Hi guys, Im new here, obviously. I plan to pick up an XB in a couple of months. Ive been searching about a week and I still cant find the answer to my question. Can anyone provide a technical description on how the Traction control and Vehicle Stability control systems work? I assume these sensors monitor ABS wheel Sensors and do something like cut throttle, apply brakes, or maybee even lock the diff under wheelspin TIA

Yes, It works like any other traction control. It applies brakes + limits engine power up until a set speed. The VSC, just ties into the brakes to help make sliding side ways harder.

When the front tires start to spin the motor starts to misfire until they stop. When the car starts to get sideways VSC kicks in and applies the brakes to straighten it back out. I put mine to the test last year during a trip to Detroit while they were getting 8 inches+ snowfall.

When the front tires start to spin the motor starts to misfire until they stop. When the car starts to get sideways VSC kicks in and applies the brakes to straighten it back out. I put mine to the test last year during a trip to Detroit while they were getting 8 inches+ snowfall.

You got it. There is a yaw rate sensor which knows at what rate your car is turning. It compares that with what angle the front wheels are, as well as the speed of all four wheels. If these don't match up, it will brake one, two, or three wheels to correct the understeer or oversteer. It can also kill some cylinders in the engine to cut power.

It works well, and the beeping will scare the crap out of you when it starts working. Nothing like starting to slide and getting freaked out, then having a loud beeping and flashing lights in the dash to really get that heartrate going.

It works well, and the beeping will scare the crap out of you when it starts working. Nothing like starting to slide and getting freaked out, then having a loud beeping and flashing lights in the dash to really get that heartrate going.
:rofl: I heard that. It freaked me out at first. Then you start trying to make the light go on. Such fun indeed :silly:

Both TRAC, VSC, and EBD (electronic brake force distribution) also work when you are driving too fast on a straight lane during a downpour. Senses lost of traction on the front wheels. Happened to me and the system started to cut power (car slowed down, limited or no accelerator response), applied brakes (grinding noise) and produced a smell.

It beeps? I didnt know that(no xB yet), can't wait to hear it.

oh, yeah, and the ABS computer controls them I think, so if ABS messes up, no more Trac and VSC. That also goes for the check engine light(correct me if im wrong)

Hey Stealth97! Welcome over from miata.net

(I'm X Wing on m.n.) :D

Hey Stealth97! Welcome over from miata.net

(I'm X Wing on m.n.) :D

Hi, X wing! Did you get rid of your miata for one of these?

Thanks for the responses, guys. Have a fair amount of OBDII, and ABS system knowlege but never worked with a traction control system. When I found out it was standard, I had to learn more about it. I cant stand having a single thing on my cars that I have no Idea how they work. Locking the Diff would have been cooler though.

Hey Stealth97! Welcome over from miata.net

(I'm X Wing on m.n.) :D

Get rid of the Italia??!? Never!

I've used the EBD a lot. I've had to stomp on the brakes, and it hits the brakes for you. If you slam, it goes YANK on the pedal and you stop very quickly.

VSC is great in the winter. I had trouble making my car really misbehave when I first got it. And the beeping's not a problem because I listen to my music so damn loud...... TRAC just stalls the engine if you try to get a manual transmission out of the snow with it on.

I've used the EBD a lot. I've had to stomp on the brakes, and it hits the brakes for you. If you slam, it goes YANK on the pedal and you stop very quickly.

Are you talking about EBA? Electronic Brake Assist?

I agree, it's great. If you slam on the brakes (you really gotta hit them hard) and the car knows it can stop sooner or better, it will apply more braking until you let off.

EBD is something different. It knows how much weight is above each wheel and applies different braking. Maybe it's just front/back. Still pretty neat.

I love the TRAC. I can gun it from a stop on packed snow and get moving nearly as quickly as on dry pavement, or so it seems.

Basically these cars rock.

They Rock Indeed!