IS - 2nd Gen (2006-2013) Discussion about the 2006+ model IS models
View Poll Results: What is your traction control setting right now ?
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Turning the traction control off completely

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Old 10-09-11, 08:18 PM
  #16  
JETLEX
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Does it matter on an IS250? Doesn't seem like there's a lot of power there...
Old 10-09-11, 09:53 PM
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Parker12
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Well I got my first donut in yesterday on a dirt pit at the park.. I was craving it since I bought my machine.. Only other time I wanted to do it was in a wide open lot with when it's covered with water...

Besides that I'm keeping it real and just cruzin round with pwr button engaged.. Hehe
Old 10-10-11, 09:40 AM
  #18  
stanjohn12
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Originally Posted by JETLEX
Does it matter on an IS250? Doesn't seem like there's a lot of power there...
Ok I hope you're not degrading IS 250 owners here. The point is I believe traction control and VSC are all needed on really very fast sports car's not on our IS's. How many of us here drive at insanely high speeds for us to leave the traction control on and keep cutting sideways on the highways for the VSC to be on ?.

I sincerely like to drive my car in full power. Don't know when the traction control cuts in or not. I hardly go more than 120 Kmph , at this speed and 225's in the front and 245's 17 inchs at the back I really don't think there is need for traction control to be on.

I start my car slowly but when I want an aggressive start just for the wheels to spin I don't want to be searching for the button and wait 5 seconds to turn it off. It should just happen.
Old 10-10-11, 09:47 AM
  #19  
stanjohn12
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Originally Posted by calvin2376
This is dumb. It's incredibly ill-advised to drive around in normal daily driving with VSC turned off. It's there precisely to keep you safely on the road.



Exactly. It's a feature to keep you safe. End of story. No need for buts...



Interfere with your speeds? It only interferes with your speeds when you're about to lose traction and spin out, or when you're taking off from a stop and you spin your wheels. Neither of these things should you be doing intentionally. Even if you are trying to launch on the streets, you would turn it off just for that launch but leave it on the rest of the time.

The driving pleasure of spinning your wheels when needed? When exactly is this needed? On the streets it never is. On a track sure. But you never WANT to spin your wheels on the streets, it's incredibly unsafe and frankly makes you look like a jerk.

No one should be driving this car so far to the limit in normal, everyday street driving that they spin their wheels. It would be extremely reckless. The system is there precisely to keep you safely on the road.
I just think it's useless to have the traction control ON when the road and driving conditions are safe. I don't drive more than 120 Kmph and I ride on stock 17 inch 245 wide rubber. The road is not wet and it's a highway. Unless I drive like a lunatic like say 200 + kmph and keep cutting lanes I definitely would not need traction control ON.

Few years back I drove car's that did not have any of these electronic gimmicks and I always had the feeling I had all the power I needed. My wheels would spin on aggressive starts just to show off once in a while. It's just occasional depending on the mood. Other than that I am a safe driver and respect traffic rules.
Old 10-10-11, 10:09 AM
  #20  
calvin2376
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Originally Posted by stanjohn12
I just think it's useless to have the traction control ON when the road and driving conditions are safe. I don't drive more than 120 Kmph and I ride on stock 17 inch 245 wide rubber. The road is not wet and it's a highway. Unless I drive like a lunatic like say 200 + kmph and keep cutting lanes I definitely would not need traction control ON.
But by your reasoning you definitely would not need it OFF either...

Having traction control on affects nothing when you're not engaging it. So if you're driving in completely safe driving conditions and have no chance whatsoever of doing something that would cause the traction control to engage, you're right, you wouldn't need traction control on. But then again you wouldn't need it off either. It makes no difference whatsoever in the situation you've described. The default is on, so you would leave it on.

But I can tell you exactly why you should leave it on even when "road and driving conditions are safe". You can never be 100% certain of this. No matter where you are, or what you're doing, or who's around you, there are always variables and there are always risks. Say you're driving in the middle lane of an otherwise empty highway on a sunny and dry day. That seems to fit your example of a situation where road and driving conditions are safe. In this type of situation, your thought apparently is "Why have traction control on?"

Because your tire could blow, pulling you to one side and you overcorrect, and traction control keeps you on the road. Because another driver might enter the highway and not check his blind spot and hit you, sending you spinning, and traction control might save you. Because a deer may run out and cause you to swerve. Etc, etc, etc.

There are good reasons for leaving traction control on, ones you might not comprehend in situations where you think it's not needed.

There's no reason to turn it off, unless you're 1) at a track, 2) stuck in snow trying to get out and need the wheels to spin a bit, or 3) being stupid. 1 and 2 are valid reasons, 3 is not.

Originally Posted by stanjohn12
My wheels would spin on aggressive starts just to show off once in a while.
This falls squarely into reason 3) being stupid.
Old 10-10-11, 12:33 PM
  #21  
JETLEX
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Originally Posted by stanjohn12
Ok I hope you're not degrading IS 250 owners here. The point is I believe traction control and VSC are all needed on really very fast sports car's not on our IS's...
Not wanting to 'degrade' anybody - I could have worded that better. Since I am an IS250 owner, it wouldn't make any sense for me to do that though.

I haven't turned mine off, but it seems like a lower power car, and the rear tires are large.
Old 10-10-11, 12:43 PM
  #22  
stanjohn12
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Originally Posted by calvin2376
But by your reasoning you definitely would not need it OFF either...

Having traction control on affects nothing when you're not engaging it. So if you're driving in completely safe driving conditions and have no chance whatsoever of doing something that would cause the traction control to engage, you're right, you wouldn't need traction control on. But then again you wouldn't need it off either. It makes no difference whatsoever in the situation you've described. The default is on, so you would leave it on.

But I can tell you exactly why you should leave it on even when "road and driving conditions are safe". You can never be 100% certain of this. No matter where you are, or what you're doing, or who's around you, there are always variables and there are always risks. Say you're driving in the middle lane of an otherwise empty highway on a sunny and dry day. That seems to fit your example of a situation where road and driving conditions are safe. In this type of situation, your thought apparently is "Why have traction control on?"

Because your tire could blow, pulling you to one side and you overcorrect, and traction control keeps you on the road. Because another driver might enter the highway and not check his blind spot and hit you, sending you spinning, and traction control might save you. Because a deer may run out and cause you to swerve. Etc, etc, etc.

There are good reasons for leaving traction control on, ones you might not comprehend in situations where you think it's not needed.

There's no reason to turn it off, unless you're 1) at a track, 2) stuck in snow trying to get out and need the wheels to spin a bit, or 3) being stupid. 1 and 2 are valid reasons, 3 is not.



This falls squarely into reason 3) being stupid.
I agree with you completely on the safety front but I believe keeping the traction control on interferes completely with the driving pleasure of these cars.

You can't really enjoy driving them when these stupid electronics cuts power to the wheels. I don't know how to explain it to you , but if you're driving on twisty roads with the TSC off you'd understand like how another member posted before.
Old 10-10-11, 12:49 PM
  #23  
stanjohn12
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Originally Posted by JETLEX
Not wanting to 'degrade' anybody - I could have worded that better. Since I am an IS250 owner, it wouldn't make any sense for me to do that though.

I haven't turned mine off, but it seems like a lower power car, and the rear tires are large.
Try driving it with the traction control off completely and see if there is any difference to your driving pleasure. I assume you drive on twisty roads with a little speed, but be careful. I'm going to turn mine OFF from tomorrow on wards and feel the difference.
Old 10-10-11, 12:57 PM
  #24  
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does anyone have the write up on the 06 models brake pedal dance?

I saw a video on youtube but i want the written version... i hate doing this everyday!

it goes something like:
brake, ebrake,ebrake, brake,brake,brake, hold brake- press ebrake, release..blah blah blah blah

#annoying
Old 10-10-11, 09:24 PM
  #25  
Parker12
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1: Start car with no e brake engaged
2: E-brake on
3: Pump Brake twice
4: Release e brake
5: Hold brake
6: (while holding brake) E-brake twice
7: engage e brake (no hold on brake)
8: brake pedal twice


Should see the traction control light illuminate which= success
Old 10-11-11, 07:05 AM
  #26  
350FSport
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If you hold the button down for 5 secs it turns off completely. I did this a few times. Then I did a 180, and it was NOT intentional. I have since never turned it off again lol.
Old 10-11-11, 09:05 AM
  #27  
Kurtz
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Originally Posted by 350FSport
If you hold the button down for 5 secs it turns off completely. I did this a few times. Then I did a 180, and it was NOT intentional. I have since never turned it off again lol.
Not in a 2006 it doesn't... that's why the 06 guys have to use the pedal dance instead.

07+ guys can do the "hold down the button" thing.

Last edited by Kurtz; 10-11-11 at 10:22 AM.
Old 10-11-11, 09:23 AM
  #28  
Jeff Lange
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It's only 3 seconds, not 5 on 07+ cars, but I reckon that's a somewhat moot point.

Jeff
Old 10-11-11, 10:06 AM
  #29  
stanjohn12
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I drove it today with the traction control completely OFF and it feels nice. I just felt as if there was power all the time with no intrusions or it's probably just my mind playing tricks on me. But I always felt like pushing the car to the limit. It's nice. You guys should try it once in a while
Old 10-11-11, 10:10 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by stanjohn12
I drove it today with the traction control completely OFF and it feels nice. I just felt as if there was power all the time with no intrusions or it's probably just my mind playing tricks on me. But I always felt like pushing the car to the limit. It's nice. You guys should try it once in a while
This is the placebo effect encapsulated perfectly.

How often during normal daily driving in non-snowy, non-downpouring situations does your traction control kick in? If your answer is "Very frequently", I can pretty confidently say you're driving too aggressively and unsafely.

Pushing the car to its limit is for the track. I can't speak for Kuwait, but that's certainly the case in the US.


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