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Modifying XDS and Autocross

richard_rsp

New member
Location
North Georgia
Hey folks!

New TSI owner here. I received my OBDeleven this past weekend and was looking into some of the parameters that I can change. One of these appears to be XDS, the electronic traction control system that the GTIs use. Of course, I have to see how any modifications would affect my classing for AutoX.

While I know XDS is not an amazing system, it appears that we can't really change any of the settings without jumping up a whole bunch of classes, as it relates to SCCA autocross.

It appears to be a 'no' in Street: 13.9 G says "On cars without the ability to turn off electronic stability control and/or traction control (ESC/TC) from the manufacturer, modifications to defeat the ESC/TC are permitted." It says nothing about turning it ON.

It appears to be a 'no' in Street Touring: 14.10 F says "The engine management system parameters and operation of internal combustion engines may be modified only via the methods listed below.... Traction
control parameters may not be altered."

It even appears to be a 'no' in Street Prepared (?!?): 15.10 D says "Traction and/or stability control systems, as defined in Section 12.12, must be standard parts at standard settings or electronically disabled." That would mean that even GTI folks couldn't change from"Weak" (which I believe is default for them) to "Medium" or "Strong" in this class... pretty crazy!

So that appears to mean that if you alter your XDS settings, other than just turning it off, you have to jump all the way to... Street Modified!?

Obviously, It's totally not worth bumping more than a class or so for XDS. I just thought I would bring this to other MK7 owners' attention and see if others have also came to the same conclusions and I am reading this right.

Since the Golf is new, I haven't ran it yet. However, my other cars have ran in either street or street touring class. No way I am going to modify the XDS, though!
 

MeltedSolid

Autocross Newbie
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Car(s)
'15 Golf, e36 328i
I think it's on medium by default, which is called normal. I am not at all familiar with autocross rules as all of the autocrosses I attend are purely for fun events, but I have a bit of experiencing with messing with XDS. Initially I set it to strong because I thought more aggressive meant faster, but I found it to be far too aggressive, even causing understeer on turn in and forcing me to loose a ton of momentum in slow corners. I then set it to weak, the stage less than stock for me, and I liked it a ton better. It still kicks in when I'm on throttle, which helps a lot, but doesn't hinder me when off throttle like before. Basically, it's definitely not worth it to increase the XDS intervention, and will probably make you slower.
 

richard_rsp

New member
Location
North Georgia
I think it's on medium by default, which is called normal. ... Basically, it's definitely not worth it to increase the XDS intervention, and will probably make you slower.

Thanks for the correction! I was looking into it, because I was interested in enabling it, as the TSI's appear to not have XDS enabled from the factory. I had read that too heavy on the XDS was not good.

Its just pretty mind blowing that the rules don't even allow you GTIs to turn it to "weak" without moving you up a few classes.

And yes, I know that regional autocross events are for fun, and that noone would know if I modified it, but there is a competition aspect to them (or at least for me!); so I want to be fair and stick to the rules and see how fast I am according to those rules.

I'll probably just try and turn it on for daily driving and turn it off for Autocross.
 
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