Does Ford's ESC correct fishtailing?
12-09-2011, 10:07 AM
#1
Does Ford's ESC correct fishtailing?
Was leaving a restaurant with the wife the other day when she asked me to get on it in the 5.0. Now, this is my first real RWD car. We've had the 2001 GT for 10 years but it's a tall auto so traction has never been an issue.
I started spinning at the end of 1st with traction control on and on my shift to 2nd the rear end started coming around quick. I felt no intervention from AdvanceTrak. It's possible that in my first RWD oh **** moment time slowed down and I got off the throttle before AdvanceTrak could intervene.
My questions is: Would AdvanceTrak have saved my bacon and corrected my fishtail if I had stayed on it?
Thanks!
I started spinning at the end of 1st with traction control on and on my shift to 2nd the rear end started coming around quick. I felt no intervention from AdvanceTrak. It's possible that in my first RWD oh **** moment time slowed down and I got off the throttle before AdvanceTrak could intervene.
My questions is: Would AdvanceTrak have saved my bacon and corrected my fishtail if I had stayed on it?
Thanks!
12-09-2011, 11:07 AM
#2
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Michigan
Posts: 786
Traction control and ESC are there to improve on traction obviously, but are really designed to help improve traction in wet/snowy conditions, depending on how much power you are giving the car you can still get it sideways with them on. If you were to have Traction control off, and sport mode on, that completely eliminates ESC and Advancetrack, things would have been even more loosey goosey.
12-09-2011, 12:17 PM
#3
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: BC
Posts: 244
I had the same experience one day last summer coming out of a parking lot ahead of approaching traffic. I got the car rolling in first and pulled onto the road in the curb lane, which was blocked a half-block ahead. As I straightened out I grabbed second and goosed it for the lane change and next thing I knew I was on my way to sideways. It pendulumed a bit, so I just got out of it and it straightened out. The road was dry and I was on cold Pilot Sport Cup tires, but I was surprised that I had to get off the throttle myself instead of the Stability Control doing it for me. I've been driving cars that are more than powerful enough to fishtail for ten years, but this is the first time it actually happened.
Some of these systems have a threshold speed below which they are disarmed, although usually it's quite slow like 5 or 10 MPH. It could be that the nannies take a break until you pick up some speed.
Some of these systems have a threshold speed below which they are disarmed, although usually it's quite slow like 5 or 10 MPH. It could be that the nannies take a break until you pick up some speed.
Last edited by JAJ; 12-09-2011 at 12:19 PM.
12-09-2011, 09:32 PM
#4
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: CT
Posts: 1,472
I have 1st hand experience with traction control saving my azz. I was flying up a twisty hill/road and the azz end started to break loose and the traction control kicked on and saved me from wrecking. It happened so fast that I didn't have time to react, the traction control saved me.
12-10-2011, 11:25 AM
#5
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 445
The only time I've EVER had the rear end get out on me what when I was doing it on purpose. This is w/ TCS/AdvancedTrac on and off, SportMode etc. Now, it HAS gone out a little further than expected w/ all off...but nothing short of easy to manage, throttle down and countersteer.
12-18-2011, 05:59 PM
#6
Something I found out about the traction control and advancetrac: it does not do very well when accelerating hard in a turn.
The turns I am talking about are from a dead stop but turning left or right into traffic. I find I break traction and fishtail if I step on it with the intent to hurry up and get out of the last street I was on and turn into the new street.
The turns I am talking about are from a dead stop but turning left or right into traffic. I find I break traction and fishtail if I step on it with the intent to hurry up and get out of the last street I was on and turn into the new street.
12-25-2011, 03:59 PM
#8
Thanks for posting up the page link.
I always forget what sequence of button presses turns on/off what.
What I was saying above though is even with everything on, when accelerating hard from a stop into the next street, the ECU/PCM does not react fast enough.
I guess that is why Ford says that these traction features are not a replacement for poor driving
I always forget what sequence of button presses turns on/off what.
What I was saying above though is even with everything on, when accelerating hard from a stop into the next street, the ECU/PCM does not react fast enough.
I guess that is why Ford says that these traction features are not a replacement for poor driving
12-25-2011, 06:14 PM
#9
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: MO
Posts: 3,234
Fishtail, yes...180-360, no. It's the 180-360 that will get you in trouble (just ask my drivers side rear rim).
A fishtail is something you should be able to do, as it is one of the pirks to owning a rwd car.
A fishtail is something you should be able to do, as it is one of the pirks to owning a rwd car.
12-31-2011, 11:36 AM
#10
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Florida
Posts: 3
ECU is slow because of the power of the engine
When you windup the engine, drop the clutch at slow speeds, and loose traction the traction control will kick in if it is on, but it will take 0.25 to 0.5 of a second to pull the engine back if it is revved way up. ESC will try to correct the car but still if you put a lot of energy into a turn the back will slide out. ESC works great on slower cars from what I can see. My advice is get to know your car, take it to a empty lot and do some donuts at different speed to know how it will react.
Dr. G
Dr. G
