Yet more snow here in the Artic Tundra (that's Connecticut for the rest of you) - coming home night before last going up a long steep hill, I'm barely getting up in my TL and I could NOT turn OFF the VSA (to control tire spin - which can help) while the VSA was "active" - I would have had to stop and do it (losing my momentum up the hill).

That was really annoying!

 

Yup! That's right. Once VSA is active you CANNOT turn it off until you come to a full stop despite the fact that you are practically stopped since it's cutting almost all power. You just have to feather the throttle and keep the speedometer at about 20mph to "spin" your way up the hill. I guess the speed is read from the tranny so actual car speed in these condition is no correctly indicated.

dsc888

 

Totally correct. If an auto tranny before you tackle the hill turn of the VSA and leave it in second gear. The six speed gets a little better traction because of the LSD, although if its a long hill you will smell some frying clutch smell (the LSD is clutch too)

 

Wait, do you mean when the VSA is working (like keeping your tires from spinning) or when the VSA is on/active? I only drive with the VSA on when it's snowing. Sometimes I forget to turn it off and I notice it while I'm driving. Hitting the button while driving turns it right off everytime. I've never had to come to a full stop to turn mine off.

 

You can't turn the VSA off when the VSA light is flashing. The button is an off button the VSA is always on. VSA on =light off. VSA light on= system off. VSA light flashing= VSA or traction control active. The only cogent reason to turn the system off is while trying to go up slippery slopes thus allowing wheel spin, if you leave it on in that situation your car will bog down since the VSA will cut the fuel. The only other situation is racing. Even when racing you can leave it on since the system is geared for spirited driving (it allows some slippage) only while dragging (TL is no drag car) should it be turned off.

 

I guess the trick is to to turn it off ahead of time if you think the hill warrants it - OR - try to feather the throttle so it becomes inactive for second to turn it off while tackling a hill.

Now, what if you have it off and you're spinning your way up a hill, can you turn it ON while you're spinning your tires?

 

I don't care for the VSA in the snow... As a matter of fact it sucks with a 6 speed. I'm used to feathering the clutch and controlling my own wheelspin, so when there is snow on the ground, the VSA bogs the rpm's down and forces me to give it way to much gas to keep from stalling..

 

The 6MT LSD is a helical gear type - no clutches to fry. The clutch type LSD's would cause a grabby feeling in the steering as the cluches unlock and lock going around corners.