I have read several posts where someone puts their vette into a barrier or on a curb and most of the time they have traction or direction stability control off. I also read where you can turn off traction and leave direction stability control on. Any one willing to educate me about the difference and why would you turn either one off. Thanks

George

 

Hello Novicetoo from Chicago. To answer your question: those of us who take our cars to the track for a little quarter mile fun have the need to heat up tires a little before we make our runs. In order to do that, you need to shut off the traction control to get the burnouts we want. I put the car into competitive mod, which shuts down the traction control but keeps on the active handling. When I am running at the strip, if the rearend starts to get crazy on me, I like for the computer to do its job and keep the car straight. Most runs don't get the rear end going crazy but I have seen guys loose it and have all the systems turned off and those are the guys who go into guardrails etc. I like it when the stuff GM put in the car helps me out of a tough situation. Hope this helps.

RJ

 

First thing you need to do is check whether or not your 98 has active handling. It was option in the 98 model year. The RPO code is JL4. If you don't have it all you have is ABS and Traction Control. If you have it you will need to have the car standing still and then hold the AH/TC button down for 5 seconds or so to get the car to switch into Competitive Handling mode.

Bill

 

I have button on my counsol that turns the traction control off, I have taken a corner and hit some pine needles,the car did a qquick slip and the message came on the DIC active handling engaged, then that message went off. that has happened several times when I hit a slick spot on a turn. I would like to take traction control off but keep active handling engaged. I assume that the button and message ensure that I have both. Am I right??

Thanks

George

 

If i put the car in competative mode with the three position button next to the traction button, that will keep the active handling engaged and the traction control off.???? The three position says touring/sport/perf, I think that is the ride control for stiffness. Right.?

thanks

George

 

George, the three position button you are talking about is the Selective Real Time Damping option that gives you the three ride "feel" options that are identified on the button. This competitive mode is the ride feel and is not the competitive power mode that I explained in my earlier response. I think the other guy said your car was a 98 and I am not sure if the competitive mode that is turned on by holding down the Traction Control button for five seconds, was available in the 98MY. Only one way to check and that is to go out, hold the traction control button down for five seconds and see if the "Competitive Mode" comes up on the DIC. Try it with the car running but in park as I think that is how the earlier models worked. I can switch mine to this racing mode any time stopped or moving but my car is a 2002 and the system changed from the earlier C5 models. Let me know what you find out.

RJ

 

I just tried it and all i got on the DIC is the message "traction system on" or traction system off. so I guess the option is not on my 98. The car was originally sold in april 98 and I bought it from the orig owner a little ver a year ago with 37000 miles on it and it is very clean and runs lgreat. Do you know if one can retrofit active handling? would it be worth it if you could. Thanks a lot for your info.

George

 

George,
If you have seen the message Active Handling Engaged then you have active handling and competition mode. You cannot put the car into Competition Mode by using the 3 position selective ride control. All that switch does is adjust the shock aborbers for a softer/stiffer ride.

The traction control switch is the one that is used to put the car in Comp Mode. As I said above you have to push the switch for about 5 seconds before you will see Comp mode on the DIC. Here is the description from the Service Manual:
Traction Control/Active Handling System On/Off Switch
The Traction Control/Active Handling On/Off Switch is a momentary on switch that allows the driver to shut off the TCS and Active Handling (RPO JL4) if equipped, for personal or diagnostic reasons, by pressing and releasing the switch. If the vehicle is equipped with Active Handling, the TCS/Active Handling On/Off switch can be pressed and held for 5 seconds; this places the system in Competitive driving mode. Competitive driving mode turns the TCS off but still allows Active Handling to be active. The switch is located in the center console.

I have never had a C5 with the adjustable suspension so I can't say for certain but I believe the Traction/AH Switch is located to the left of the suspension control switch.

Bill

 

George, it is as we suspected, your car does not have the competition mode but you do have the traction control and ABS. The car cannot be upgraded to add the active handling as it is pretty complicated, with sensors on each wheel, additional computer etc. It is a great system and I am glad I have it on my 02. Sounds like you have a great car so go out and enjoy it. Without the active handling, you just need to be careful on curves, in the rain on those pine needles etc as you can loose that rear end pretty fast. On my first Vette, a 91 convertible, I had a bad experience and put the rear end into a curb and did about $1200 worth of damage. That car had nothing, no traction control or active handling as they were not available at that time. Technology has really done wonders for these cars and have made them much safer to drive, given the power they can put down. Hang in there and drive safely.

RJ