I'm still getting used to my car ('13 F Sport RWD) and I really enjoy taking it to a safe spot and testing its acceleration abilities in different modes (Reg/Sport/Sport+ as well as M vs D mode). I feel sorry for the transmission when I just jam the pedal on the floor and launch, so I tend to use the paddles more when I'm going for optimum speed. Most noticeable thing is how much the car likes being over 4000RPM, and it seems to have a lot left over around 90mph (the stretch where I wind the car out is significantly uphill and only a little over 1/2 a mile, so I have gotten up to 112 or so on my fastest run). I do notice that the car does differ from day to day in its enthusiasm racing up the hill. Also one time when I was in M and Sport + it was doing great, but when I went into 4th around 95mph, it seemed to falter and didn't pull at all, it wasn't bad but I instinctively backed off in case something had gone wrong. Hopefully this isn't a bad sign as the car is not exactly new anymore (71K miles).

I have tried it once or twice with the traction control off (I held the button down to turn as much of it off as possible), and it didn't seem to make any difference at all. Does turning it off influence anything except wheel spin and preventing slides in turns? From what I can feel it seems like it doesn't.

Is it "safe" to drive around with the Trac control off? I haven't done that much driving with it off, and haven't driven it through a curvy stretch with it off at all. Would that be a risky proposition?

 

I'm pretty sure even if you "turn off" traction control, it's not completely off. It will still intervene at the limit if it thinks you are losing too much traction. I think this is a Toyota/Lexus thing but someone can correct me if I'm wrong. Since you are in Hawaii you can prob turn it off as long as roads are dry. I wouldn't turn it off on wet roads tho. Also depends how grippy your tires are.

I've just seen too many Youtube videos of people crashing their RWD cars after accelerating too early and hard in a corner and fish tailing but those are mostly Mustangs, Challengers, AMGs, Lambos etc. I guarantee all of those show offs had their trac control off.

I personally don't drive w/o trac control b/c I've spun out two RWD cars when I was younger and didn't know what I was doing and icy roads were a factor too. Having it on gives me more confidence when I'm driving a twisty road.

 

Bullets Garage on YouTube had a video on the pedal dance to fully disable traction control.

 

Yeah I know RWD can sneak up on people sometimes. At my age I think I'll just leave the car as is. My thrill-seeking desires are much less now that I'm 50.

 

Someone else just started a thread about the pedal dance here in the 4th Gen GS forum. I'm not sure if the pedal dance will work with the GS like it works for the IS? I read something I think that it won't.

You don't have to bother with trying to do the pedal dance on the GS350. Anyway you wont turn off all the Tracion features, all off unless you hold the button for 10sec's. Then its enjoy in Sport mode especially. Also enjoy the Throttle Body opening more fully and having more control of the opening and reducing the limitations, even at speed. If you just push the button and don't hold 10 sec's, you wont turn it all off.

 

Oh interesting yes I've done the hold-down routine. Didn't seem to notice much difference in the throttle etc I'll mess with it again and see if I notice anything. When I did it before I was using M not D. Maybe if I'm in D it will be more noticeable?

 

All the time in the snow. Traction control just cuts power for people who can't feel wheel spin or can't be bothered to feather the throttle. 90% of the time it just hinders acceleration too much than conditions allow for.

Note this is different from stability control which has more to do with brakes and ABS.

Pressing the button once just turns off traction control. There is no reason to fully turn off traction and stability control unless you are on a track.

 

Never disable traction control fully, lol.

Hit the button once and do what you want to do. If the car thinks you’re losing control it’ll come back on - better safe than sorry, don’t wanna end up like the Mustang drivers on YT.

 

The GS350 just is not a SRT Hellcat Redeye.

Don't touch that button or else you will unleash. lol!

 

Sorry can't advise you any further due to liability based on some post here. We use to have 900hp plus GS's here on CL. Now it's gone to auto pilot and losing control skills of ones' own feet?

 

I can tell you from experience, if you disable traction control for 10 seconds, it will still have working ABS. There is no ABS off button. You'd probably have to pull a fuse.