XDS - Software only or hardware required?

[Fatbloke]

If you have the ESP functionality, is XDS only a setting away?

[KBPhoto]

What's XDS?

[Fatbloke]

It is an electronic pseudo limited slip differential system. It works by braking the inside wheel using the ESP/ABS system so in a situation where the inside wheel may lose traction e.g powering out of a bend, it allows the power to continue being delivered and limits the slip by braking the slipping wheel. Standard kit on the vRS.

[j0hn]

Is that just on the FL VRS?

[alberg]

If you have this BCM ESP MK60EC1 you should be able to activated.

on the long coding on the ABS you have the last 4 digits that are 0000

Change it to 0800

then under adaptation look for the channel (can´t remember at the moment) where it says XDS

You have 3 setting (normal/soft/strong)

[Fatbloke]

Cheers Alberg. I do have the MK60EC1 and the options are available in the long coding helper and the adaptations for the setting. Sometimes things show up there and when you enable them it accepts the coding but changes nothing because you are missing some hardware. I have changed the settings so a spirited drive tomorrow should reveal if it has actually enabled anything.

[alberg]

If the Channel shows.up its been activated(green letters) otherwise will show no channel in red

[alberg]

In dry weather you will have to pudh hard to activate. Better on wet. On a roundabout just go into it and curve hard.

[sh4rpsh00ter]

What's the difference in the settings then and can this be changed via VCDS on 2012 Blackline.

[Phil-E]

I thought this was activated from factory anyway.

Most cars I've known have it anyway.

My Cordoba had it. You could feel it kicking in when you floored it and let the wheels spin.

Phil

[Fatbloke]

There are three settings, 0 - Normal, 1 - Weak, 2 - Strong, available in VCDS and presumably it relates to how readily it intervenes.

[Phil-E]

I remember reading a post about a MK2 Fabia vRS.

The setting relating not to how readily it kicks in but rather how strongly it worked. The higher setting means the applys the brakes harder to get a bigger effect on it but obviously the down side to this is potentially cooking the brakes with a lot of use.

Even on the normal setting I managed to cook my brakes going spiritedly up a windy hilly road in Germany.

Phil

[Fatbloke]

Cheers Phil. I stand corrected :think: Not the most desireable side effect though!

[Phil-E]

It's fine for light use/every day use but when you hammer it a lot it can be a bit much.

The system will actually also temporarily deactivate itself if your brakes get too hot so there is a fail safe.

Phil

[alberg]

Normal or weak is the way to go. On the strong the system is to harsh on the breaks and you feel to much along with tire noise(breaks and tires will worn faster to)

Edited 8 January, 2013 by alberg

[rob_e]

Normal or weak is the way to go. On the strong the system is to harsh on the breaks and you feel to much along with tire noise(breaks and tires will worn faster to)

What is the default setting on a vRS?

[Gti Jazz Blue]

Just checked the log from my last scan on the vRS and it appears it is enabled on mine. (0800 at the end of the long coding)

I'll check what the setting is next I hook the Laptop up.

[cheezemonkhai]

Sounds like a bit of a pain to me?

I'd rather have some wheel spin, so I can correct my driving than having the car apply a break again.

[Phil-E]

Sounds like a bit of a pain to me?

I'd rather have some wheel spin, so I can correct my driving than having the car apply a break again.

It can help with off the line traction by forcing both wheels to turn so there are advantages to the system.

You do still get wheelspin with the system so get the same feedback etc.

Phil

[Grizzle]

As far as i know only the FL Vrs has it.

[m0bov]

the early vrs fl missed out on it. :(

[Phil-E]

So are we saying that not all cars have it enabled by default?

I would assume that any car with ABS and the right coding the ECU could have this feature as there are no additional hardware requirements.

Would I be right in thinking this should also work on a DSG? As its relating to the diff not the gearbox.

Phil

[MartynVRS]

By default the vRS for me was medium. Got it changed to strong with no ill effects really and pulls out of bends a bit quicker. It cooks it's brakes after 15mins hard use, sometimes less if it's a really twisty road regardless of the XDS setting

[Phil-E]

By default the vRS for me was medium. Got it changed to strong with no ill effects really and pulls out of bends a bit quicker. It cooks it's brakes after 15mins hard use, sometimes less if it's a really twisty road regardless of the XDS setting

Yeh like I say I found that on my PD 130 going up twisty hills... fine going up but wasn't fun coming down with nearly no brakes. Had to pull over for a bit and let them cool. The wheels were red hot! Ooops.

[rob_e]

By default the vRS for me was medium. Got it changed to strong with no ill effects really and pulls out of bends a bit quicker. It cooks it's brakes after 15mins hard use, sometimes less if it's a really twisty road regardless of the XDS setting

Martyn - was that on the octavia or your fabia?