controlled Are the revs effected aswell..

:iagree: . I mean, even me sometimes get careless and throw the Z around carelessly and I say to myself "VDC will kick in and save if anything happens". It DOES somewhat makes us a lazy/worse drivers. We began to rely too much on it. When it's not 21 degrees out or raining hard, I turn it off and go for :driving: . However OP, if you do NOT have experience driving RWD light sport coupes, I highly recommend you keep it on.

How do I get experience then?

Skid pad. I need to go myself. Been three years out of the loop. Already started retraining.

i agree. once i figured out how to turn the system 100% off (pulling the harness out) i left it out during all types of conditions to fully understand how the car reacts so i know what to do if i get in a situation.

You can go to this: BMW North America

or become member to your local BMWCCA and attend their "drivers education" where you get an instructor teaching you the dynamics of the car. Ask them questions all day and they will answer your question.

Here's my local bmw cca chapter: DelVal BMW CCA

You'll be on a slippery skidpad with your VDC off and the Rear end of the car will be sliding away but at the same time, you can keep the car in control by moving the steering wheel to that perfect angle where you can keep the car in the desired line ! It's a beautiful thing to watch and experience! The more experience you get, the more you'll trust your car, know the limit of your car and you'll probably want to turn the VDC off and start to taking control over your own car :driving:

Here's Donnie Isley showing us (during a 500 HP M5 Hot lap) how he can keep the car in control in a skid pad as he is sliding around in a "cone control" desired path! Talk about car control! :tup:



By becoming BMWCCA member, you'll be doing Autox regularly, driving ed, classroom learning, track driving and many other stuff. It's a must if you're a trying to gain experience. You'll be able to utilize the power and handling of this fantastic 370Z to the max! You want to learn these things in a control environment surrounded by knowledgeable instructors, NOT going to the supermarket on public roads!!!

It's funny, I bought a 350Z, specifically without VDC as I didn't want to take away from a "true" driving experience.

While buying the 370Z, one of the downsides I thought would be that I would now have a VDC that I would have to turn off every time.

However as I learned to drive smoothly within the limits of a car in my 350Z, I (almost) never turn off the VDC on the 370Z because it actually never really kicks in.

What he said.
I only turn the VDC off when I feel like wasting some tire and seeing what the road looks like from the side windows instead of the windshield. :driving:

Exactly the reason why "almost" was in my reply.. :tup:

VDC ... Pfft, You wanna live forever?!?!

I never turn the VDC off as I don't drive fast & furious enough to make the VDC turn on anyway but IF something goes wrong its nice to know that I got some backup.

Why would you ever want to turn it off except getting loose in snow or sand? So it helps control the vehicle if you make a mistake.. so what's wrong with that? Why do I have to learn something the computer will do for me?

cuz the computer might not always be there when you need it, then your screwed. Same reason why we train on our gunnery systems in the tanks without the computer. Its like being back in WW2, but if our systems go down we need to know what to do.

Drag racing or in some chases were you want the tires to break loose alittle.

Playing devil's advicate here, but without the computer, a modern car is a chunk of immobile art.

I think he was applying that if that part (VDC) only was to go out. The switch or that part of the computer. Along with the sensors that run the system.

I still think it's very far-fetched and there are plenty of other concerns more pressing. Car-jacking, etc. for example.

Whether its the computer, fuse, wiring...anything...if the VDC goes down half the people here would be screwed if they got in a situation where they would rely on the VDC to save them. Like i said before, you can drive a sports car (especially one with only 332hp) without VDC, then you really shouldnt be driving anything other then a honda civic.

I feel that most people are better off with it on. I personally would only turn it off at a track or autocross event. There are way to many variables on the average street to make turning it off 100% of the time a smart choice. Thats just my opinion though.

Agreed. Mine stays on at all times unless I feel the need to be sideways or lose some tread life.

Theres too many times here in FL where some A-hole cuts you off and you have to swerve at the last second into another lane or whatever. Its kicked on many of times for me, especially in the rain. I'm not driving like a riced out Civic owner either.

How does it work?

Here's the official Nissan Spec of the part:

http://www.the370z.com/attachments/n...el-324x205.jpg

I think this all comes back to the same argument the manual transmission people have against the automatics. VDC is similar. I always had manual transmissions (till I got the Prius -- another story). I've had stability control systems (VDC on Nissan) since 2000.

The VDC *prevents* a bad situation from developing when you are on the edge of one. It can't save you if you do something stupid. Having said that, the VDC makes decisions based on an outcome Nissan determined was on the boundary of "safe" operation on a highway. Nissan is a hell of a lot better about this than Toyota. The Toyota VDC takes over in situations that have no chance of causing an accident. I find that the Nissan VDC lets me do pretty much what I want on the road.

As AK said, it is great fun to learn to operate the Z to drift in corners and to possibly spin out. You can't do that with the VDC on. So, in the rare (for most of us) situation when it is safe to risk a spin out or worse, then turning off the VDC is great. I am signed up to take a performance driving course where I will start to learn how to manage the Z on the track both with and without VDC.

I think it is important for people to start to understand that computers and computer programs are a lot smarter than they used to be. That's why the 370's auto transmission has a better 0-60 time than the manual. Yes, there are some amazing drivers that can equal or even slightly better the auto times, but isn't it cool that an automatic transmission is better at shifting than a person in some situations? Similarly, it's truly cool that the VDC will let me make some mistakes on the road that it will correct and prevent an accident? Look at all the crash reports on the forum. Most of them have comments "VDC was off".

There are all sorts of people here. Some believe that real men and women don't drive automatics with VDC. Some choose to take advantage of the advanced technology in the Z and let the computers do some of the work.

Who's right? Neither! As long as the decision to turn the VDC off is informed; you know what can happen if you make a mistake in controlling the car, then turn it off when you want to play. Turn it on when you don't. That's why there is a switch.

yah, all this talk about VDC...come spring people put their summers on and forget to torque their lugs and wheels fall off regardless. :icon17:

Most of those accidents are due to careless driving and/or lack of driving skills. Last 3 accidents i read on the forums were all people that made dumb decisions...ie, the guy that thought someone was going to hit him so he turned into on-coming traffic and hit a elderly women. That being said, you take the number of accidents due to careless driving of the Z owner or other vehical owner, the number of accidents will be the same as people that had their VDC on.

I'm not saying VDC wont save you from getting in a accident, because im sure it has in some cases. But i dont consider having VDC off, the cause of accidents. Even though i only had my 370z for a short time before i decided to sell it. I unhooked the harness for the system so it was always off. I drove in rain, hail, winter with -59*C weather and a city that does not plow until 5 weeks after it snows. I have been in bad situations but i have never once lost control of my car to a point where i get in accidents, not once, not even close to a accident. Does that make me the best driver? no, but it sure as hell makes me a good driver because i dont rely on a computer to get me out of a situation if it happens. I keep my VDC off and when the time and place permits, ie the track or a empty parking lot, i get my car to spin out or do other things to see how the car and myself react.

^ +1 all the way. The only car I ever owned in my life that had VDC was my G37. So I no alot about not having it. Which is good. I own a base model now. The only way I would want it. There is alot of good points here on both sides. I just want to say know your car and your own personal skills.

The VDC isn't as necessary/useful/impactful when you can't spin both rear tires.

But isnt this like saying you should turn off the anti lock breaks just in case they go down you 'll know what to do? Honestly, isnt it far more likely that someone will spin out of control unexpectedly than having that part of their computer crash?

With that last statement, I think we have found a difference between the manual and auto driver. Why learn to shift either? The car does it by itself. Future cars may self steer too. I want control as the driver. I do not think computers should rule every aspect of my life. All too often the VDC thinks I want to stall out just as I jump into traffic, a climbing turn, etc. I didn't make a mistake. The VDC judged for me, I do not want to do that which I want to do.

Why do I have to learn something the computer will do for me? Only to become a better driver.