Terrain control - what is it?

[Crispin]

Not exactly a LC related topic but has me wondering...

My neighbour said her daughter was stuck in the Disco 3. Seems the "Snow Control" was not working and she was stuck. (I jumped at the opportunity to go and tow her home! )

Now the Disco and RRs have the fancy terrain control systems and I believe the 150 also has it. How is that different from, say, the 120 which basically says "When the wheel is slipping, stop it slipping" which I believe is the foundation to forward momentum. How does it differ between sand, rocks etc. The amount of slip allowed before catching the wheel?

Has anyone driven one and purposely put it in the wrong setting just to see? Rocks vs snow

 

[Andrew Prince]

I think it's just the manufacturers taking advantage of the possibilities with all the electrickery in these vehicles. I.e. selecting snow might soften the gear changes to prevent wheelspin, mud might lock centre diff, another might switch off traction control. Basically it's just marketing b0llocks for a bunch of pre-set parameters for the various elec systems. I guess it's a starting point for the complete novice

Of course, it all works really well as your neightbour's daughter proves - the Disco would've been fine if snow control was working

 

[Chris]

Yep that's about it Andrew. Another way to pass control of your driving over to a computer. This raises more issues that they then have to have another computer to counteract.
You have to be careful jacking up wheels on these daft vehicles, because the sensors think the suspension is being challenged an the ARH control kicks in. I have heard tell that you can hack into the ECU and actually get it to cock a leg on command so that you can change a wheel without a jack!!

The Terrain Control also places restrictions on speed etc and alters ride height blah blah.

Just more stuff to go wrong. And it does. Clearly.

Chris

 

[Scott]

It also changes the throttle map / response to reduce sudden acceleration which could causing the wheels to lose grip.

Scott.

 

[chriscolleman]

I experienced these ride height gimmicks in my first car.
A citroen CX25 LWB stationwagon. The thing had 3 rows of seats and about 10 suspension settings even had ABS.

To change a wheel you simply placed it on level ground let all the air out of the wheel needing changing. Suspension to max setting, replace wheel with fairly airless new one.
Suspension to drive setting and air up.

Thing is in the longrun the suspension control gimmickery just had more and more quirks.
So you get tired of it and buy something else without all that wizzardry.
Was a great car to drive though, when it worked.

Just like the disco, its all right except for ................................ and then some more ....................

 

[Dave Docwra]

Terrain control - what is it? Just something else to go wrong on a Disco...