JRA2000TL

How does the VSA work on the TL-S? I just found that those had this option after looking in an owners manual to see what that "warning" symbol was for (like the one above on my post). It says something about it coming on when you take corners hard in order to keep the car stable or from sliding??? I originally thought the light meant "warning: critical danger" to your car or something, lol.

Vicman17

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRA2000TL

How does the VSA work on the TL-S? I just found that those had this option after looking in an owners manual to see what that "warning" symbol was for (like the one above on my post). It says something about it coming on when you take corners hard in order to keep the car stable or from sliding??? I originally thought the light meant "warning: critical danger" to your car or something, lol.

VSA is like an upgraded TCS. TCS (TL-Ps) only work on low speed and helps prevent a spinout using ABS to keep the car in a straight line. VSA (Type-S) on the other hand works in high and low speeds and uses TCS as well as throttle retard in keeping the car straight and works great in cornering. When your VSA light is flashing, it means that VSA is working, sensing that your tires are slipping (like starting-off on snowy roads) and will try to keep it straight. If it's ON and not just flashing, it means your VSA has been turned off. This works on wet or dry. The drive enhancement is virtually transparent to the driver except of course, the flashing exclamation mark.

Try to do power takeoffs with and without the VSA and you'll understand it better. Some members achieve good quarter-mile result times with the VSA off, some with it on.

All I can say is that when I have the VSA turned OFF, the car goes WILD!!!

RevinV12s

I believe that the VSA works by applying variable pressure on the 4 independent brakes. That means you will sacrifice speed around the corner for stability. However, It is able to turn off VSA so..... Ur choice.

Pure Adrenaline

iTrader: (2)

Oy.

Don't take this personally, but you have the wrong impression of TCS. TCS does not help in avoiding a spin-out. That's what VSA does.

TCS utilizes wheel speed sensors to detect any differences in speed of each drive wheel. If there's a discrepancy, then it will cut off fuel and apply braking to stop the wheel-spin. However, it does not help in avoiding a spin-out. In a nutshell, its only job is to make sure that all wheels are spinning at the same time. If you apply emergency braking, then ABS kicks in; not TCS.

VSA, on the other hand, builds up on the TCS. It has wheel speed sensors, yaw rate sensor, and monitors steering wheel input. If there's a discrepancy between the steering wheel input angle and the yaw rate at which the car is traveling, then it cuts off fuel and apply braking to each individual wheel to bring the car back under control. VSA helps in avoiding a spin-out, not TCS. Again, if you apply emergency braking, then ABS will kick in, and VSA will be monitoring (constantly, not just when you apply braking) the car's speed and angle of travel. If the car starts to spin out, then it'll bring it back under control. If you only have TCS and the car spins out, you better hope it'll come back under control because there is no computer chip to save you.

By the way, the TCS in the Premium model is all-speed, not just at low speed. But the only times it will really matter is coming off the line; our cars don't have enough power to spin the wheels while traveling at higher speeds. :toothless

Vicman17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pure Adrenaline

Oy.

Don't take this personally, but you have the wrong impression of TCS. TCS does not help in avoiding a spin-out. That's what VSA does.

TCS utilizes wheel speed sensors to detect any differences in speed of each drive wheel. If there's a discrepancy, then it will cut off fuel and apply braking to stop the wheel-spin. However, it does not help in avoiding a spin-out. In a nutshell, its only job is to make sure that all wheels are spinning at the same time. If you apply emergency braking, then ABS kicks in; not TCS.

VSA, on the other hand, builds up on the TCS. It has wheel speed sensors, yaw rate sensor, and monitors steering wheel input. If there's a discrepancy between the steering wheel input angle and the yaw rate at which the car is traveling, then it cuts off fuel and apply braking to each individual wheel to bring the car back under control. VSA helps in avoiding a spin-out, not TCS. Again, if you apply emergency braking, then ABS will kick in, and VSA will be monitoring (constantly, not just when you apply braking) the car's speed and angle of travel. If the car starts to spin out, then it'll bring it back under control. If you only have TCS and the car spins out, you better hope it'll come back under control because there is no computer chip to save you.

By the way, the TCS in the Premium model is all-speed, not just at low speed. But the only times it will really matter is coming off the line; our cars don't have enough power to spin the wheels while traveling at higher speeds. :toothless

Nothing taken personally.. We're all here to learn from each other.

I just excerpted this from a site about the TL (2nd Gen) TCS:

"Given the TL's increased power output, and the need for all-weather drivability, a new Traction Control System (TCS) is standard equipment. Designed to operate at speeds under 25 mph, TCS uses an array of sensors linked to a central processing unit. The TCS detects wheelspin, such as when accelerating on a slippery surface, and automatically applies pressure to one or both front brakes to limit wheelspin. Compared to the previous system which only reduced engine power in the presence of wheelspin, this new arrangement delivers 30% better acceleration in split-traction situations."

And about the VSA (3rd Gen)

"A new standard Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) system works in concert with the drive-by-wire throttle system to provide enhanced control during acceleration, braking and cornering. While the 2-channel VSA in the previous TL Type-S model modulated the throttle and braking to the two front wheels, the 4-channel system standard in the 2004 TL orchestrates the throttle and each of the vehicle's four disc brakes to seamlessly integrate traction control, Anti-lock braking and stability enhancement for increased driver control."

goldendragon576

HAHA! Yeah, when that goes on, your car is gonna explode. Hehe. I leave mine on all the time, unless I'm ready to blow the doors off some kid who thinks his Neon is fast. It's fun in the snow too when there's no one around and you just step on the gas.

Pure Adrenaline

iTrader: (2)

I could've sworn the TCS on the TL-P was all-speed. :toothless

Simpson975

OK i have TCA And no VSA or whatever. Anyway so when i go to the drag track should i turn the TCA off or leave it on? Can i accelerate faster with TCA off?....

HELP!

Pure Adrenaline

iTrader: (2)

Turn it off. TCS is a counter-safety measure and thus it will cut off power and apply braking more than necessary. If you leave it on and launch, your 60' times will be horrible.

The best way to launch at the drag strip is to turn off any safety measures related to traction, feather the gas pedal therefore launching without spinning or hopping. If you leave TCS on and launch, you will be the laughing stock of the crowd. I don't know anyone who launches with VSA/TCS on.

Natismati

Wow, VSA is pretty awesome.

Pure Adrenaline

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, but you shouldn't trust it too much. I nearly spun out on a cold day making a left turn, and I lost traction because the tires were cold. The rear wheels started hopping, which caused the rear end to step out, but the VSA never kicked in and I brought it back under control.

When you're launching off the line, it's the TCS part of the VSA working, and VSA usually does not kick in unless it predicts that there's about to be a big "accident'.


For example, I was at the Mercedes Driving Event a few weeks ago, and I put an S600 through an autocross track. I tortured the car, powerdrifting and smoking the tires everywhere. I consequently got kicked out , but that's a different story. Mercedes is a generation ahead of Acura, and on top of VSA, they have a pre-safe system. What it does is it retracts the seat belts to a point that the occupants are firmly locked in the seats, (this is proactive, unlike all the other tensioner systems that are reactive) and if the seats are reclined, they are brought to a position that will offer maximum protection in the event of a crash. Well, I put the car through hell, but the pre-safe system only kicked it at the last turn when the car was at an imminent tip-over (yeah, I almost flipped an S600 ).

My point is that VSA is there to help you when the computer thinks the vehicle is out of the driver's control. If your rear end starts to slide out, then the VSA won't kick in until you counter-steer (steering-wheel input) and the computer now realizes that the car is headed left, yet the wheel is turned to the right. So it will apply individual braking to bring the car back on course. But this takes time, so if you're close to a ditch like I was this past winter, it won't help you. I put my car into a ditch and shattered the front bumper.

VSA is a lifesaver, but it will only save you when your life is in imminent danger, not just a simple slide. And I've ridden in many cars equipped with VSA, yet our cars have the least active VSA system ever conceived. That's not a bad thing, but then again, once VSA kicks in, that means you better hold on because you're going for a wild ride.

Natismati

Sounds good to me.

Pure Adrenaline

iTrader: (2)

It got a bit too long, but I guess I was trying to say that I don't trust the VSA on our cars. :toothless

Natismati

Don't worry, i do not,