Hi everyone. Sorry to sound thick but I really don't understand the 4wd on a s3. I've just bought my 3rd one and in the recent snow the car seemed garbage compared to my last s3. Now how does the 4wd with this haldex actually work. ? It went for m.o.t the other day and all 4 wheels were off the floor and I rotated the front wheels and back wheels did not rotate. Is this correct coz when I had my evo 6 doing the same thing would turn all 4 wheels
2001 Audi s3 4wd system confusion
- Thread starter V234fdb
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It's not a true mechanical 4WD system as you would normally see it, the rear wheels are only active when the fronts are losing traction or a difference in wheel speed is sensed. Driven off the engine all wheels would engage, turned by hand they wouldn't. S3's spend 90% of the time as a FWD.
I'd suggest a VAG COM fault code check, probably a controller issue.
I'd suggest a VAG COM fault code check, probably a controller issue.
engine was off when i did it so that explains alot. is it true that if handbrake is clicked up 1 click and then you accelerate the rear wheels will not be active making temp front wheel drive
Wow, nice figure there.
Have a look through recent posts, others have asked the same question very recently
Yeah, as a safety feature it cuts it off.
It's probably about right though Jimbob wouldn't you say? How often do you think your S3 is in AWD mode?
Depends how your driving, if driving sensibly the haldex won't engage alot, but as soon as you start chucking it about I reckon it engages a fair bit. I think haldex system is great, you can have AWD without the constant power loss from the rear. It engages far to quickly for anyone to notice, a clever bit of kit in my eyes.
Why would it be interesting to see that? Everybody knows what the outcome would be. Interestingly though I have noticed that to a driver with full use of their brain that on a road no matter how slippy it is they are usually alright regardless of which wheel drive. I remember two years back when it snowed so bad we had over 2000 cars abandoned on the Basingstoke ring road, and as I snaked my way through and all of the cars in my 60 year old RWD Ford I noticed they were all expensive AWD cars, X5's, Range Rovers, XC90's and the like which were doubtlessly driven by the invincible school run mums who cannonball their way down the road because they are in a 4WD. There were obviously the masses of Audi's and Mercs driven by business men who were just throwing their cars to the side of the road as well, because jamming their throttle down wouldn't work.
A question for you, have you ever had your vehicle immobalized by the weather conditions and absolutely HAD to abandon your vehicle or get a tow out? Personally I agree that it IS useful and does give the driver a degree of safety, but I don't think it is the be all and end all. ESPECIALLY when we are talking about an electronically operated, non lockable 4WD.
But for the other 364 days of the year I'll stick with FWD thanks, and if it snows so badly that my car can't get to work then I'll leave it at home.
I see your point Hayes, and yes you don't have the constant power loss of permanant 4WD but you do have the weight gain, which IMO is a large factor.
Personally, given all of the other + points I do not think Haldex is a buying point for an S3.
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As an S3 owner that has driven on winters and summers in snow I can honestly say the FWD A3 on winters will win... I changed back to my normal tyres a week after the snow had cleared up last year and it snowed heavy overnight... I started off to work and essentially turned round and went back home after just driving around the block... the levels of grip are night and day different...
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I very much doubt it was a marketing point either.... the S3 was marketed as a Quattro and while purists while argue until the cows come home that its not a proper Quattro it is still AWD... I agree it isn't the most refined system in the world and in fact this very morning the **** end of my car was particularly lively navigating off roundabouts but I have had no issues when driving it hard at all and puts the power I have done with no trouble at all...
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