Weather traction control difference?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 117
Likes: 3
From: College Station Texas
Weather traction control difference?
Does anyone know if the weather driving mode is supposed to increase or decrease traction control? I was driving in the rain today in weather mode and was surprised at how much it let the rear end get lose before traction control would kick in. Page 9-40 in the owner's manual doesn't elaborate on how traction control is different in weather mode. My thought was maybe it decreases it somewhat because you are expecting more slipping in poor weather conditions?
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 13,733
Likes: 66
From: Hurst, TX USA
I didn't notice much difference when I used it. It still slid all over (but I was on patchy ice not rain). They also suggest starting out in 2nd or 3rd if traction is really bad from a stop. (M7 or A6)
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,596
Likes: 120
From: East Tennessee
If the car is sliding without the tires spinning the traction control wont do much. The traction control on these are very aggressive, even in competition mode, I get very little tire spin in any mode in the rain and a lot of flashing yellow TC light.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,596
Likes: 120
From: East Tennessee
Yes, but once you start sliding nothing is going to help that much, like taking a 25mph offramp at 50 in the rain. Stability control will try to help but once 3500lbs starts sliding around on a slick road the only things that will really help is good luck and/or a guardrail.
Its good to have the traction and stability aids, but they cant save you every time. The right foot and brain system is the best stability, traction and anti-lock system going
Its good to have the traction and stability aids, but they cant save you every time. The right foot and brain system is the best stability, traction and anti-lock system going
Race Director
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 10,742
Likes: 629
From: Manheim Pennsylvania
According to my sales representative who tested weather mode at the Spring Mountain track. He claimed that stability control is more aggressive in weather mode. I have not tried weather mode yet.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 117
Likes: 3
From: College Station Texas
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Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,596
Likes: 120
From: East Tennessee
Only time I ever had mine in weather mode was when I got into some snow on a mountain road and it would still do the usual spin the tires, then the blinking TC light and it would reduce power and maybe some braking. Hard to tell if its any more aggressive in weather mode, could have swore I read it was somewhere.
Generally the the tires have to spin a bit before the TC kicks in, but when you are on the throttle hard it will sometimes back power off on a downshift proactively even in dry/warm weather.
Generally the the tires have to spin a bit before the TC kicks in, but when you are on the throttle hard it will sometimes back power off on a downshift proactively even in dry/warm weather.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: Irvine California
Only time I ever had mine in weather mode was when I got into some snow on a mountain road and it would still do the usual spin the tires, then the blinking TC light and it would reduce power and maybe some braking. Hard to tell if its any more aggressive in weather mode, could have swore I read it was somewhere.
Generally the the tires have to spin a bit before the TC kicks in, but when you are on the throttle hard it will sometimes back power off on a downshift proactively even in dry/warm weather.
Generally the the tires have to spin a bit before the TC kicks in, but when you are on the throttle hard it will sometimes back power off on a downshift proactively even in dry/warm weather.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,596
Likes: 120
From: East Tennessee
In my 5 series BMW, weather mode actually reduced TC. The reason is that if TC was increased in adverse conditions, there would be so much breaking that the car wouldn't be able to move (tires stationary). As a result, TC is decreased to allow some wheel spin, avoiding potential accidents. My guess is that it is the same system in the c7.
But there is a separate 'weather' mode for the TC when in weather mode, as opposed to 'normal,' just not sure exactly what it changes.
Last edited by kp; May 8, 2014 at 02:54 PM.