Audi A3 Drive Select Steering Setting

[VWNCC]

Hello fellow A3 owners with drive select....what is your opinion on the steering setting?

I found that Dynamic is not really heavier than Auto...it feels to me that it is just more responsive and/or direct.....Auto seems sloppy...but I don't understand why people say Dynamic is heavier...

Is it just that Dynamic is heavier on the S3?

 

[rcnacura]

A better word is probably more resistance in dynamic. Comfort is pretty "light" and really numb. I can immediately feel the difference from comfort and dynamic and almost never use auto.

 

[JohnNW]

The S3 has the progressive steering which, according to the Audi blurb does this:

"enhances driving dynamics and ride comfort by regulating the steering according to the driving situation. With this technology, driving is significantly more agile under everyday conditions, while directional stability and precision are increased at high speeds and in demanding driving situations"

 

[mr gee]

in Auto, the wheel also feels like its locked on straight ahead on a motorway

 

[VWNCC]

A better word is probably more resistance in dynamic. Comfort is pretty "light" and really numb. I can immediately feel the difference from comfort and dynamic and almost never use auto.

For Dynamic vs. Comfort, yes, I agree, but for Dynamic vs. Auto, I don't seem to find Dynamic having noticeable more resistance. It just seems more responsive and more direct vs. Auto. Did I do something wrong with the VCDS settings?

 

[rcnacura]

The car is probably more on the dynamic setting in auto and why your feeling the heavier weight. I don't fully understand how auto works or what triggers it, but I don't feel that it's very "auto" in terms on figuring out what mode is best for driving on a highway or windy road.

 

[Jassyo06]

It doesn't which mode you use on the steering as you'll never feel the road anyways

 

[VWNCC]

The car is probably more on the dynamic setting in auto and why your feeling the heavier weight. I don't fully understand how auto works or what triggers it, but I don't feel that it's very "auto" in terms on figuring out what mode is best for driving on a highway or windy road.

Okay, I went to test a car with the same wheels and tires but with ADS equipped. I tried Dynamic vs. Auto and could definitely notice weight difference. That means my VCDS setting of dynamic steering completely failed.

 

[rcnacura]

So you have done drive select via vcd? I thought that was nearly impossible since you need software if the car was not equipped from factory. I've installed the retrofit kit which requires activation from Germany through the dealership.

With vcd you should be able to permanently select comfort or dynamic, but not auto.

 

[VWNCC]

So you have done drive select via vcd? I thought that was nearly impossible since you need software if the car was not equipped from factory. I've installed the retrofit kit which requires activation from Germany through the dealership.

With vcd you should be able to permanently select comfort or dynamic, but not auto.

I tried to permanently change it to dynamic previously. I only changed the characteristic curve to Dynamic (step 3 below). I thought it worked, but after test driving another car with the same engine, same wheels, and tires, but with ADS, I could tell I did not permanently change it. Looking at your instructions from the VCDS mods thread, I think I need to do tick Bit 7 to enable Driving Profile Selection active. I believe bit 0 is selected by default. Bit 1 and 2-3 are probably not needed.

What is Step 1 for?

With your instructions, you could change it to Dynamic permanently, correct? Even after shutting down and locking the car, nothing is reset back to Auto?

Thanks in advance.



Dynamic Steering:

1) central electronics, 31347 for code, long coding helper:
byte 15
bit 5
bit 7

2) Steering Electronics, long coding helper:
byte 0,
bit 0 select,
bit 1 select,
bit 2-3 (04 torque steer compensation (TSC) with learned valued active),
bit 7 driving profile selection active.

3) Steering Electronics: 19249
Adaptation,
Characteristic curve of steering assistance
Choose - comfort auto dynamic, default, driving profile selection button

 

[rcnacura]

I think step one was too maybe show the mmi screen, but it's blank. When set it will be permanent as mine was.

Maybe try recoding and seeing if that enables again?

 

[VWNCC]

I think step one was too maybe show the mmi screen, but it's blank. When set it will be permanent as mine was.

Maybe try recoding and seeing if that enables again?

Yeah, I will be enabling "Bit 7 Driving Profile Selection active" tomorrow. When I set the Characteristic Curve to Dynamic last time, I did NOT enable Bit 7. I think that's why I failed to set it permanently to Dynamic.

Do I need to show the MMI screen to permanently set it? I'd rather not do step 1 if I can get around it.

 

[rcnacura]

No, the mmi screen does nothing, in this instance.

 

[VWNCC]

No, the mmi screen does nothing, in this instance.

Thanks, that means I probably just need to enable Bit 7 and then I should be all set.

 

[VWNCC]

Update, so I enabled Bit 7 and kept the characteristics curve as Dynamic. I am not sure if it is placebo effect, but it does seem to be a bit heavier, but doesnt seem to be as big of a difference as the car that had ADS when switching between Dynamic and Auto. The car that had ADS also had the sport suspension. I am on the standard suspension.

Can the suspension affect the steering feel or have I once again failed to switch to Dynamic steering with VCDS?

 

[rcnacura]

So I think when activated by vcd, the weight is another section that many have not figured out (I think a missing code), as I too felt the same way. It was heavier, but now that I have ads on the car, it seems heavier with it than vcd.

I know there is another section for the weight, and djalix from, I think, another forum might have figured out the access code. Might want to play with that and see if you can increase weight feel.

 

[VWNCC]

So I think when activated by vcd, the weight is another section that many have not figured out (I think a missing code), as I too felt the same way. It was heavier, but now that I have ads on the car, it seems heavier with it than vcd.

I know there is another section for the weight, and djalix from, I think, another forum might have figured out the access code. Might want to play with that and see if you can increase weight feel.

Another update....so I tested it for longer (half an hour), there is clearly a big difference between now and before I enabled Bit 7. The behaviour is also very similar to what I observed yesterday in a car with ADS.

The weight of the steering wheel now at 40km/hr (presumably Dynamic) is roughly the same as the weight at 70km/hr at Auto. After turning, it also fights back to get back all the way to center.

I can now confirm that VCDS does work as long as Bit 7 is enabled and the curve is set to Dynamic.

 

[rcnacura]

Glad you were able to get it all sorted. That's exactly how I explained the dynamic, "wants to get back to center" when I originally made the change.

 

[VWNCC]

Glad you were able to get it all sorted. That's exactly how I explained the dynamic, "wants to get back to center" when I originally made the change.

Yea, thank you very much for posting the instructions.

It was your original post that made me question whether I got it set properly. Now that I have it properly set, the car is so much more lovely. I really like how it is heavier, more accurate, and wanting to go back to center.

 

[scoss]

For Dynamic vs. Comfort, yes, I agree, but for Dynamic vs. Auto, I don't seem to find Dynamic having noticeable more resistance. It just seems more responsive and more direct vs. Auto. Did I do something wrong with the VCDS settings?

I personally feel the difference is quite blatant between dynamic and auto when driving around town for example. The steering is always heavy regardless of speed. As my speed increases in auto the steering firms up. Does the steering firm up when in comfort mode when doing motorway speeds?

 

[Vertigo1]

Comfort for the steering. It may be light but it's actually the most communicative (although still not much).

Dynamic is a total con and just adds artificial weight which masks what little feedback there is. You just think it's better because it's heavier.

 

[Audi Bairn]

I drive a lot of back roads, many if them are fairly fast.
Dynamic steering is an absolute necessity for some of the bends.
When I change it to comfort, which is rarely, it feels like steering a ship.

 

[martinlop]

so, you mean you need (if no factory installed) to download a software (curve, mode, sw, polygon, etc) for the Servotronic speed-related steering assist (power steering) in the regular A3 8Vs in order to have the different modes? (comfort, dynamic, etc)

Does anyknow know if this is included in the ADS SW when you activate it via Official Service Workshop?

 

[VWNCC]

You need these 2 steps to set it to whatever mode you want, even without ADS.

1) Steering Electronics, 19249, long coding helper:

byte 0,
bit 0 select
bit 7 driving profile selection active.


2) Steering Electronics: 19249

Adaptation,
Characteristic curve of steering assistance
Choose - comfort auto dynamic, default, driving profile selection button

 

[VWNCC]

I personally feel the difference is quite blatant between dynamic and auto when driving around town for example. The steering is always heavy regardless of speed. As my speed increases in auto the steering firms up. Does the steering firm up when in comfort mode when doing motorway speeds?

Yes, after knowing how to set it properly, I can confirm that there is a very noticeable difference between dynamic and auto.