Traction Control / Stability Control

peter212693 · 8 Nov 2006 at 19:53

I have been looking at differant Focus' for a while now and I have noticed some people putting stability and traction control as differant things on the description can anyone shed some light on this for me? Are they differant or is it just to sound good :confused:

Here is an example:

Click

Thanks

Entai · 8 Nov 2006 at 19:55

To put it very basically

Traction control just helps to reduce the amount of wheel spinning you can do, i.e. it helps you gain traction when you start to loose it.

Stability control will help you out if you start to spin the car, i.e. it helps you gain stability when you start to loose it.

As I said very basic descriptions but it gives you the idea of the differences.

peter212693 · 8 Nov 2006 at 19:58

Also is ESP stability and traction control differant?

olv · 8 Nov 2006 at 19:59

ESP stands for Electronic Stability Protection IIRC.

Almeda · 8 Nov 2006 at 19:59

peter212693 said:
Also is ESP stability and traction control differant?

ESP is Electronic Stability Protection same as Stability Control

peter212693 · 8 Nov 2006 at 20:01

Yea i see that, most cars have ESP rather than traction control?

Entai · 8 Nov 2006 at 20:02

For a car to have ESP it must have TCS and ABS to start with.
The electronic stability program (ESP) is a further enhancement to the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and traction control system (TCS).

The ESP is designed to detect a difference between the driver's control inputs and the actual response of the vehicle. When differences are detected, the system intervenes by providing braking forces to the appropriate wheels to correct the path of the vehicle. This automatic reaction is engineered for improved vehicle stability, particularly during severe cornering and on low-friction road surfaces, by helping to reduce over-steering and under-steering.

peter212693 · 8 Nov 2006 at 20:04

Entai said:
For a car to have ESP it must have TCS and ABS to start with.
The electronic stability program (ESP) is a further enhancement to the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and traction control system (TCS).

The ESP is designed to detect a difference between the driver's control inputs and the actual response of the vehicle. When differences are detected, the system intervenes by providing braking forces to the appropriate wheels to correct the path of the vehicle. This automatic reaction is engineered for improved vehicle stability, particularly during severe cornering and on low-friction road surfaces, by helping to reduce over-steering and under-steering.

Great, so a car with ESP and ABS is what ya want?

Amps · 8 Nov 2006 at 20:05

peter212693 said:
Yea i see that, most cars have ESP rather than traction control?

Most cars dont has ESP.

Bigger cars often do as standard but on your average cars its normally an expensive optional extra or an extra only available in the top models of a particular range.

ESP on my car saved my bacon today for pretty much the first time i was driving home from work ona damp backroad , not pushing it going round a slight bend at about 45 - 50 mph somethin must have been on the road as the back end of my car stepped out pretty bad. You could feel it really kick in. There was no warning at all that it was going to step out like that.

That was on my peugeot 307 XSI - that was Ditch finder bridgestone RE040's (that have at least 6mm of tread on them.)

peter212693 said:
Great, so a car with ESP and ABS is what ya want?

All cars with ESP have ABS and TSC.

Entai · 8 Nov 2006 at 20:12

peter212693 said:
Great, so a car with ESP and ABS is what ya want?

Personally no as I hate computers doing what me and my feet can do perfectly happily thank you.

But I guess if that is what you want then go for it.

Amps said:
Most cars dont has ESP.

Bigger cars often do as standard but on your average cars its normally an expensive optional extra or an extra only available in the top models of a particular range..

It will not be long before all cars will have ESP of some type or other, because the EuroNCAP people are soon to decree that having it on a car will be worth several extra points towards an higher star rating, so manufacturers will be putting it on everything to make sure they can get as many stars as they can, not that that means they are any safer of course.

peter212693 · 8 Nov 2006 at 20:15

Thanks for all your help guys!

Cheers

wassap · 8 Nov 2006 at 20:19

I have ESP on my focus ST3, its a pain cuts in far too much imo, to really push the car thro its paces you need to turn it off.

Unfortunately when i turn it off i can feel the tread melting off the tyres by the mile