Is Traction Control Safe?
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 3
From: East Hampton CT
On my 1997 my TC works flawlessly, even with ~410rwhp...but I haven't changed my gearing at all...possibly why it still works properly. I can imagine gearing causing an issue with TC if the ECU isn't properly recalibrated for it (just the speedo might not be enough!).
I have gotten in a few situations on purpose and the TC brings me back STRAIGHT every time...the only way it goes the other way is if I try to correct (steer into the slide).....
I have gotten in a few situations on purpose and the TC brings me back STRAIGHT every time...the only way it goes the other way is if I try to correct (steer into the slide).....
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 25
From: Tacoma WA
651 Sleater Kinney Rd Se, Lacey, WA
Use google Maps to checkout the space! On the West Side of the large building labeled South Sound Center. Normally theres NO cars there - the google map image shows a couple, but this place is usually empty! (Because it's behind the building)
Dan
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,071
Likes: 0
From: clackamas oregon
i try not to do spins with the TCS on. does not feel right, and feels as though its gonna break itself attempting to correct the wheel spin. mine is a 2000 cpe. the wet weather is the only time it kicks in, and not too often. maybe that is not a great yr for it??? i do not have active handleing. but when ya turn off that TCS. YEEEEHHAAAA!!!!! it can be fun. and very controllable
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 5
From: Forsyth Illinois
I have a 2000 Vert with AH and Traction control. When I first got her I took it out behind the local mall when there was a ice cover and just a light snow dust over it. I was able to feel what the AH and TC felt like at low speeds.
I like to drive in Competitive Mode, it seams I have the best feel and control of the car in that mode. I know that on ice the AH will behave different than on a dry road slide, but it did give me a feel of what to expect. Mark
I like to drive in Competitive Mode, it seams I have the best feel and control of the car in that mode. I know that on ice the AH will behave different than on a dry road slide, but it did give me a feel of what to expect. Mark
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,719
Likes: 1
From: Los Angeles Ca
On my 1997 my TC works flawlessly, even with ~410rwhp...but I haven't changed my gearing at all...possibly why it still works properly. I can imagine gearing causing an issue with TC if the ECU isn't properly recalibrated for it (just the speedo might not be enough!).
I have gotten in a few situations on purpose and the TC brings me back STRAIGHT every time...the only way it goes the other way is if I try to correct (steer into the slide).....
I have gotten in a few situations on purpose and the TC brings me back STRAIGHT every time...the only way it goes the other way is if I try to correct (steer into the slide).....
I would tend to agree, alot of people think they are turning into the slide when in fact they are turning into the curb. Just a thought.....
If your wheels are straight to begin with, then when the car starts to fishtail and you turn your wheels, they are not straight anymore. In fact they are pointing towards the curb, then when the back end of your car corrects itself now you are shooting towards said curb....meaning you have to then correct that by turning in the other direction,,,hhhmmmm I see a problem developing...im thinking that if the wheels were kept straight then the car would correct itself and not fishtail at all.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 25
From: Tacoma WA
But w/ TCS off i didn't spin out once, and i got into some pretty gnarley drifts!! LOL (Water + GY RunCraps = Driftoooooo!!!! LOL)
Dan
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 25
From: Tacoma WA
As stated its also a TC only car... no AH. 1997 folks.
Dan
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,340
Likes: 2
From: ZHills Florida
St. Jude Donor '08
My scare was - when exiting a roundabout I started to accelerate slightly on the straight. But the back end kicked out (amazingly easy to do w/ the 4.10 gears and GY RunCraps) which was no big deal - I just steered into it and woulda pulled through the oversteer. However, my Traction Control System activated and WAY Overreacted! Completely pulling the throttle sending the car whipping back the other direction! So I steered into that, which was an even steeper angle of over steer. (At this point I knew I was screwed...) and sure as rain the final backlash of TCS kicked in sending me into a complete 180 where I stopped about 1ft from the sidewalk facing the wrong direction... I turned around and drove off, thankful for a damage free incident...
It happened on a regular two lane road and my car never left the road as I swerved left then right, then the back end passed the front with the right wheels only leaving the road by a foot.
It happened so fast I don't know what the TC was doing at the time but what you describe is what happened to me exactly. I certainly don't feel the inputs I put into the car should have made it happen but I chalked it up to overeacting on my part. Now I'm not so sure.
Just so you know, I'm from Canada and learned to drive in snow. I could drive my Trans Am down the road sideways changing sides for miles but the Vette suprised me.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Which is why I want a more recent car, personally. I found the later years to be better software-tuned as others have mentioned. I definitely respect that it probably could come on sooner, softer in the earlier cars. Hence why I'm still holding out for the right car with the AH as well as the TCS....
Matt
Matt
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 25
From: Tacoma WA
This describes exactly what happened to me when I did a fast lane change to avoid getting t-boned by a car entering the road. My car got way out of shape and did a 180 just like you described.
It happened on a regular two lane road and my car never left the road as I swerved left then right, then the back end passed the front with the right wheels only leaving the road by a foot.
It happened so fast I don't know what the TC was doing at the time but what you describe is what happened to me exactly. I certainly don't feel the inputs I put into the car should have made it happen but I chalked it up to overeacting on my part. Now I'm not so sure.
Just so you know, I'm from Canada and learned to drive in snow. I could drive my Trans Am down the road sideways changing sides for miles but the Vette suprised me.
It happened on a regular two lane road and my car never left the road as I swerved left then right, then the back end passed the front with the right wheels only leaving the road by a foot.
It happened so fast I don't know what the TC was doing at the time but what you describe is what happened to me exactly. I certainly don't feel the inputs I put into the car should have made it happen but I chalked it up to overeacting on my part. Now I'm not so sure.
Just so you know, I'm from Canada and learned to drive in snow. I could drive my Trans Am down the road sideways changing sides for miles but the Vette suprised me.
See - This is actually my 2nd time spinning out. The first time i was cornering - on the throttle, and got into some oversteer, and when it kicked back around I chalked it up to 'cold tires, my over reation etc.' But when it happened again (the incident described in my 1st post - both spinouts about 8-10 months apart) I was confident I didn't cause the car to get that out of control. Thats when i started experimenting with the TCS on and Off in a parking lot!
And now that i think about it - the ONLY time i've spun out in an Autocross event was with TCS ON! But when it happened I just assumed that i was pushing it too hard because i was confident TCS would help me. But in retrospect, I may not have been pushing too hard at all, the TCS may have compounded a situation by overcorrecting for oversteer...
I'm not sure what others think about it - or how much if any experimenting folks have done. But from my experience I don't really like the TCS on my car... I leave it on... but I don't trust it for s**t...
Dan
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 16,376
Likes: 404
From: Should this thoughtful, valuable contribution meet with no acknowledgement or 'thanks' this post----
I think if you limited your question to 97s you could have eliminated 80% of the replies here. The mere fact that GM came out with a GEN II version indicates those of us who have 97s were the guinea pigs for an inadequate design. I believe there is a design flaw in the early systems. To answer your question, no, I do not think it is safe.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,094
Likes: 5
From: The 7th layer of hell - Western Washington
jbauch357,
Do you mean the Traction control system actually relies on data from the Real Time Dampening module to function correctly, and that it's actions may be out of whack because of my inactive RTD?
Or do you mean the corrective measures taken by Traction control don't have the intended effects because of inactive RTD (they get worse because the TCS assumed shocks were working)
Dan
Do you mean the Traction control system actually relies on data from the Real Time Dampening module to function correctly, and that it's actions may be out of whack because of my inactive RTD?
Or do you mean the corrective measures taken by Traction control don't have the intended effects because of inactive RTD (they get worse because the TCS assumed shocks were working)
Dan
You get a car that is used to being able to bob and weave back and fourth with shocks actively working to keep the tires on the road - then disable the brains in the shocks and see what happens. TCS kicks in, shocks don't react as planned and you are now backwards on Pac Ave...
Just a guess, like I said I want to see how the car handles with the new suspension. And how long have I been saying you are never going to hook up with power adders, gears and crappy stock run-flat tires...
