nate247 Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Wasn't quite sure what to write as the title but here goes. I have not long bought an 03 plate JDM 350z and am really really loving the car. I know that you can turn the traction control off but I am yet to find my limits within the car and this is probably not the weather to be pushing it. As a result traction control is staying on for now. My frustration is that at times, even when just driving normally and giving the car a tiny bit of throttle, the traction control light will flicker, starts blipping the throttle and if you keep your foot on the gas, it just carries on doing it (for minutes if you keep your foot on the accelerator). You have to take your foot off the pedal for a couple of seconds, wait for the light to flick off and only then can you get back to driving normally. I am not sure if its a general thing or fault with my car in particular? I have aftermarket 18" Wolfrace Shark alloys and Falken ZIEX tyres (which could be the reason for the random loss of grip). I am looking to replace them when they get a bit more worn as the guy had just bought them when I received the car). But the fact the traction control wont disengage until you take the foot completely off the accelerator, is that normal? I am so used to driving cars (like my old MK5 GTI Golf) where it is less intrusive, that perhaps this is normal for this car? Appreciate any help guys and thanks in advance. Regards, Nathan... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanS Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Doesnt sound normal to me - well, I havent had that problem anyway. Slippy tyres could be a result...if they are really new and not bed in yet, they will be pretty slippy, hence TC intervension. Someone with JDM knowledge may be able to help more. Having driven a MK5 GTI, I would not say the Zed TC is particularly more intrusive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixy Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 I've had my 2003 import for over a year and a half and the traction control has only kicked in about 4 times in total. Only then when I have been driving on ice and have slipped as I set off. Doesn't sound quite right to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate247 Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 Bugger... Thanks for the replies though guys... I wouldn't say that its intrusive at all times. Only maybe once a day (not multiple times). Which by the sounds of the replies doesn't sound as normal as I thought :-( lol However there are often occasions when I boot the car and really give it some, I get nothing. Then just pottering down a country lane about 25/30mph or something, I go to give it a bit of gas, traction control kicks in... makes acceleration all juddery and light stays on until you lift of for a couple of seconds... I guess there is no way of knowing for sure how or what your tyres are on at the precise moment the traction control kicks in. But I have monitored it for a month or so now and the times it does kick in just seem bizzare in that it almost suprises you it has because you arn't driving it hard... (if that makes sense)? ;-) lol Obviously if this is not normal, what are my options in terms of getting it rectified? Thanks again guys... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 doesn't sound normal. traction control turns off once its not needed, and you shouldn't need to lift off in order to disengage it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrLizard Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Bugger... Thanks for the replies though guys... I wouldn't say that its intrusive at all times. Only maybe once a day (not multiple times). Which by the sounds of the replies doesn't sound as normal as I thought :-( lol However there are often occasions when I boot the car and really give it some, I get nothing. Then just pottering down a country lane about 25/30mph or something, I go to give it a bit of gas, traction control kicks in... makes acceleration all juddery and light stays on until you lift of for a couple of seconds... I guess there is no way of knowing for sure how or what your tyres are on at the precise moment the traction control kicks in. But I have monitored it for a month or so now and the times it does kick in just seem bizzare in that it almost suprises you it has because you arn't driving it hard... (if that makes sense)? ;-) lol Obviously if this is not normal, what are my options in terms of getting it rectified? Thanks again guys... Sounds like grip m8, i had that issue with the stock bridgestone tyres, changing them to a wider tyre/alloy combination helped immensely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixy Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 well i'd wait for further advice because I am probably quite a 'gentle' driver compared to you and some of the others on here. You sure it wasn't a slippy/icy road surface or anything? The back of my car has been like a bendy bus some mornings out on the country roads where I live! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinmac Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 This is a non technical answer. The tracton control can only interprit data and this can be greatly influenced by issues outside its control. As an example, if you had worn tyres or tryes with uneven weat the TC will try to compensate without realising this. That woiuld give the TC a spurious input. Driving on wet or icy roads may cause the handling to be a little unpredictable as the TC tries to outthink you. I always remember what Ebized said to me on the Jocklnad hoon, when driving on very basic, uneven and tight curved roads, he didnt use it because he had a better feel for the car/ conditions than the TC. Until you have had a chance to experience the world of noin TC zed driving at a suitable location in more seasonal conditions I would stick with it for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanS16 Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Could his rolling radius be incorrect (tyre profile on alloys)? Pretty sure that really messes up the tc! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinmac Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Could his rolling radius be incorrect (tyre profile on alloys)?Pretty sure that really messes up the tc! True Ian, that makes the car fell to "skip". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Sounds perfectly normal to me. The TC will let you spin both wheels in the wet in a straight line, but if it detects one wheel spinning faster than the other then it'll kick in and kill the fun/stop you ending up in a ditch. It's stability control rather than traction control, so it's trying to keep the car stable as opposed to stopping the wheels spinning. If you don't lift off enough to give the car a chance to settle the weight is still over the front wheels giving you less grip at the back, so you need to come off it altogether and let the natural stability give you the balance back. Mine annoys the hell out of me when pulling out of junctions in the damp so I leave it firmly off unless it's dreadful weather., and even then there's not that much difference as I experienced at Anglesey a couple of months ago in monsoon conditions: I wasn't any slower on track with the electronics turned off. That said, I'd agree with everyone else here about checking the profile and width of your tyres compared with stock, and it won't hurt to reset the stability control either (there's a guide on here somewhere, check the FAQs). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixy Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 that sounded good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 I scare myself sometimes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate247 Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 Guys, thanks as always for the suggestions and help. Appreciate it... I guess a good starting place (i.e the cheapest would be to try and reset the traction control / stability control) to see if that makes a difference first. If not then I guess the alloys / tyres could be next in line for a check. I will get searching now RE how to do the reset... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 So what size tyres are you running? Same as stock or different? At least that'll rule one particular issue out (or in!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate247 Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 Not sure if this means anything to you buddy but the tire says: 265/35ZR18 97W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Ouch, 20mm wider than stock and a smaller profile. What are you running up front? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate247 Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 Errr... that sucks... (I presume) lol On the front it reads: 235/40ZR18 95W Sorry to sound so dense RE tyres but I have always run stock and whenever they have needed changing, I take my car to a very good local garage and they sort it out for me. Never had the need to look in to width's, size's etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Stock sizes for 18s are 225/45F and 245/45R, so at least you've got a stagger there still even if it is 10mm different. The profile on the rear isn't too bad, but you've got a 5.2% difference so that could be throwing the TC into a bit of a fit. I presume they're the same brand as well, as you really shouldn't be mixing tyres on a sports car. If they're different then that could also account for any issues you've got. Running tyres bigger than stock isn't an issue as long as you've got wheels that fit, as many on here do that same thing. I'd try a calibration and see where that gets you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanS16 Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 I think they are both mean to be a profile of 45. ie. 235/45ZR18. Someone will correct me if not. Don't think it will be a problem but I think thats what is upsetting your traction control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Profile is just the height of the tyre expressed as a percentage of the width, so a wider tyre should have a lower profile to keep the height the same. A 265/18 tyre should be ideally a 40 profile to keep as close to stock, as there's only a 1.3% difference then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate247 Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 Really appreciate your advice buddy... They are all the same brand tire's and as I say, were all changed at the same time and virtually new when I bought the car. I am looking at doing something a bit later down the line with the tire's and possibly the alloys. But as I have plenty of tred left, now is probably not the right time. Especially as I want to sort a few other cosmetic things on the car first. I will (as you suggest) get a calibration done though. I presume my local tyre dealer will be able to help with this, or are you referring to something a bit more specialist? Thanks again... Nathan EDIT: just seen the other posts and now I am lost lol... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 No worries mate, I can appreciate how frustrating the TC can be at times when you just want to drive normally! Clicky here for the TC reset procedure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lomoto Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Really appreciate your advice buddy... They are all the same brand tire's and as I say, were all changed at the same time and virtually new when I bought the car. I am looking at doing something a bit later down the line with the tire's and possibly the alloys. But as I have plenty of tred left, now is probably not the right time. Especially as I want to sort a few other cosmetic things on the car first. I will (as you suggest) get a calibration done though. I presume my local tyre dealer will be able to help with this, or are you referring to something a bit more specialist? Thanks again... Nathan EDIT: just seen the other posts and now I am lost lol... Your problem is the tyres fitted, just replace with the correct size and profile and you will be OK, or alternatively do what I do just switch the Traction control off..it is very intrusive even during normal driving conditions...so long as you don't try anything silly you will be fine Calibration of the traction control by any methods dont seem to work, a lot of the US forums posted up various remedies but they were all nothing more than snake oil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate247 Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 Yeah, that appears to be the case doesn't it. Its not massively frustrating but is filling me with less confidence for when I do drive it harder. What would the best tyre and alloy size combination be out of interest? Sorry to ask, but I could well just bite the bullet and bring my plans forward to upgrade. Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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