ASR cutting in, followed by a loud bang! Normal

[slipshot]

Chaps

When I'm in my manual GTi, and lets say it's on a damp road, uphill,a nd you pull away with some small amounts of enthusiasm, I can feel the traction control cutting in, but sometimes, its followed by a loud bang, or thunk from under the car. Almost as if the traction control is switching off, and the diff just reacted.

Not experienced this on other cars, and my description may not be great, but is this normal for your cars, and should I just be reacting to the ASR by backing off the gas?

Just keen to understand other experiences. Thanks

[Corey_R]

Are you talking about axle tramp? or the tyres bouncing and causing shuddering?

[slipshot]

It will be axle tramp. Certainly not the tyres bouncing or shuddering, which I am familiar with. Cause for concern or just me playing too hard?

[ozgti]

Axle tramp is part and parcel with most fwd cars. Just lay off the loud pedal when slippery!

[slipshot]

Thanks - never had it with my last car (Focus ST/XR5) which even when Bluefinned never got to that stage. I suspect it just seems to manifest itself more in the Golf than the Focus. Both blinding good cars - just one more raw, one more refined... thanks both.

[Corey_R]

Do you have Dunlop or Bridgestones on your car?

[AdamD]

In my experience you need to be pretty brutal to experience bad axle tramp. Does it sound / feel like the car is shaking from the vibration of wheelspin - so, as if the driven wheels are bouncing up and down on a vertical axis? Or is the bang more like a mechanical fault - suspension or drivetrain component loose or damaged?

Traction control won't cure axle tramp, it just cuts power moderately and momentarily if you're getting carried away. It also doesn't cure wheelspin if you're really on it, so backing off is no bad thing. But if you're used to a chipped XR5 then I'd be surprised if it's axle tramp if you didn't immediately identify it as such. If it continues or if you ever notice an issue without excessive wheelspin on take-off, I'd have your dealer take a look.

[slipshot]

Dunlop's on this. Not cheap ones either after a slice of glass slashed the sidewall after 4,000km. A new tyre including fitting and balancing was almost $580. I know it could be had cheaper but Dunlop had none in stock so I had to find a dealer with one in. What fun...

[slipshot]

In my experience you need to be pretty brutal to experience bad axle tramp. Does it sound / feel like the car is shaking from the vibration of wheelspin - so, as if the driven wheels are bouncing up and down on a vertical axis? Or is the bang more like a mechanical fault - suspension or drivetrain component loose or damaged?

Traction control won't cure axle tramp, it just cuts power moderately and momentarily if you're getting carried away. It also doesn't cure wheelspin if you're really on it, so backing off is no bad thing. But if you're used to a chipped XR5 then I'd be surprised if it's axle tramp if you didn't immediately identify it as such. If it continues or if you ever notice an issue without excessive wheelspin on take-off, I'd have your dealer take a look.

Thanks Adam. I'm not sure - will get the dealer to look but in many years of fwd cars I've not had this before. That said, it's rare that it happens but it has happened about 3-4 times in 8 months, yet never in other cars so... will see what the dealer says. Thanks for all the responses.

[mfl]

In wet weather conditions, when moving off from a standstill I have also experienced the loud thump, if I accelerate hard enough for the orange traction control light to come on.

this usually happens on greasy inner-city streets so it just feel like instant wheel spin (no noticeable axle tramp) before the traction-control cuts in with a very loud thump that is both felt and heard. there is no real vibration felt through the steering wheel or the other signs of axle tramp, once I see the orange I just back-off anyway.