S3 stepping out is doing my head in

[Irish]

Here's the scene...Heading for 80/90/100 mph, need to brake hard enough and although the car is clearly slowing, the back starts to step out so off goes the foot, let it clean up a little and back on with the brakes.

It's only the 2nd time it's done it but it was the same experience and circumstances the last time so it's fairly predictable.

I can't really find many negatives in my S3 but this is deffo one which is a little worrying... !

Anyone else had similar experiences?

 

[normski]

Here's the scene...Heading for 80/90/100 mph, need to brake hard enough and although the car is clearly slowing, the back starts to step out so off goes the foot, let it clean up a little and back on with the brakes.

It's only the 2nd time it's done it but it was the same experience and circumstances the last time so it's fairly predictable.

I can't really find many negatives in my S3 but this is deffo one which is a little worrying... !

Anyone else had similar experiences?

At that speed you should be able to hit the brakes as hard as you can and stop with out the **** trying to overtake you.

Be interested to see what other people who already have the S3 are finding in this situation.

 

[markwiggy]

No problems , under really hard braking the back end is a little skittish and moves around a bit, a little like the old RS2000 but I actually quite like that. Certainly no probs to the extent of yours.Does it happen when are you braking in a straight line ?

Mark

 

[Vertigo1]

Not an S3, but in my A3 I once had to literally stand on the brake pedal at 120mph when an artic pulled out ahead of me. There was no drama at all and no skittishness from the rear.

 

[newbiecrg]

Only happened to me once, was doing 125mpg on a wide sweeping motorway corner and had to brake hard... very controlable and probably due to mass transfer...

Apart from that I find my S3 very stable for the centre of gravity it has...

Pedro

 

[Gti Jazz Blue]

Perhaps you have an issue with your rear tyres ?

Over inflated or under treaded.

Paul

 

[TheWusMan]

Was ESP on or off, and what were the road conditions like, dry; damp or wet ?

Had you been doing some "spirited" driving before attempting this ? (ie stabs of hard acceleration and braking into corners at lower speeds)?

 

[AL_B]

My old 8L S3 used to do this slightly. Hard braking into a corner, backend would go light. It would give a slow, controllable wiggle from side to side.

Not driven the new one hard enough yet.

 

[normski]

...was doing 125mpg on a wide sweeping motorway corner...

Pedro

Can you repeat that after Caution....lol

 

[JamS3]

125 mpg in a S3!!!

Now thats fuel economy....

 

[S3DBW]

No problems here, my S3 is straight and stable when hard on the brakes from any speed. Compared to the brakes on the old 8L model (which were hopeless) the current car is in a different league

 

[JohnS3]

I've not noticed that happening. Do you drive with the ESP off?

 

[JamS3]

Is it not just because the brakes are that good and you are stamping on them hard?

Quite a few cars will do this if used aggressivly enough, my old 8L S3 did this when i changed the fronts to 4 pot brembos and stood on them.

Bet it won't happen when the brakes start wearing a bit!

 

[Irish]

Bone dry road, tyres have 8,000kms on them and no I wasn't driving very hard before it. I was approaching a corner but I hadn't moved the wheel much yet, I wanted to slow the car down a good bit before taking the bend!!

I've felt that 'wiggle' that Al B mentioned too.

ESP was on thank ****!

 

[gtijames]

Could be that your wheel geometry is out? Might be worth getting a laser alignment check done?

Settings from the factory aren't always that accurate

 

[stevec]

Did you guys not see the other post about the backend stepping out on the new S3? It's go something to do with the new version of ESP (v8.0, I believe) on the S3 which has anti-skid, which as a result makes the back twitchy to stop it overtaking the front...

...shame it does nothing to help the skid in your pants at the time though! LOL

I believe there is a problem with Audi not providing driving courses with its S and RS models, fancy just letting us all on the road in a sub 6 second monster and hoping nothing happens...

I learnt to drive with Haldex AWD 'on the road' and it was a bit of a learning curve if you have only ever drive FWD or RWD...

...a twitchy S model can't be good, without training, even if it is trying to stop one sort of skid or another!

 

[newbiecrg]

I had to adapt my driving to AWD as well, very noticiable the difference to FWD... So far I found it is a question of faith! lol!

In a FWD you have to lift the throtle, on my S3 before you reach a point where you have to lift, let the AWD do it's job! I love to do several laps on roundabouts, increasing speed and feel the rear wheels do its job...

Pedro

 

[Irish]

There's actually meant to be an Audi track day happening sometime this year in Ireland - I was promised a place on it when buying my S3.

Up until now I always had FWD cars but the S3 is the first where I would like to do a little bit of track stuff to learn a bit more about the car which I can't physically do on public roads.

 

[Spin140]

wish you lot would shut up about S3's!!! Think I'm going to have to order one, haven't wanted a car this much since the Gti, sod it! I'm off to the dealers at lunch time

 

[Prawn]

sod it! I'm off to the dealers at lunch time

you legend.....

 

[Spin140]

went to a couple of dealers today and didn't get very far as my time was limited and I got frustrated with all the sales crap being spouted as my usual contacts were either busy or not on site.

Had a look at phantom black S3 and Sprint blue and now face a new dilema of colour before I take the plunge. I love Black cars but on the S3 the details separating it from a normal S-Line are less noticeable, silver looks good in the brochure, would like to see one in Dolphin/Lava Grey.

I think its a lovely motor with a fairly high spec as standard but definetly requiring the odd extra, the only diappointment for me was created by it being parked next to a new TT, which is too small for me but ****** fantastic inside, the S3 although very cool was a little overwhelmed (interior wise) by the TT, but my minds set so as soon as a salesman can be bothered to call me back with a realistic PX I'll take the plunge.