My name is Roger and I just ran off the road...
01-08-2014, 12:43 PM
#1
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My name is Roger and I just ran off the road...
How's that for an introduction? 
I bought my 2001 C5 about a year and a half ago. Ever since I got it, the "service active handling" display would light up on the DIC. It drove and handled fine (not a super speeder) and google told me that was a common issue with the C5 that seemed to be caused by a loose connection under the steering column.
Anyway, I've ignored it. On my way to work this morning, I was stuck behind a garbage truck with one vehicle in front of me and several behind me. After a couple of stops, it was apparent that the guy in front of me wasn't going to pass the garbage truck. There was no oncoming traffic and we were all stopped.
So, I proceeded to pass both the guy in front of me and the garbage truck . I pull out and then the idiot in front of me decides to do the same. I turned to the left trying not to run off the road and accelerated some so the truck wouldn't hit me.
Then things went wrong. I think what happened was that the driver's side rear tire had gone off the road onto frozen grass and spun. As I was trying to correct it, the car did the opposite of what I wanted to do and I ended up doing a 180 in ditch.
Luckily, I didn't hit anything. It all happened so fast but I couldn't have been doing more than 15-20 MPH...if that. From a dead stop to a yard ornament 20 yards away....couldn't have been that fast.
It was pretty minor but not one person in that line of cars stopped to check on me. In fact, the garbage truck stopped at the next house about 100 ft away to pick up garbage and went about his day. The truck that caused me to run off the road left as well.
A cop just happened to be driving by and stopped. She didn't say it but I had a sense that she thought of me as a dangerous driver since I'm driving a red vette. Of course...I'm the jerk here. Tow truck came and pulled me out and I drove home.
Even with the active handling issue, the car has been fine and I have fairly new tires. This shouldn't have happened. At least I don't think it should have happened. How much of a factor do you think the cold weather was? It was around 26 F at the time. No ice from what I could see.
Anyhoo, I'm Roger and I'm also a corvette owner.
I bought my 2001 C5 about a year and a half ago. Ever since I got it, the "service active handling" display would light up on the DIC. It drove and handled fine (not a super speeder) and google told me that was a common issue with the C5 that seemed to be caused by a loose connection under the steering column.
Anyway, I've ignored it. On my way to work this morning, I was stuck behind a garbage truck with one vehicle in front of me and several behind me. After a couple of stops, it was apparent that the guy in front of me wasn't going to pass the garbage truck. There was no oncoming traffic and we were all stopped.
So, I proceeded to pass both the guy in front of me and the garbage truck . I pull out and then the idiot in front of me decides to do the same. I turned to the left trying not to run off the road and accelerated some so the truck wouldn't hit me.
Then things went wrong. I think what happened was that the driver's side rear tire had gone off the road onto frozen grass and spun. As I was trying to correct it, the car did the opposite of what I wanted to do and I ended up doing a 180 in ditch.
Luckily, I didn't hit anything. It all happened so fast but I couldn't have been doing more than 15-20 MPH...if that. From a dead stop to a yard ornament 20 yards away....couldn't have been that fast.
It was pretty minor but not one person in that line of cars stopped to check on me. In fact, the garbage truck stopped at the next house about 100 ft away to pick up garbage and went about his day. The truck that caused me to run off the road left as well.
A cop just happened to be driving by and stopped. She didn't say it but I had a sense that she thought of me as a dangerous driver since I'm driving a red vette. Of course...I'm the jerk here. Tow truck came and pulled me out and I drove home.
Even with the active handling issue, the car has been fine and I have fairly new tires. This shouldn't have happened. At least I don't think it should have happened. How much of a factor do you think the cold weather was? It was around 26 F at the time. No ice from what I could see.
Anyhoo, I'm Roger and I'm also a corvette owner.
01-08-2014, 12:48 PM
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01-08-2014, 02:21 PM
#3
26 degrees is slippery with summer tires whether there's ice or not. You're correct that it shouldn't have happened, but with all due respect, you need to understand the kind of machine that you're driving and be more gingerly with application of the throttle....
I'd also re-evaluate your choice in tires if you plan to continue driving in below-freezing temps.
I'd also re-evaluate your choice in tires if you plan to continue driving in below-freezing temps.
01-08-2014, 03:13 PM
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01-08-2014, 03:58 PM
#5
As they say: $#!+ Happens 
Congrats on the car btw, you'll love it. I've put down a lot of race laps before buying my Vette but have still been humbled by it a few times, they can snap pretty violently back and forth in an oversteer situation on the street with stock suspension. Until you're 100% comfortable, I would highly recommend getting the AH working and make Competitive Driving mode your home setting. (Hold the AH button for 10 seconds, you'll have to do it every time you get in) It's a pretty good system and has saved me from having a balled-up car a couple times....
Congrats on the car btw, you'll love it. I've put down a lot of race laps before buying my Vette but have still been humbled by it a few times, they can snap pretty violently back and forth in an oversteer situation on the street with stock suspension. Until you're 100% comfortable, I would highly recommend getting the AH working and make Competitive Driving mode your home setting. (Hold the AH button for 10 seconds, you'll have to do it every time you get in) It's a pretty good system and has saved me from having a balled-up car a couple times....
01-08-2014, 05:01 PM
#6
How's that for an introduction?
I bought my 2001 C5 about a year and a half ago. Ever since I got it, the "service active handling" display would light up on the DIC. It drove and handled fine (not a super speeder) and google told me that was a common issue with the C5 that seemed to be caused by a loose connection under the steering column.
Anyway, I've ignored it. On my way to work this morning, I was stuck behind a garbage truck with one vehicle in front of me and several behind me. After a couple of stops, it was apparent that the guy in front of me wasn't going to pass the garbage truck. There was no oncoming traffic and we were all stopped.
So, I proceeded to pass both the guy in front of me and the garbage truck . I pull out and then the idiot in front of me decides to do the same. I turned to the left trying not to run off the road and accelerated some so the truck wouldn't hit me.
Then things went wrong. I think what happened was that the driver's side rear tire had gone off the road onto frozen grass and spun. As I was trying to correct it, the car did the opposite of what I wanted to do and I ended up doing a 180 in ditch.
Luckily, I didn't hit anything. It all happened so fast but I couldn't have been doing more than 15-20 MPH...if that. From a dead stop to a yard ornament 20 yards away....couldn't have been that fast.
It was pretty minor but not one person in that line of cars stopped to check on me. In fact, the garbage truck stopped at the next house about 100 ft away to pick up garbage and went about his day. The truck that caused me to run off the road left as well.
A cop just happened to be driving by and stopped. She didn't say it but I had a sense that she thought of me as a dangerous driver since I'm driving a red vette. Of course...I'm the jerk here. Tow truck came and pulled me out and I drove home.
Even with the active handling issue, the car has been fine and I have fairly new tires. This shouldn't have happened. At least I don't think it should have happened. How much of a factor do you think the cold weather was? It was around 26 F at the time. No ice from what I could see.
Anyhoo, I'm Roger and I'm also a corvette owner.
I bought my 2001 C5 about a year and a half ago. Ever since I got it, the "service active handling" display would light up on the DIC. It drove and handled fine (not a super speeder) and google told me that was a common issue with the C5 that seemed to be caused by a loose connection under the steering column.
Anyway, I've ignored it. On my way to work this morning, I was stuck behind a garbage truck with one vehicle in front of me and several behind me. After a couple of stops, it was apparent that the guy in front of me wasn't going to pass the garbage truck. There was no oncoming traffic and we were all stopped.
So, I proceeded to pass both the guy in front of me and the garbage truck . I pull out and then the idiot in front of me decides to do the same. I turned to the left trying not to run off the road and accelerated some so the truck wouldn't hit me.
Then things went wrong. I think what happened was that the driver's side rear tire had gone off the road onto frozen grass and spun. As I was trying to correct it, the car did the opposite of what I wanted to do and I ended up doing a 180 in ditch.
Luckily, I didn't hit anything. It all happened so fast but I couldn't have been doing more than 15-20 MPH...if that. From a dead stop to a yard ornament 20 yards away....couldn't have been that fast.
It was pretty minor but not one person in that line of cars stopped to check on me. In fact, the garbage truck stopped at the next house about 100 ft away to pick up garbage and went about his day. The truck that caused me to run off the road left as well.
A cop just happened to be driving by and stopped. She didn't say it but I had a sense that she thought of me as a dangerous driver since I'm driving a red vette. Of course...I'm the jerk here. Tow truck came and pulled me out and I drove home.
Even with the active handling issue, the car has been fine and I have fairly new tires. This shouldn't have happened. At least I don't think it should have happened. How much of a factor do you think the cold weather was? It was around 26 F at the time. No ice from what I could see.
Anyhoo, I'm Roger and I'm also a corvette owner.
Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear about your incident. Glad you're OK!
William R.
Chevrolet Customer Care
01-08-2014, 06:40 PM
#8
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This C5 is my first sports car since I was 18'ish (over 3 decades ago). I had an RX-7 then. I know there's no comparison but since then I've only had trucks and suv's. My wife has a Mustang but that doesn't count either. So I've got some learning to do.
And, btw, even though I haven't posted anything until now, I've been referring to this site since I got the car. You guys helped me replace my headlight motors and alternator....you just didn't know it!
Thanks and this site rocks!
01-09-2014, 06:58 AM
#11
I'm glad you and the car are OK. Looks like you found a good one too. Welcome from snowy Indy!
01-13-2014, 02:39 AM
#16
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WELCOME TO THE FORUM Roger 
Had you discovered the CF a year+ earlier you would have discovered that issue which is not uncommon to C5. It's all part of the C5 TECH thread titled "Best thread ever..." located way on top.
Glad U made it out alive. It's unbelievable that GM escaped a recall as dangerous as those incidents are, through no fault of the drivers.
Might report it to NHTSA although it's way past prime time for any recall now.
Had you discovered the CF a year+ earlier you would have discovered that issue which is not uncommon to C5. It's all part of the C5 TECH thread titled "Best thread ever..." located way on top.
Glad U made it out alive. It's unbelievable that GM escaped a recall as dangerous as those incidents are, through no fault of the drivers.
Might report it to NHTSA although it's way past prime time for any recall now.
01-13-2014, 02:57 AM
#17
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http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1565196
Beyond this INTRO, be sure to check out C5 Discussion and of course Tech, two of your best buddies.
Z U there, here and there.
01-15-2014, 10:17 PM
#18
Melting Slicks
LOL Surprise! Surprise!
I remember a little after I got my 2009 in late 2011. Took it out at 34 degrees; dry and sunny but those tires don't stick to anything. I learned about rear wheel steering pretty quick. Still drove it on dry winter days but really gingerly.
Welcome and glad to hear the only thing hurt was your ego.
I remember a little after I got my 2009 in late 2011. Took it out at 34 degrees; dry and sunny but those tires don't stick to anything. I learned about rear wheel steering pretty quick. Still drove it on dry winter days but really gingerly.
Welcome and glad to hear the only thing hurt was your ego.