VSA catch you off guard? You're not alone! Share your VSA moments here!

[mad monkey]

I know, I know all you have to do is turn it off. I'm just wondering who else out there forgets to turn it off and goes to floor it while coasting and the VSA light flashes and cuts engine power/brakes A wheel and makes you steer to the left or right. Happenned to me tonight on the freeway while cruising in 6th gear open header. Floored it around 70 and got jerked. Share your VSA moments here!

[radiocontrolhead]

I don't understand, what happneed? The car turned on it's own? What did you do exactly?

[Shinobi]

i drop it to third gear from highway speeds alot and have never gotten this.

[Firestrife]

i havent ever gotten this on the highway but once i was making a left and the streets were clear so i wanted to gun it. As I did so the streets werent the best material and VSA started to kick in and pull me right towards the curb but at least it didnt stay on for too long allowing me to correct the understeer.

[EvilSardine]

Let me get this straight....

You floored it in 6th at 70mph and VSA kicked in? The car doesn't even move if you floor it in 6th. Not sure why you would even try it in that gear. D:

Anyways, if VSA is kicking in when you're not losing traction, then that's a problem and you should get that checked out.

[Wakeboarder11]

vsa nearly saved my damn life on the freeway. Thank god for vsa and screw all bad drivers.

[Tastycakes]

Couple of times it pissed me off. One time i was pulling out of a drive way and traffic was comming so i threw it into 1st and hit it (oh it was raining out too) and since i was going backward 1-2 MPH VSA kicked in and stalled it. So here i am, stalled, people behind pissed off, lol.

Another time i was gonna do a burn out for the hell of it and the car just fell flat on its face. I felt like such a newb.

[autumnalfalls]

I had an instance at the track a few weeks ago before getting ready to do a burnout before I staged. Needless to say I prolly looked like a retard, but definitely felt like one!

[Mitch]

I drove a BMW w/o traction control for four years. It had a few mods, so was pretty neutral as far as handling goes. I am still adjusting to FWD handling characteristics, especially the power induced understeer. I find that in the rain especially, VSA flashing under throttle in different scenarios is just the reminder I need to keep me from defaulting on my rwd driving instincts.

[mad monkey]

Originally Posted by EvilSardine

Let me get this straight....

You floored it in 6th at 70mph and VSA kicked in? The car doesn't even move if you floor it in 6th. Not sure why you would even try it in that gear. D:

Anyways, if VSA is kicking in when you're not losing traction, then that's a problem and you should get that checked out.

Well, I was running open header with a buddy club. It REALLY vibrates when you floor it in 6th going 70. I'm guess the header vibrated the shit out of the yaw/acceleration rate sensor since its right by it and caused it to go off. Thats the only thing I can think of that would cause it to come on lol. But just a reminder! turn VSA off if you don't think you'll need it when you floor it and stuff. If I wasn't paying so much attention it could have easily thrown me into the left lane.

[mad monkey]

Originally Posted by autumnalfalls

I had an instance at the track a few weeks ago before getting ready to do a burnout before I staged. Needless to say I prolly looked like a retard, but definitely felt like one!

I did that once at the top of a parking garage. We were doing a photoshoot and security said the only way we can leave is if we each to a burn out leaving. So I went to do it and I hella forgot I had VSA so I looked like an idiot trying to burnout and it just stops LOL.

[Gonzo]

Soon after I got my new tires, I was coming into a sharp 90 degree left hander. I intentionally came in too fast to get the car to slide a bit. Foolishly I left the VSA on.

Needless to say it scared the shit out of me. All the sudden the car's front end dove as it seemed like the left brakes were biting hard, the rear seem to artificially slip out until the car was pointing in the direction the wheel was turned. At the time I wasn't thinking it was the VSA so I tried to correct it which resulted in the car violently rocking back and forth as myself and the VSA second guessed each other, at which point I noticed the VSA light popping on and off in time with the car's darting back and forth.

Not exactly what I was expecting.

If are doing aggressive driving, especially if you want to intentionally meet or exceed the limits of adhesion, you should turn it off. I learned my lesson.

I keep it off during spirited driving and haven't had a problem like that since. I usually keep it on otherwise because without it I am pretty sure the car won't modulate the brakes individually which could be advantageous during panic or avoidance maneuvers. One of these days I intend to go out to an empty lot due mock avoidance runs to see exactly what the car is doing with VSA and if I prefer having it on during "emergency maneuvers."

In an enthusiast car with drivers who understand the physics of what is going on, it is disadvantageous during spirited driving. For the rest of the population who just putts around and never cares to learn how their cars handle at the limits, VSA is probably a big help in avoidance or panic situations. Especially those enormous SUV's.

[sstupid]

What is VSA and which Honda cars came with it?

[Firestrife]

Originally Posted by sstupid

What is VSA and which Honda cars came with it?

VSA = Vehicle Stability Assist aka Stability control.
various Hondas had it for a while such as the Odyssey.
For the civic si's we got it in the 07's.