Advancetrac Sport Mode

[Coyote Red]

This "mode option" tech is new to sport cars. I turn it off except in rain, in rain I slow down my driving unless, I am testing for skid & slide habits. Road conditions and different pavement types are noted as well. This S550 is a longer, more forgiving wheelbase. But, I prefer a shorter wheelbase like the S197 I could "turn around in the street"with. The cradle lock-outs have helped a lot so far. Experiment with your pony at your own risk, best done on skidpad or track. Backroads are for pro's like Norm & others.

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[DickR]

This "mode option" tech is new to sport cars. I turn it off except in rain, in rain I slow down my driving unless, I am testing for skid & slide habits. Road conditions and different pavement types are noted as well. This S550 is a longer, more forgiving wheelbase. But, I prefer a shorter wheelbase like the S197 I could "turn around in the street"with. The cradle lock-outs have helped a lot so far. Experiment with your pony at your own risk, best done on skidpad or track. Backroads are for pro's like Norm & others.

FYI per Ford specs the S197 and S550 both have a 107.1 inch wheelbase.

I turn Advance Trac "off" for autocross and "normal" for all my street driving (no track driving with this car) so all my observations above are based on autocross.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Assuming a bit much, aren't we?

Perhaps your assessment may apply to a large percentage of Mustang owners

So for you to assume that I'm not driving hard enough, one way or another, to notice intervention, is presumptuous on your part, to say the least.

During the first month or so, I most certainly did notice the intervention of nannies when driving on the limit but then modified my driving style to drive as hard as possible while remaining under the threshold of intervention, which proved more fluid, as every time the nannies intervened the flow of spirited driving would be interrupted in such an artificial manner which felt counterintuitive to correcting the car my self.

Not presumptuous on my part so much as the fact that you've adjusted your driving to suit what the car needs at this point and what its nanny calibrations will tolerate without stepping in.

I think it was on the Hooked On Driving where I saw it explained this way. More or less, it goes like this: say your average driving is at the 80% level, but ranges by plus or minus 25% from there. Sooner or later you'll step past the limit.

Now take the situation where you're consistent to within 5% - and at this point you can drive at over 90% without going past the point where poo happens.

Granted that HOD was looking at maximum car limits, but this can certainly be extended down to address driving intensity vs nanny-intervention threshholds, and while anybody is at the 85% ± 25% level, the nannies could get pretty busy at times.


I won't quibble with base OE suspension tuning and nanny calibrations being what they are and that they aren't necessarily what all drivers might prefer. The average driver who doesn't corner all that hard doesn't need linear behavior approaching 0.6 lateral g's that only gradually "softens" as much as he needs more warning (discouragement) about approaching the limits and wants a more compliant ride.

I had a very brief opportunity to drive a different car over the weekend (out of state granddaughter's H.S. graduation down in SE NC, the car being her other grand-daddy's new car). I was running in some sort of 'Track' mode, that being where he normally drives it save for I think in the rain. I did get it up to where I could clearly feel the beginnings of slip angles but no "assistances" (which I would have felt). While I wouldn't have been afraid to turn everything all the way off if it was my own car, I can see where well over 400 HP can get people in trouble faster than their experience has prepared them to cope with, and could easily take drivers with more experience in hard driving a little time to fully adjust to the car's idiosyncracies. Yes, I'd be tweaking things some if I was to buy that car's near-identical twin.


Norm

 

[Binfordtools]

-AdvanceTrac off: Is none of that above. It is the most direct path to your Mustang. Your car can, & most likely will get away from you in this "nanny" free mode. Be Warned!

Also known as Cars & Coffee mode

 

[Popo5ohh]

i press and hold for 8 sec when i drive it. i dont need no dang traction control

 

[Less Weight]

Not presumptuous on my part so much as the fact that you've adjusted your driving to suit what the car needs at this point and what its nanny calibrations will tolerate without stepping in.

I think it was on the Hooked On Driving where I saw it explained this way. More or less, it goes like this: say your average driving is at the 80% level, but ranges by plus or minus 25% from there. Sooner or later you'll step past the limit.

Now take the situation where you're consistent to within 5% - and at this point you can drive at over 90% without going past the point where poo happens.

Granted that HOD was looking at maximum car limits, but this can certainly be extended down to address driving intensity vs nanny-intervention threshholds, and while anybody is at the 85% ± 25% level, the nannies could get pretty busy at times.


I won't quibble with base OE suspension tuning and nanny calibrations being what they are and that they aren't necessarily what all drivers might prefer. The average driver who doesn't corner all that hard doesn't need linear behavior approaching 0.6 lateral g's that only gradually "softens" as much as he needs more warning (discouragement) about approaching the limits and wants a more compliant ride.

I had a very brief opportunity to drive a different car over the weekend (out of state granddaughter's H.S. graduation down in SE NC, the car being her other grand-daddy's new car). I was running in some sort of 'Track' mode, that being where he normally drives it save for I think in the rain. I did get it up to where I could clearly feel the beginnings of slip angles but no "assistances" (which I would have felt). While I wouldn't have been afraid to turn everything all the way off if it was my own car, I can see where well over 400 HP can get people in trouble faster than their experience has prepared them to cope with, and could easily take drivers with more experience in hard driving a little time to fully adjust to the car's idiosyncracies. Yes, I'd be tweaking things some if I was to buy that car's near-identical twin.


Norm

In regards to presumptions, I was referring to your assumption that I would not notice the intervention of the safety nets one way or another but whatever, that's neither here nor there.

The reason I said I'd be fine with catching mishaps 95% of the time, with all nannies disabled, instead of 100% of the time is because mid corner bump steer in this car is very nasty in stock form. My former cars, when presented with this same situation, would progressively go into an oversteering slide which could be remedied with a little opposite lock but this car gets totally unsettled by such situations. Not to mention, anyone who says that they are unflappable 100% of the time (other than perhaps a Shumacher/Senna level driver) is full of crap. If you are going full balls out on the limit, depending on the nature of the situation, s**t can go awry and past the point of no return.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Then I'm confused. What did you intend this part to mean that I must have missed?

Originally Posted by Less Weight
I find the best way to have fun while still maintaining a safety net is AdvanceTrac off mode.

Norm

 

[Less Weight]

Then I'm confused. What did you intend this part to mean that I must have missed?



Norm

We're both confused, apparently. :shrug: What does that quote have to do with my perceived inability to distinguish/be aware of Advancetracs intervention or lack thereof? That's what prompted this discussion.

 

[randotheking]

I find that when driving my car in sport mode even with the nannies on, the car is still very loose. I have had the car sideways in a big way on a couple of occasions on wet roads with traction control ON.

So it's obviously quite a lenient system or a little slow to react. Are people are saying AdvanceTrac is a half way between ON and OFF??

What kind of tires do you have? I'm finding it very hard to lose control even with TC off.

 

[Norm Peterson]

We're both confused, apparently. :shrug: What does that quote have to do with my perceived inability to distinguish/be aware of Advancetracs intervention or lack thereof? That's what prompted this discussion.

So let's back up a bit. What safety net were you originally referring to?

Originally Posted by Less Weight
Honestly, the traction control off is almost as hands off in regards to intervention as completely disabling all systems. I find the best way to have fun while still maintaining a safety net is AdvanceTrac off mode.


Norm

 

[Norm Peterson]

I find that when driving my car in sport mode even with the nannies on, the car is still very loose. I have had the car sideways in a big way on a couple of occasions on wet roads with traction control ON.

So it's obviously quite a lenient system or a little slow to react. Are people are saying AdvanceTrac is a half way between ON and OFF??

Did you mean 'Sport Mode'? If so, midway between ON and OFF is as good an interpretation as any.


Norm

 

[Norm Peterson]

-Traction control off: Means it doesn't intervene in tire slippage and any traction events. The other "nannies" and safety features of the car are still intact and if the car senses a spin out, or icy conditions, it will still "right the car", using the systems on board.

-AdvanceTrac SPORT MODE: Is the same exact thing as above, but the "nannies" that control the car are relaxed, allowing the driver to step the back end out, or play with the car... to a certain degree, BEFORE the nannies kick in, and stop you from doing something too stupid.

-AdvanceTrac off: Is none of that above. It is the most direct path to your Mustang. Your car can, & if you lack sufficient discipline as a driver most likely will get away from you in this "nanny" free mode. Be Warned!

Fixed.


Norm

 

[spiller]

What kind of tires do you have? I'm finding it very hard to lose control even with TC off.

I have the PP Pirellis. It's only an issue in the wet. I'd say they're the worst wet performance tire I've ever used. No traction control system would be able to catch the snap oversteer experienced with these tires in the wet, no matter how advanced (I don't feel that the Mustang's TC system is particularly effective in any event).

 

[WildHorse]

Pretty much all the manual says:

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
The traction control system helps avoid
drive wheel spin and loss of traction.
If your vehicle begins to slide, the system
applies the brakes to individual wheels
and, when needed, reduces engine power
at the same time. If the wheels spin when
accelerating on slippery or loose surfaces,
the system reduces engine power in order
to increase traction.

Electronic Stability Control
The system enhances your vehicle’s ability
to prevent skids or lateral slides by
applying brakes to one or more of the
wheels individually and, if necessary,
reducing engine power.

Traction Control
The system enhances your vehicle’s ability
to maintain traction of the wheels by
detecting and controlling wheel spin. See
Using Traction Control (page 144).


USING STABILITY CONTROL
Electronic Stability Control
The system automatically turns on each
time you switch the ignition on. The
electronic stability control portion of the
system is disabled when the transmission
is in reverse (R) or, on some models, if you
press and hold the electronic stability
control button for more than five seconds
when you apply the brakes and the vehicle
is at a stop. You can switch off the traction
control portion of the system
independently. See Using Traction
Control (page 144).


Personally I keep everything off. Cause the superstar driving aggressively with everything on 100% of the time will quickly become a has-been the moment it's turned off.

By far my fastest lap times are with all the nannies turned off. This is with Pirelli 235/50r18's on my 2017 GT.

 

[73MachI]

Base S550 GT:

Default at every start-up:
- Traction Control On
- Stability Control On

Single tap: "Traction Control Off"
- Traction Control Off
- Stability Control On

Double Tap: "AdvancTrac Sport Mode"
- Traction Control Reduced
- Stability Control Reduced

Press & Hold: "AdvancTrac Off" (e.g. Track Mode)
- Traction Control Off
- Stability Control Off

AdvancTrac helps to maintain control of your vehicle on slippery surfaces using Traction Control and Stability Control by applying brakes to individual wheels and reducing engine power.

Traction control helps to avoid drive wheel spin and loss of traction.

Stability control helps avoid skids and lateral slides.

On the Base Mustang, this is all completely independent of the steering setting.

None of this has anything to do with the differential (which is a Torsen, if you have a PP). I find that the Torsen nicely kicks in and allows natural, easy correction of rear wheel drift in normal driving.

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