onthefence

iTrader: (1)

Had my G37 about two months now. THis is my first car with stability control. I grew up on rear wheel drive cars, including my dad's '84 Corvette, so I have no problem at all coping with oversteer. But of course I can't really explore that with the G37, since the stability control works to prevent it before I ever get a chance to take action.

There's a dashboard switch to disable traction control, but not for stability control. However, a friend has suggested that there may be a way to temporarily disable stability control through some arcane sequence of control inputs. I'd like to be able to do this so I can go find a parking lot and see how the car behaves when the back end steps out, i.e. what combinations of turn and throttle are required to initiate oversteer, how rapidly/suddenly the back end steps out, and how difficult/easy it is to correct the situation. I want to get to know my G37.

So is my friend right? is there some super-top-secret way to temporarily disable stability control?

rks

iTrader: (6)

I've never really looked into it since it's easy enough to do doughnuts with just the VDC off. I was not aware of a ECU type method but there are some products like the following that may be able to do what you want:

KP Tech.

Austin713

VDC stands for Vehicle Dynamic Control. this includes Traction control along with whatever other countermeasures it does. the light will still flash SLIP, however there arent any countermeasures in effect with the system switched off. As far as i know the only thing that regulates "Stability" is the system cutting throttle and adding braking to the back wheels when it senses a slip.

awais

iTrader: (4)

If you read the manual, I think it states that turning off VDC turns off both stability and traction control. The slip light still blinks because ABLS (active brake limited slip) is still active.

Rochester

iTrader: (9)

AFAIK, Active Brake Limited Slip is an AWD, automatic transmission thing. RWD Sport-package G's get a proper Limited Slip rear differential. (Well, proper-ish, in that it's VLSD.) And Journey non-Sports are out of luck.

To the OP's point, if you want to power into a 90* turn with controlled oversteer, then you want the TC off, otherwise the car slaps you back and says, "No soup for you" in no uncertain terms. I've done that on more than one occasion, and it's pretty embarrassing. Ditto if you want to launch as hard as possible out of the hole. Basically, TC is great when you need it, but sucks when you don't... which is most of the time.

I'll tell you what really sucks... hitting the trunk-release button when you're reaching for the TC switch. Somebody really didn't think that one through well.

JSolo

iTrader: (14)

^^For some reason I thought there was a failsafe. Trunk doesn't open if the car is in motion... No?

Rochester

iTrader: (9)

That's true. However, if you're at a full stop, the trunk will still open. Nothing says "Idiot" like popping the trunk when you want to launch the car.

As for reaching to the TC switch while in motion... it's still a panic moment when you realize your finger isn't where it's supposed to be. Kind of ruins the mood, if you know what I mean.

(wait for it)

Nick3753

I thought popping the trunk is part of the luanch control procedure, no?

MACS

iTrader: (3)

I think I am a better driver than I actually am. That "no soup for you" mechanism has saved my bacon a few times. Embarrassing? Sure is. But better than eating crap and wrecking my baby girl.

onthefence

iTrader: (1)

Well yeah, but who wants to read the manual?



I'm generally a big fan of RTFM, and it looks like I need to take my own advice. You're right, the manual does explicitly say that VDC manages traction control, simulated limited-slip diff, and stability (oversteer/understeer). It goes on to say:

I made an assumption based on other vehicles I had seen where traction control could be turned off manually, but stability control (automatic oversteer/understeer correction) could not be disabled. Oops.

Yeah, shortly after buying the car (for clarity: it's the manual/6MT), I goosed the gas a bit as I went around a corner. I fully expected the back end to step out on me, and it did - for about a fraction of a second. Then the car corrected the skid before I ever had a chance to take my own corrective action.

If the car would automatically correct for oversteer by steering into the skid instead of hitting the brakes or chopping the throttle, I think that would be a lot more interesting.

TVPostSound

iTrader: (9)

The yaw sensor is still active with the traction control button off.

That being said, it's under the center console, it involves using s switch to turn off the yaw sensor!!!

You figure out the rest!!! Its documented at the370Z.com

onthefence

iTrader: (1)

This appears to be at odds with the exerpt I just quoted from the owner's manual, which says that stability (oversteer/understeer) management is turned off when the VDC switch is pressed.

Are you saying stability management is definitely still active, and that even with the VDC switch pressed, I will not be able to do powerslides or donuts?

bitNine

There's this 4 block dirt road by my house that they oil on a regular basis, and at the transition to pavement, there's a stop light that I always turn left at. I love to turn off the traction control and gun it around that corner. Takes no effort to kick the back end out and sail through the corner because of all the oil on the pavement. Must have traction controll off, of course. It's great with the AWD because the aѕѕ end flies out, and the front wheels pull you through the corner. Drives me nuts that sometimes I forget the traction control will kick in. Even worse, you can't turn off traction control while the system is actively controlling traction (light flashing), lol.

teahead

My G35, I disabled VDC because I HATED how I want to accelerate, yet the stupid computer wants to power me down.

Not fun when trying to move fast in heavy fast traffic!

G35, I just unplugged the sensor under the center console. I assume we can do the same in the G37?