Canadian Nissan Truck Club

Driving to town and saw a chance for some fun with a snow drift. Driving a little too fast and started to get sucked in. Countered steered to get out and found some ice. Going sideways down the road at 80 when the VDC kicked in and saved my butt. Continued on my journey. That was close.

Must have scared the snot out of the outback that was tailing me. They stayed back a few hundred feet from then on...lol

Works well.. Applies the brakes to only the one side to counteract a spin out.

Last winter I did spin out because VDC (and every other electronic nanny) was out of commision because of a failing wheel bearing. The ABS sensor couldn't get its count so I wasn't allowed to engage 4wd, didn't have ABS, didn't have @&*% all !

I'm sure they design vehicles these days knowing that the computer will compensate for (insert design flaw here). It was quite scary driving around in such a vehicle.

I'm sure I will get flack for saying this but...Sure all this tech is great, but when it fails ^ like Xtrapol8 had happen, you are dependent on it. And then when it isn't there, you end up in a crappy situation. The only traction aids I have ever had were ABS and good tires, and I never have any issues. What is more scary is that all the new drivers these days are learning on these cars, what happens if they have to drive an older car/truck. They're in for a big surprise.

Agreed. It is sad that a large number of drivers have no clue what it was like to drive without these features or what to do when they fail.

I never rely on them and was surprised when it kicked in (and glad that it did after my dumb move).

Snafu wrote:Agreed. It is sad that a large number of drivers have no clue what it was like to drive without these features or what to do when they fail.

I never rely on them and was surprised when it kicked in (and glad that it did after my dumb move).

The Cherokee is the first vehicle that I have owned that has all of these features, and although I appreciate them, I find they hamper my "hoonage" at times... http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hoonage

There are times when I WANT to get sideways, and the Jeep complains a LOT when I'm in that mood. It does a surprisingly good job of getting me back to going straight again.

At least I know that I can turn them off, at least partially.

I learned to drive on vehicles that didn't have the nannies taking care of you, but with a young one that will be asking me for the keys next year, I can say that I appreciate that they are there. He'll learn to drive with them off as much I can help it, but it's comforting to know that they are there to protect him at least a bit.

Because lets face it, boys WILL be boys...

Girls will be girls too. My youngest sister's stay in ICU is proof of that

Definitely worth learning to drive without the features or even FWD or AWD is best. Of course ending up in the ditch in a winter storm is probably the best teacher (I learned that lesson a couple of times)

Last night I watched an Awd audi try to do donuts and slides in a parking lot. I'm pretty sure I showed him up with a quick stab of the throttle

I like my rwd so much I don't think I could ever enjoy a fwd vehicle. Just so boring.

In a FWD vehicle you do donuts in reverse. Super fun.


Sent from my iThingy.

I borrow my mothers Sunfire FWD just to do backwards donuts at least once every winter. I feel just like Bond, James Bond .With the Pathfinder it's a little harder. Pathfinder with 250 HP and RWD it's not hard to come out of the Beer Store parking lot ass backwards twice. But not on purpose...honest. I might try a triple tomorrow.

I enjoyed FWD, it's fun cause you can be super aggressive and get completely sideways and just point and shoot.

But I <3 RWD, it's so much fun and I truly enjoy the fact that it had no driver aids for stability or traction. In the winter I slide all the time, everytime, anytime and any place I can. The RX8 had TSC and DSC and disable able in 2 stages, but I'm just happy I can totally disable it. Although I can see especially this handy for families with new drivers, or drivers to be, but maybe not on a family vehicle, but on my own personal vehicle. the system needs to have the ability to completely disable the driver assists, or if it gets to the point where we can't, I'll be putting in bypass switches.

Personally I would like to say that I would want to give my kids some good defensive driving lessons. I think it's essential to give them the experience of how a car reacts in poor conditions and situations. cause if they never had a car slide or lose control, you don't want them to learn that in the midst of a real situation. They need to know what you expect and how to react and keep your cool. You can't disagree that those of us that have fun drifting and sliding in the winter make the best winter drivers.

Xtrapol8 wrote:Last winter I did spin out because VDC (and every other electronic nanny) was out of commision because of a failing wheel bearing. The ABS sensor couldn't get its count so I wasn't allowed to engage 4wd, didn't have ABS, didn't have @&*% all !

I'm sure they design vehicles these days knowing that the computer will compensate for (insert design flaw here). It was quite scary driving around in such a vehicle.

When this fault occurs and you need 4wd restart the truck and immediately engage 4HI, or 4LO, it will engage as the diagnostic that determines the VDC isn't working runs every time you run the vehicle...but not right away. I'm fairly certain once 4Hi, or 4Lo, is engaged it will not disengage until you select 2Hi.

Miner wrote:

Xtrapol8 wrote:Last winter I did spin out because VDC (and every other electronic nanny) was out of commision because of a failing wheel bearing. The ABS sensor couldn't get its count so I wasn't allowed to engage 4wd, didn't have ABS, didn't have @&*% all !

I'm sure they design vehicles these days knowing that the computer will compensate for (insert design flaw here). It was quite scary driving around in such a vehicle.

When this fault occurs and you need 4wd restart the truck and immediately engage 4HI, or 4LO, it will engage as the diagnostic that determines the VDC isn't working runs every time you run the vehicle...but not right away. I'm fairly certain once 4Hi, or 4Lo, is engaged it will not disengage until you select 2Hi.

That's a tip I won't forget.

Thank you.

ahhh that would have saved my ass if i knew that.

If that doesnt work... Climb under and take the shift solenoid off the t-case and manually select 4, 4lo ect. All you need is 10mm socket to remove the solenoid and large flat head screwdriver/prybar to rotate the shifter slot on the t-case. It will take some trial and error to figure out what position your in. Turn the truck off each time you shift, block the tires to take the weight of the drivetrain, keep in mind it will roll freely in neutral position, don't jam the solenoid back on in the wrong position.

Not fun when your stuck in the mud or -30 but at least you can manually override the electric shifter in an emergency.

and if that doesn't work you can shut the truck off tap the breaks 3 times with the key in at the acc start the truck and you should be able to engage 4hi then 4lo. i have to do this everytime i go to 4wd right now because i have a buggared tone ring on one axle.

BigRed44 wrote:and if that doesn't work you can shut the truck off tap the breaks 3 times with the key in at the acc start the truck and you should be able to engage 4hi then 4lo. i have to do this everytime i go to 4wd right now because i have a buggared tone ring on one axle.

That's how I get back to Kansas.