What Am I feeling?

I live in SoCal and there are a few twisty hilly roads that I take from time to time. I know the Passat is no sports car, but it does handle pretty well and is sometimes fun to drive with a little “spirited” attitude!

It occasionally happens when I am cresting a hill that has a slight turn. When the car starts going negative g it feels like it is slowing down for second or so. It does not affect the controllability of my car in any way. It just changes the negative g gut feeling when the slight deceleration occurs. What am I feeling?
I’m off the gas, I’m not downshifting, and I’m not applying the brakes. My TDI doesn’t engine brake like gassers I have driven in the past. The traction control light never flickers. Is the ABS doing something?[FONT=&quot][/FONT]

There is one corner in Kansas. It is a downhill decreasing radius right turn. It can be taken with enough speed to unload the suspension, get a 4 wheel drift (actually more of a tire chirp. Who am i kidding.), and trip the traction control light.

I don't notice the abs engage, but I'm more concerned with the potential for open range cattle.

I'm coasting over the crest through the turn and the tires do begin to protest as the weight unloads. It's a weird feeling. Almost like someone stabs the brakes. Never any lights though.

Our MK5 jetta had a similar feature (mk6 CJAA also had it), except it was a fuel cut off when cresting a hill (you'd only notice it if you were on the throttle), no one really understood why and was considered a feature.

The early-model Spitfires had the same feature.



The light feeling is NOT negative-g. Unless the belt held you in your seat while all the dirt and debris on the floor came up?

It IS a lightening of the positive-g, I get what you're saying.

What you’re feeling is the ESP (Electronic Stabilization Program). The car thinks you are on the edge of spinning (or losing control) so it it is engaging the brakes on certain wheels to regain control.