After my first autocross, I commented on how incredible the brakes are in the Focus. After I accelerated down my first straight, I hit the brakes at what I thought was my usual brake point (pretty deep), and the car damn near stopped altogether. I kept moving my brake point later and later, trying to get used to their power. Even at my second event, a friend watching my runs from his work station commented that he thought I was overbraking and bleeding off too much speed. Well, I just found out what was going on.
When you spike the brakes, the electronics think you're in a panic stop and assist the brakes, going into full ABS braking even if you reduce pedal pressure. So this makes pedal modulation totally ineffective; you stay at max braking until you completely release the brakes. When I rode with another FoRS driver, he was barely braking at all; he never even tripped the ABS during his entire run. I did beat his time, mainly due to my experience, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to change my style rather radically to compensate for this behavior.
Unless... Do any of you wizards think that there might be an electronic way to disable Panic Mode while in Track mode?
I use to pull the ABS fuse on my GTI to keep the hyperactive system from coming one, just put the fuse back in at the end of the event.
That's the easiest option. Although it may be possible to drive through - you just have to let off the pedal a bit earlier. It would seem that you'd want max decel whenever you're braking unless you're using it to rotate the car.
Some cars (I'm thinking of the ND Miata, which is probably not alone) also use the ABS system as the speed input to the whole car. It has two ABS fuses. Pull one of them, the whole car freaks out including the push button start. Pull the other, only the ABS goes away. It might take some experimentation.
Another option could be to set the e-brake one notch and see if that disables the driver's aids. Worth a shot, since it has worked on other cars in the past.
I'm still figuring out heel/toe since the brakes are a bit touchy and the gas pedal feels a bit low. Only 88 miles though, so it might get better with use.
Any Ford engineers available to unofficially help?
I might send a private message to Kevan (engiekev); since he works in ECU programming, he might have some insight. My concern about pulling the ABS fuse is something Kevan told me in an earlier PM - that might also disable the rear drive unit. I'll have to try it and see.
I hate electronic nannies. Sorry I have nothing else to contribute.
I wonder if the key is how quickly you apply the brakes - could you try rolling in more progressively?
Easy fix: slow down less.
Easy for you to say!
Yes, it appears I'm going to have to brake more gently. That won't be easy to do after 30+ years of the same driving style.
jstein77 wrote:
I might send a private message to Kevan (engiekev); since he works in ECU programming, he might have some insight. My concern about pulling the ABS fuse is something Kevan told me in an earlier PM - that might also disable the rear drive unit. I'll have to try it and see.
I will agree to that- about the ABS and the AWD.
You could try using the massive braking to your advantage- it's likely to be tuned to turn at the same time. So you can left foot brake, sort of.
Engaging panic mode may not be a bad idea, performance-wise. In a simulator I have a Gumpert Apollo modified with LMP1 level technology, and that's kind of what I do with it when I'm driving with ABS enabled (like when competing with other top-level cars, normally I leave all nannies off to help improve my driving skills). I charge towards corner entry at "seeing Jesus" speed, and then stand on the brakes at the last second, letting off just before turn-in. It's very quick.
Only downside is that you may have trouble stabilizing the car before turn-in since your brakes don't release smoothly, on my sim-car they do.
I'm gonna add my support to the "learn to use it" camp. Instead of learning to start braking more gently, I'd be learning how to pop off the brakes more quickly, and figuring out how long it takes for the release to happen.
snailmont5oh wrote:
I'm gonna add my support to the "learn to use it" camp. Instead of learning to start braking more gently, I'd be learning how to pop off the brakes more quickly, and figuring out how long it takes for the release to happen.
That's pretty much how I did handle it at Sebring. I'm delaying my braking until very deep into the turn, but I'm still slowing too much for transitions. Unless one of the disabling ideas works, I'll just keep working on that.
Sebring:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/u6HgPJfsVHY
In reply to jstein77:
I seem to recall an SCCA bulletin clarifying that you aren't allowed to disable any of the standard electronics in SCCA Street. If that is still true, it would be another point in favor of "learn to use it".
It's an incredible world we live in when a performance street car's stock brakes scrub off speed too quickly. 
Let me see if I can find the company that makes the OBD-II port plug-in module for the BRZ.
It allows you disable TC, TMPS, and a few others, and customizable. Probably don't have anything for the FoRS, but if he sees demand he may look into the coding necessary.
Danny Shields wrote:
In reply to jstein77:
I seem to recall an SCCA bulletin clarifying that you aren't allowed to disable any of the standard electronics in SCCA Street. If that is still true, it would be another point in favor of "learn to use it".
I've always done right-foot braking, but this might be a time that left-foot braking could be a benefit. I could gently roll into the brakes while still on the throttle. Although that also might throw the electronics into a tizzy.
jstein77 wrote:
Danny Shields wrote:
In reply to jstein77:
I seem to recall an SCCA bulletin clarifying that you aren't allowed to disable any of the standard electronics in SCCA Street. If that is still true, it would be another point in favor of "learn to use it".
I've always done right-foot braking, but this might be a time that left-foot braking could be a benefit. I could gently roll into the brakes while still on the throttle. Although that also might throw the electronics into a tizzy.
I thought Terry Fair has already said Left Foot Braking disengages the RDU?
"Panic Mode". Isn't that what ABS is designed for ?
iceracer wrote:
"Panic Mode". Isn't that what ABS is designed for ?
ABS, yes, but this is more of a brake assist. It actually adds brake pressure to bring the vehicle to its maximum braking capability even if the pedal force being applied is less than max. That's why pedal modulation becomes ineffective.
iceracer wrote:
"Panic Mode". Isn't that what ABS is designed for ?
Mercedes-Benz found about 10-15 years ago that a lot of collisions were because people weren't applying the brakes very hard. They devised a way to help this: when the electronics detected an oh-E36 M3 braking event (probably a rapid off-throttle and brake pressure spike) the brakes would apply maximum braking possible.
This is why my gut feeling is, if you slow down your footwork a little, you could probably avoid panic mode. The electronics think you are trying to not hit traffic, instead of using Jesus as a braking marker.
z31maniac wrote:
I thought Terry Fair has already said Left Foot Braking disengages the RDU?
I think he was talking more about holding the brakes on while the throttle is open most of the way through a long-duration turn. My intent is to only smooth the transition between throttle and braking. I normally do a very fast transition from gas to brake with my right foot, and it was the sudden brake application that triggers the panic mode. I don't intend to apply both together, so I don't think I would be disabling the RDU.
I am actually surprised that for this specific car, so focused on the high performance that they would add such a feature and not have a way to easily disable it. Does the 911 GT3RS have an added brake for you system? GT-R?
I would try to drive around it. It may actually be better for your autox times. Smoother.
For my Evo 8 in relatively stock form, it is better for the car to transition smoothly to a braking posture for the suspension and differentials to work the magic of setting up the rear to rotate into the corner.
