Faster with VCD off?
 

I could be totally wrong but,

Does our 370z accelerate faster with VDC off?

I thought I saw an article somewhere that they were able to get faster 0-60 time with VDC off...

I have driven with VDC off, and it feels faster, or am I just feeling the placebo effect...:ughdance:

I hate the VDC it spoils my fun. When its warm and dry out I shut it off.

It's not your imagination, it cuts power way too soon and aggressively at that. It's the worst traction control I've ever had.

I must say I don't know the answer to this perennial question - and I wish I did, because it has bugged me for ages too.

One of the functions of VDC/ESC/ESP (or whatever you want to call it) is to send signals to the ECU that tell it to reduce torque when it thinks the car is accelerating in an unacceptable manner. However, I have no idea what the criteria are, or when the system actually cuts in.

However, I suppose it's a fairly academic question, because every time I get in the car I start the engine, put the seatbelt on and switch the ESP* off!

Here's an interesting website - Robert Bosch GmbH - ESC

However, I'd still like to know because I too feel it may interfere with the car's performance - and I too wonder if I'm making it up!



*It's called ESP (Electronic Stability Program) in the UK, but it's the same as VDC.

All I know is I always turn it off if it's dry outside. I can take some slip in the rear - it communicates very well and doesn't fishtail. I can tell immediately when it starts to break loose, and usually it doesn't go very far anyhow.

Letting it break loose a little and continuing to accelerate is fine, but VDC immediately nerfs the power at even modest amounts of slip, which kills the momentum of the car. Although I suppose you could argue that's the whole point of VDC...lol..

Bottom line is unless it's rainy/snowy/icy, VDC is OFF, because it just gets in the way.

Funny, I turn it off when it rains. Fishtailing through turns is just too much fun. :driving:

The car is the same speed either way, on or off. However you can definitely drive faster with it off. Because the VDC limits wheel spin you can't get a good launch and it will also kill you on a quick change to 2nd if you chirp the tires.

I have mine off most of the time unless it's raining out.

Of course there's no power difference, but imagine it like this, no condom=:rofl2: still the same act but oh sooo much better

Have you guys had any issues turning it back on? Seems like every time I turn mine off, the only way to get it back on is to shut the car down and start over again. The owner's manual says you should be able to just hit the button again...

No problems turning it back on. I've done it many many times. You should get that checked out.
Btw, restarting the car, does always automatically turn it ON.

The 1st thing I do after I start the car is turn VDC off. Like others have said, it cuts power way too soon. VDC off is definitely going to be faster if you can manage the throttle correctly, weather it be in a straight line or on a road course.

What's the story with the warranty and keeping VDC off?

Huh? this isnt a gen 1 GTR... you will be fine...

I recently took mine to the track, and had VDC off the whole time. I could not get a burnout to save my life, so the computer (at least on mine) is still controlling the revs. Full brake at a stop and gas pedal to the floor it will only rev to 1500 or so. Do you think my VDC is not disengaging?

Base model, sport package, 7 speed auto.

I think that might have more to do with the auto trans. than with VDC. Also, your foot being on the brake may be sending a signal to limit the rpms. When I do burnouts I don't have my foot on the brake. But I have a 6MT.

ya its different for us with the 6MT. man this car breaks loose! i chirped in 3rd. and yesterday it was raining...rain=mucho funo. as for racing with VDC...that ho restricts so much...TURN IT OFF! lol. be safe and have fun

:iagree:

Your explanation is the bestest! :tup:

Every car I've owned with ESP/VCD/Whatever has achieved it's control of the car by simply cutting engine power during wheel-spin. Which I think is WAY too aggressive and potentially dangerous. For example if I'm turning left across a busy intersection and the car decides to cut the juice it could end up being bad news bears.

The 370z *seems* to do the same thing and it's been my experience that I'm a much better judge of my car's stability than the computer so VDC is the first button I hit after starting the car.

I thought, I read in the manual, that the 370Z, "brakes", I assume by pulsating, the rear wheels when it activates VDC. I could be wrong though, but that's what I recall.

So what actually triggers the VDC into action when you're accelerating? Does it activate when it senses rear wheel slip, or can it activate before the wheels lose traction?

Having asked the question, I'm sort of assuming it's activated by the rear wheels slipping - does anyone actually know?

It's activated when it detects slippage.

Thank you :tiphat:

It can do both. The VDC on our cars can modulate the throttle, and it can also individually pulse all 4 brakes as it sees fit, depending on steering angle, car angle, direction of travel, and the spinning speed of each of the 4 wheels as sensed by the ABS. In straight-line acceleration, it's probably just going to do the throttle thing, but if you loose traction in a corner it's going to use the brakes too.

I'm curious, I don't race cars or been involved in a time attack, i'm just a regular driver. Does VDC is really needed for someone like me(when its dry)?

With respect, 'VDC on' or 'VDC off' isn't really the point - the important thing is how you drive. Even with VDC on, if you drive badly, control of the car can be taken away from you. VDC will not drive the car for you, it will merely try to correct something it perceives to be a problem. This correction may OR MAY NOT be the right thing to do in a given circumstance. Personally, I prefer to be in as much control of the car as possible, so I turn VDC off - then, if something goes wrong, in that split second I know it's my fault and I know it's my job to put it right. The Z is a relatively powerful rear wheel drive vehicle. If you're in control of your throttle pedal you should have no problems, but if you're new to this type of car it is quite easy to 'floor it' at the wrong moment and lose control.

My suggestion to anyone who is new to rear wheel drive is, 'find a bit of private land and 'play' with the limits of the car until you know when the back end starts to break away - then practise controlling it when it does so. ...but be safe & legal.'

Never rely on VDC.

+1.

If you are new to the rear-drive platform or just an average street driver that would like some skills to handle extreme situations then I highly suggest an advanced driving course or auto-cross driving school. Studies have shown that drivers who have completed an advanced driving school or have developed the skills from racing are 10 times less likely to be in an accident. Part of this is the skill to handle an out of control vehicle (and keeping a vehicle in control in tough conditions), but it's also the awareness skills that you develop such as looking ahead, being aware of your surroundings, and avoiding distractions.

I'll give the VDC a little credit, since we're all knocking it here: on unpredictable pavement it actually reacts quicker than I do. I've left it on on some Houston streets that have bad pavement (wavy patches, etc), and the VDC does an excellent job of kicking in when a wheel or two "skips" over those sections. It makes the car drive through it with more stability than it would without VDC, there's less steering or throttle correction involved on my part in reacting to it.

:iagree:

All of the VDC and SRM take away from the driving experience. If you really want to learn how to drive shut it off, go to a driving school, etc.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

But watch out, dude. People are going to accuse you of being a Luddite! (I've made similar remarks and people have gotten bent out of shape, accusing me of being resistant to technological progress. lol.)

Well, car technology is now at a point where, given enough money and desire, you can make a car "drive itself" (you operating the gas/brake/steering wheel, but it taking care of gearing, dynamic suspension, abs, traction control, etc) better than any human could hope to. However, consumer-level technology that's made on a budget, such as VDC in our cars, (a) is the cheap version and doesn't do all that stellar a job compared to what's possible, and (b) is designed and programmed towards saving novice drivers from accidents, not improving on the lap times of a pro driver.

Assuming we had a badass system capable of really controlling the car in an aggressive drive, then you get to the question of whether you'd rather learn to drive for real, or rather have the car take care of it for you. Someday, knowing how to drive a car with a real manual gearbox and no ABS is going to be purely the realm of historic sport, and everyday driving won't involve those skills anymore. It will be like practicing the sport of fencing in the era of assault rifles: rewarding, but not necessary. However, we're not there yet in general, and our Z's VDC isn't even close, so that's not even the question we face today. You can't push this car to its limits with VDC on, plain and simple. If you want the most out of your car, you're gonna have to learn to drive with it off.

^ exactly!

well said!

I see VDC this way now. It's a nice safety factor, especially for those times when you're not focused on your driving. For example, if you're cruising on the highway, why not keep it on in the event you have to avoid an accident or hit a patch of ice (just hypotheticals)? Those are cases where you'd probably like any help you can get in keeping your car stable and moving in the direction of your liking. If I'm just going for groceries, I'd rather have VDC on my side if I get surprised during a situation where stability and control are an issue.

Conversely, those times when you want to be in control or drive on the edge when you're focused on doing so, turn it off. Just be thankful we have a button to choose whether it's on or off.

You've just pinpointed the problem with VDC. People ASSUME and THINK that VDC will be 'on my side' in a situation where 'stability and control are an issue', but in my experience this isn't always the case. I had an experience where VDC took control out of my hands, caused the rear of my car to fishtail like crazy and nearly made me smash into the side of a bus.

That single incident was the main reason for me habitually turning it off - firstly it can lead to complacency (you think VDC will get you out of a situation, when in fact it won't) and secondly I'd rather try to get the car back under control myself, in a situation like that.

If you're going to leave VDC switched on, for godsake don't rely on it being 'on my side', or you could end up 'on YOUR side'.

It did save my *** one time in my G35.

It was a nice sunny winter day, snow was mostly melted. I was throwing the car through some back country roads at a good clip when I hit a small patch of ice mid corner. The VDC acted instantly, reacting quicker than I possibly could of and kept the car straight and level. I have quick reactions but I really don't know how well I would have faired on that one.

Yep, I've had similar 'saves' in my Audi A4. I swerved off the highway as I was about to miss an offramp and hit gravel on the shoulder. The tail started to spin out despite quattro, and the stability control saved my a$$. I'm working under the assumption that the 370Z VDC works as well as the Audi system. I surely would have wrecked the car if I didn't have the slip protection enabled.

If the car is fishtailing with VDC on, I'd argue you didn't have a prayer with it off. Since it cuts power and modulates the brakes on all four wheels, it would have to malfunction to make the situation worse.

One situation (I don't know if that's what was being referenced) where it can make things worse is where you know what's going on and you're trying to push through a slide to get out of the way of whatever, and the VDC will opt for stability and cut your throttle and/or tap your brakes and prevent what you're trying to accomplish.

This is true. I drove an Audi RS4 on a wet racetrack and was continuously annoyed when the skid protection would stop me from applying throttle to slide gracefully out of a turn. However, during daily driving I'd imagine VDC would do a much better job of controlling an inadvertent skid than I would.

This happens to depend on what kind of setup you have... the more oversteer.. the more you will have VDC save your *** if you F up... if you have understeer... and VDC kicks in prematurely - which it will.. you will steer clear into the lanes closest to the merge lane = very bad