D4 Traction Control System and Indications

The other day i was in the forests around Drake in northern NSW. I have a 2.7 litre e-locker D4, with MT Maxxis tryres on D3 steel wheels which have done 10000 k. It was not raining.

I was tail end charley. There were 5 vehicles in front, some with lockers front and rear. including a bog standard 100 series on somewhat older MT tyres.

We were going up a very sticky mud ascent. It was reasonably steep, put not insane. It took about 20 vehicle attempts for all the front vehicles to get up.

The 100 series got up in about 2 goes. We were next.

We had been travelling nicely in mud ruts mode in low range, 2nd command shift. Full raised vehicle. Tyres were 30 psi.

We accelerated up the hill, but going around a slight bend in the track, the vehicle engaged traction controll and retarded forward progress, just when maximum mommentum was needed.

After great difficulty we backed down the track, sliding off in various places. We got to the base. This time engaged rock crawl and tried again in 2nd command shift. Same result.

By now the track was complete mess and tryes completely mudded up. Tried to reverse out. Same result. Things are looking bad.

Reduced tryre pressure to 20 psi. Tried again in mud ruts, 2nd command, low range, full height. same result.

The other vehicles cannot come back because too slippery to descend and cannot reverse out.

Luckily we found a place to do a 6 point turn and drive out back up the track.

This was very disappointing.

maybe nobody could have got up after the 100 series. But maybe the traction control worked against us.

Next time I will consider having no programmes on, low range, full raise and stability contol off still in 2nd command shift.

Any suggestions?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SWH

The other day i was in the forests around Drake in northern NSW. I have a 2.7 litre e-locker D4, with MT Maxxis tryres on D3 steel wheels which have done 10000 k. It was not raining.

I was tail end charley. There were 5 vehicles in front, some with lockers front and rear. including a bog standard 100 series on somewhat older MT tyres.

We were going up a very sticky mud ascent. It was reasonably steep, put not insane. It took about 20 vehicle attempts for all the front vehicles to get up.

The 100 series got up in about 2 goes. We were next.

We had been travelling nicely in mud ruts mode in low range, 2nd command shift. Full raised vehicle. Tyres were 30 psi.

We accelerated up the hill, but going around a slight bend in the track, the vehicle engaged traction controll and retarded forward progress, just when maximum mommentum was needed.

After great difficulty we backed down the track, sliding off in various places. We got to the base. This time engaged rock crawl and tried again in 2nd command shift. Same result.

By now the track was complete mess and tryes completely mudded up. Tried to reverse out. Same result. Things are looking bad.

Reduced tryre pressure to 20 psi. Tried again in mud ruts, 2nd command, low range, full height. same result.

The other vehicles cannot come back because too slippery to descend and cannot reverse out.

Luckily we found a place to do a 6 point turn and drive out back up the track.

This was very disappointing.

maybe nobody could have got up after the 100 series. But maybe the traction control worked against us.

Next time I will consider having no programmes on, low range, full raise and stability contol off still in 2nd command shift.

Any suggestions?

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DSC or HDC on?

I've been caught out this way. If the DSC feels the car getting 'untidy'...... sideways movement or other loss of control indicators, it will apply the brakes.

If you take your foot off the gas with HDC on....even a little....it may apply the brakes. All bad when going up a slippery hill.

Cheers,

Kev.

I agree - sounds like DSC doing its stuff - switch it off noting that if you change TR it automatically comes back on so you have to switch it off again.

From what others have said - when all else fails switch to rock crawl - gives the vehicle max offroad capability.

Garry

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SWH

.........the vehicle engaged traction controll and retarded forward progress, just when maximum mommentum was needed.

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The DSC was still engaged.

Yes.

I wonder why Landrover decided to leave it on when in TR. Surely deactivating it below say 40kph or if low range selected would have been prudent.

In my first offroad disaster when I bellied out the engine would not go above 2700rpm because I had DSC still on - too low for the TC to start working properly in the circumstances.

Garry

Quote:

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Originally Posted by garrycol

I agree - sounds like DSC doing its stuff - switch it off noting that if you change TR it automatically comes back on so you have to switch it off again.

From what others have said - when all else fails switch to rock crawl - gives the vehicle max offroad capability.

Garry

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Yup been caught that way too.

On one occasion I was in low range, GGS with DSC and HDC turned off. Front driver's side wheel went straight under in soft mud. Had the OEM rubber on at the time and they had all slicked up. Rocking back and forth just dug the hole deeper.

Changed to RC but forgot about everything resetting. Just as I'd get the front wheel to the lip of the hole, the bloody brakes would come on and I'd slide back in. It took me a few goes to realise what was wrong and by then I'd almost bellied out. Turned off DSC and out I rolled, no probs at all.

Don't lose faith SWH, it's a very capable truck.

Cheers,

Kev.

Good to hear that it appears that the DSC was the problem.

Hopefully I will know better next time.

Thanks for the responses.

SWH, try to remember that even though you may disengage the DSC, it will reset to ON every time you start the car or move the TR knob.

Yup. Been there done that. 180kw and 600nm - why won't it go? Duh...the computer is applying the brakes! Gotta remember each time you restart the car to disable it as mentioned below, but yes, a great car.