Covered a million times I know but still not to the point where it understand what my car is actually doing.

When I pull away from standstill on icy or snowy roads (especially if only one wheel spins) I hear the sound of the ABS firing. This only happens at very low speeds. Once moving, the ASR works more or less as I would expect by cutting power when the wheels start to spin. To give its dues, it worked very well when I drove out of our iced-over cobbled street last week.

Am I imagining this or is the ABS linked into the ASR system in these cars? My old VR6 used to do a similar thing (produced a similar sound) and I believe it used its ABS as a crude traction control system.

Cheers,

iep

It just cuts the engine power and uses the brakes iirc.

It's crap in snow and ice as it reacts too quick to be of any use imo. You need a certain amout of spin to get you going imo.

Much like when your on a wet roundabout and it does the same thing leaving you stranded for a moment with no power at all.

ASR is terrible! Turn that shiz off!

The ABS is linked to the ASR. the sound you here when pulling away is not the ABS that only comes into play when stopping. What you hear when pulling away is the EDL doing its thing to get you going, a kind of clonking and grinding mechanical sound.

I thought the EDL was an option? As far as I knew the connection between ABS and ASR is that both use the same wheel speed sensors to measure slip, and ASR only cuts power rather than braking the individual wheels - that's more in the realms of ESP.

"ASR" incorporates an electronic diff lock that opperates at speeds of up to 20mph. This brakes the spinning wheel transfering power to the grippier wheel and making odd sounds.

I hate ASR and all the diff lock rubbish in this weather. It seems to make the car lurch left and right and makes really slippery bits or road embarassingly tricky. Today I switched it off for that reason... then lit the tyres up on a deceptively grippy looking bit of road at 40mph so it went back on

Edited 24 December, 200916 yr by lordrobs

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x116/ian60bert/FabiaVRSStats.jpg

Any Help

Edited 24 December, 200916 yr by giandougl

"ASR" incorporates an electronic diff lock that opperates at speeds of up to 20mph. This breaks the spinning wheel transfering power to the grippier wheel and making odd sounds.

I hate ASR and all the diff lock rubbish in this weather. It seems to make the car lurch left and right and makes really slippery bits or road embarassingly tricky. Today I switched it off for that reason... then lit the tyres up on a deceptively grippy looking bit of road at 40mph so it went back on

Since when has ASR had EDL? Especially on a Mk1 Octavia!

yes the mk1 octavia VRS does have EDL, been wondering what the strange noise was sounded horrible so just checked with one of my technicians and yes they have it

I always thought that grinding/crunching sound was the tyres struggling for grip. Bloody hell fours later it ain't lol

It's the EDL after all lol

Are you sure? I can find no mention of it anywhere and certainly didn't feel anything like an EDL system in my 54 plate vRS.

4x4's seem to have had it, as part of the Haldex system, but not FWD cars.

I found this, with reference to the estate on a 2003 model.

The following safety & security equipment is standard on the Skoda Octavia vRS estate: ABS (anti-lock braking system, EDL (electronic differential lock), ASR (anti-spin regulation), child safety locks on rear doors, front fog lamps, high third level brake lamp, rear fog lamp, visible VIN, central locking with remote control, deadlocks, driver and front passenger airbags, height adjustable front and rear head restraints, height adjustable front seatbelts, immobiliser, seatbelt warning light, side impact protection, third rear headrest and third 3 point rear seat belt

and this article

http://www.channel4.com/4car/rt/skoda/octavia+estate/354/7

I wouldn't trust Channel 4...

definitely got it put it in my etka parts catalogue and theres a list of everything fitted to the car when it left the factory and EDL is most definitely there

Really useful info guys. Thanks.

I'm inclined to believe EDL is present (on my car at least) as the noise is definitely not just the wheels spinning (it really does sound like the ABS pump). It also only happens at very low speeds and when one wheel is spinning much faster than the other (like when pulling out of a parallel parked space with a steep camber). So, from symptoms, it appears to match the description of EDL very well.

So, looks like the vRS is a bit fancier than I thought!

For the record, I've found my ASR to be pretty good on the icy streets round where I live but maybe that's just because we don't have many steep hills in my part of town.

Cheers,

iep

I was wondering about this.... I switched ASR off and still found something clunking or kicking in when I provoked some wheelspin on snow/ice. So the EDL would seem to be what was doing that.

It did sound a bit harsh or brutal to my mechanically sympathetic ear, so I don't think it does the car much good if over-used?

I had it on my 1998 1.6glxi, but I dont seem to have it on my 2003 1.9tdi ambient.

I don't think you get ASR (as standard) with less than 100BHP, so a 1.6 petrol would get it but your 90 BHP TDI won't.

EDL is standard on the vrs. My old 2000 plate toledo had it, and made the noise in snow. Sort of like a clunking/grating noise when you try to set off too fast in snow and ice.

My vRS does exactly the same thing. EDL is linked into the ABS system. When the ECU detects a wheel spin at low speed (Using the ABS sensors on the front wheels), it will use the abs pump to apply the brake to that wheel, slowing it down and effectively making the differential sent more power to the other wheel. The grating noise is the ABS pump switching on and off.

ASR is similar, but doesn't use the brakes. If ASR detects a wheel spin, it will cut the engine power, so your wheels can re-gain traction. It is quite aggressive at times though, and you can definately feel the loss of power when pulling out of junctions too fast

Edited 27 December, 200916 yr by rk696

rk696, really useful response and makes a lot of sense.

cheers,

iep

Cool, HTH