Advancetrac Sport Mode Concern

[MN5.0]

Hey guys,
I drive a 2011 Mustang gt track pack 6mt. I have been experimenting with the different traction control options, and I was extremely excited about the sport mode, considering its supposed to tighten up the steering, and open the parameters of whats acceptable in the stability and traction before the computer holds you down. My steering tightens up as it should when i enter sport mode, however the traction control kicks on way too easily. It dogs me down from a launch and occasionally when im WOT through gears it will hesitate if I shift at redline. My car does not do that in the other traction modes, and launches great with some tire spin but not much with the traction on. The traction control off light comes on when i enter sport mode, but completely bogs down when I launch it. It's frustrating because i love the tight steering of the sport mode, but my car is soooo touchy in sport mode with traction. Has anyone come across this issue? Everything i have researched shows that sport mode is supposed to have a lot less restrictions on traction compared to normal traction on mode. Any input would be great.. Thanks!

 

[skyline247]

I remember getting less restriction with sport mode. Hesitation with WOT shifting might be from the fuel cutoff at redline but that is something you should experience regardless of the traction control setting. I suggest turning traction control completely off and seeing what your experience is. If I remember correctly, you hold the brake pedal and traction control button down for 6-8 seconds (advancetrac off or something like that will be displayed on the dash).

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[MN5.0]

I remember getting less restriction with sport mode. Hesitation with WOT shifting might be from the fuel cutoff at redline but that is something you should experience regardless of the traction control setting. I suggest turning traction control completely off and seeing what your experience is. If I remember correctly, you hold the brake pedal and traction control button down for 6-8 seconds (advancetrac off or something like that will be displayed on the dash).

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Thanks for the reply.. I am aware of the option to completely disable traction and stability control to remove any handicaps holding the car back.. However I love my sport mode steering.. I'm just frustrated with the fact that the traction control is UNBEARABLE with sport mode compared to the normal mode. That doesn't make sense. As you stated sport mode has less restrictions, which on my car its the COMPLETE OPPOSITE. Very frustrating. Must me somehting in the computer. As for the fuel cutoff i do know if you hit that redline hard it will cutoff, i've drove my car enough to know when to shift to avoid that. The aftermarket tune helps as well!

 

[skyline247]

Thanks for the reply.. I am aware of the option to completely disable traction and stability control to remove any handicaps holding the car back.. However I love my sport mode steering.. I'm just frustrated with the fact that the traction control is UNBEARABLE with sport mode compared to the normal mode. That doesn't make sense. As you stated sport mode has less restrictions, which on my car its the COMPLETE OPPOSITE. Very frustrating. Must me somehting in the computer. As for the fuel cutoff i do know if you hit that redline hard it will cutoff, i've drove my car enough to know when to shift to avoid that. The aftermarket tune helps as well!

Maybe a trip to the dealer is warranted here. If sport mode really is restricting you more than full traction control, something doesn't seem right.

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[TT5.0ca]

But....umm...can't you set the steering feel separately from the sport setting? I can on my 2014. It is auto and BBP though. On my old 2012 BBP, it would set the steering feel to sport in sport mode and I couldn't change it.

 

[MN5.0]

Maybe a trip to the dealer is warranted here. If sport mode really is restricting you more than full traction control, something doesn't seem right.

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Right, that what I was thinking, I just didn't want their tune to interfere with my custom tune.. I'll ask my tuner, since I'm going in for a retune this tuesday!

 

[MN5.0]

But....umm...can't you set the steering feel separately from the sport setting? I can on my 2014. It is auto and BBP though. On my old 2012 BBP, it would set the steering feel to sport in sport mode and I couldn't change it.

Yea Mine is a 2011 BBP, so it doesn't have the option to customize the steering unfortunately.

 

[skyline247]

Right, that what I was thinking, I just didn't want their tune to interfere with my custom tune.. I'll ask my tuner, since I'm going in for a retune this tuesday!

I don't see how a tune would affect traction control...

You can try visiting the dealer before your scheduled appointment with your tuner since you are getting a new tune anyway. Or just call your tuner to see if its something that can be addressed on Tuesday. Do you have a copy of the tune in case you need to reload it?

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[BlackBuggy]

I never really noticed the steering to change with the AdvanceTrac settings. Whenever I drive, I summarize the driving conditions into a scenario- if it is wet, icy, snowy out, I just leave the traction control on and I drive the car like it is a Toyota Corolla.

If road conditions are dry, I turn traction control all the way off. This seems to do a few things to the motor: it allows the motor to run normally and it removes the power compensation/bogging to the wheels that you experience if you try to drop gear and give it WOT under normal settings, which can be dangerous if you are actually needing to get in peak power band to pass someone or something like that. I won't turn traction off in adverse conditions because it is really dangerous to have that much power in these cars that are so light in the rear- I have seen my life flash before my eyes passing someone in the snow in Sport mode before... only thing that saved me was the traction control killed the motor and put it back to Normal mode when it sensed that I had fishtailed.

If I am at the track, all traction settings have to be turned off or the car will just bog down because of the increased sensitivity to wheel spin. Doesn't matter if I am in Sport or Normal mode. The only thing that keeps the engine bogging off is turning traction off completely.

You also have to understand that even if you turn all traction settings off, the ECU is still monitoring wheel spin. IF IT IS BAD ENOUGH, IT WILL TURN ADVANCETRAC BACK ON regardless of what you want it to do, even with everything turned off completely. I have had it do this to me once- the little "traction" dummy light flashed off and on, off and on and the gauges then informed me that "AdvanceTrac" had been turned back on.

In summary, the engine bogging can't be 100% avoided. The closest we can get is to have good, wide tires on our cars with traction turned off completely on a warm, dry day.

*Just as a side note, I have the Shaker 1000 system and if I am in Sport mode (I will only put the car in Sport mode if I am on the highway and know I am going to have to drop gear to pass some people... you have to be completely stopped to turn traction all the way off which isn't an option on freeway driving 80mph) listening to a song with a lot of bass at full blast, the car assumes I am losing traction and turns the traction back to Normal mode... even if I am just cruising in overdrive at 2000 rpms.

 

[TT5.0ca]

I didn't encounter these issues with my 2012 BBP. I never had the TCSC turn itself back on when I had turned it off.

I did put a manual switch inline with the 5 amp check circuit in the smart junction box. This allowed me to totally depower all the nannies at the racetrack, which was simpler than having to remember button pushing order in the staging lanes.

 

[BlackBuggy]

My recommendation to get Advancetrac to turn itself back on:

1. Get a set of worn tires on the rear of your car
2. Add a bunch of power adders/rotating mass deductions to your car
3. Go for a highway drive
4. Turn Sport mode on or turn Advancetrac all the way off
5. Then go from 6th gear to 2nd gear at about 55 miles an hour and give the car full throttle

5. The last step is you hold on to your ass as the front end comes up and the rear end begins to slide out on you. With any luck, Advancetrac will turn itself back on and save your life. If not, may the Force be with you.