VSC Poll

[Highly ImPriused]

Since there has been some heated debate on this topic, I figured it might be a good idea to get an idea of how useful VSC is to Prius owners. I have heard comments that range from it being detrimental to the way people drive to others who say they'd never buy a new car without it. It seems to me that for the most part, people who have VSC like the idea of having it, but I hear very little about how often they believe it has actually prevented a major accident or anything like that. So please answer the above poll questions and feel free to provide any additional commentary or examples of how VSC has or hasn't worked for you.

My intention here is not to prove one way or the other that VSC is good or bad. It's just to get a feel for how useful other Prius drivers feel that is. Also I know that most safety experts and insurance groups think very highly of it. I'm looking for real world driving experiences here.

For the record, I just purchased a new 2007 Package 1 that does not have VSC. I would have upgraded to the Package 2 to get VSC for a few hundred more, but that package isn't available in my area. Going up to Package 3 was about $2,500 more and included a bunch of other stuff that I didn't need. So for me, I chose to forgo VSC at that cost knowing that I have driven other similar size vehicles through all kinds of inclement weather here in Western NY over the past 15 years. I have never had a significant accident and am fairly adept at getting a car to "slide" the way I need it to if it comes to that, which isn't very often; particularly with ABS. Anyway, feel free to praise, enlighten, or ridicule me, whatever the case may be. I can take it.

Happy driving!

Edit: Hmmm, it seems that this forum won't let you select one of the no answers to the first question and then not answer the other questions. And I don't see a way to go back and edit the other questions to add an n/a option. Any suggestions? I guess for now the best solution is for those who don't have VSC not to answer the questions. Hopefully it can be rectified.

[paulccullen]

Although the increased steering control while in a skid could be a life-saver, I find it annoying that VSC kicks in when making a turn from a stopped position (like turning left at an intersection) when the road is even slightly damp. Power to the wheels simply stops for a second until the wheels can grip again. This is actually *dangerous* (especially if a semi is bearing down on you).

You'd think the Prius computer would be smart enough to disengage VSC when you're accelerating...

[Ichabod]

The only time I've noticed it kicking in is in snow/ice. I don't feel like it saved my car or my life, but driving in the same conditions in a Camry w/ just ABS, and no VSC I could feel more slipping and less control.

I drive very conservatively in the snow though, and I'm used to the amount of slipping that I feel in the Camry. I actually wonder if VSC might give me false confidence in my Prius's ability to handle in those conditions! I'll still drive carefully though

[efusco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(paulccullen @ Apr 5 2007, 10:19 AM) [snapback]418186[/snapback]</div>

Although the increased steering control while in a skid could be a life-saver, I find it annoying that VSC kicks in when making a turn from a stopped position (like turning left at an intersection) when the road is even slightly damp. Power to the wheels simply stops for a second until the wheels can grip again. This is actually *dangerous* (especially if a semi is bearing down on you).

You'd think the Prius computer would be smart enough to disengage VSC when you're accelerating...
[/b]

That is traction control, not VSC...they have different purposes though some common electronics. Please distinguish b/w the two.

VSC will give you 3 rapid beeps and a display on the dash and should occur only when making a hard turn and a skid is induced or is about to be induced.

[formerVWdriver]

Thanks for the warning! I think I have VSC (is that vehicle stability control) and I wanted it because who wants vehicle instability? I have no idea what it does, how it works or if I need it. I was swept away by the name. Yes, yes, I want to live!

But I did not know that it sounded beeps and alarms! Thanks for the warning! As if it isn't bad enough to be about to skid or getting in a bad situation, to have alarms go off! That would scare my pants off and make me wreck.

My old Passat (RIP, you sorry but beautiful piece of junk) had a warning bell that would sound when it got below 40 degrees. Ice danger or something. Here in S.C. it frequently gets below 40 and we don't die or even get icy roads, so it was a terror-inducing warning more likely to cause an accident than prevent one. Everyone in the car would freeze and say, "What was that?" I'd feel like I needed to pull over to the side of the road. Why is my car sounding this ominous bell? What's the matter now?

Oh. It's 39 degrees. Just shut up, okay?

I want the VSC to work and not tell me about it until it's all over with! I don't want bells, alarms, whistles or anything unless I need to immediately evacuate the car.

[mywhitenoise]

I still think it's stupid to say it's the best safety feature since the seatbelt, or even an airbag.

[galaxee]

our prius doesn't have vsc. i still feel perfectly safe and have avoided a few accidents on my own. maybe it would be nice but i don't feel it's a deal breaker.

[iaowings]

I hate vsc and stuff like that. I don’t mind traction control but still hate it. in my Mini I had all the sport options and that gave you the ability to turn all that stuff off. I thought what the heck just leave it on because it is supposed to be safe and I never had a car with anything like that before. well an accident happened right in front of me I had to make some very harsh maneuvers to avoid the accident. I was doing fine until the traction control and dsc minis version of vsc kicked in and I almost crashed. I wasn’t prepared for that. It was like I wanted to do one thing and the computer wanted to do something else. I got lucky on that one though but I turned off the dsc and never turned it back on. I went out to this raod called the dragon in Tennessee with some friend and never had a problem with the handling of the car it would slide a little here and there b ut since I didn’t have the dsc on I was in control.

On the flip side of that. My sister loves her car with the dsc/vsc equivalent and says it has saved her life. so it really depends on the person. I think it is not safe others think it the best thing ever. I just want the option to turn it off when I am driving.

[Schmika]

The 2nd question was missing "Whenever it is needed".

Are you suggesting that if VSC never comes on when you drive or it has not prevented a crash...it isn't worth having. Odd point of view? Do you have insurance?

[Drifter]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Apr 5 2007, 10:31 AM) [snapback]418195[/snapback]</div>

That is traction control, not VSC...they have different purposes though some common electronics. Please distinguish b/w the two.

VSC will give you 3 rapid beeps and a display on the dash and should occur only when making a hard turn and a skid is induced or is about to be induced.
[/b]

I'm not sure I agree with the last part of this. While most of the handful of times that VSC has kicked in for me have been after turns there was at least one time when it activated while I was going straight. This was in wet snow. I was probably braking, but I don't remember. Even at the low speed traffic was going I was glad to have a little extra help staying in my own lane.

I'm not sure asking how many times it has prevented an accident is a fair way to judge VSC. After all, I've never had airbags deploy, but I wouldnt want another car without them.