Traction control almost killed me!!!!!!!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 739
Likes: 1
From: Madison Ct.
That's precisely what it was doing. Braking. (and breaking?) That is how the car corrects itself in the event it detects a change in traction. It sounds like what happened is something went terribly wrong with the sensors which monitor your traction, so let's say your car pulled to the left hard, (you didn't say which):
ACTIVE HANDLING:
1.) the ECU was fed information from a faulty sensor that traction was lost. The sensors would be reporting a loss of traction with the rear swinging to the left. (car is in a clockwise spin)
2.) the system initiates the traction control "counter measure" IMMEDIATELY by reading the telemetry and determining the car needs to be corrected by "swinging" the rear back to the right. It accomplishes this by using your already forward momentum to it's advantage, simply by sending a signal to BRAKE the front LEFT wheel ONLY. This creates a "fulcrum" or pivot point at this tire, as forward momentum will now force a bias on the right side of the car.
3.) the system will do this until it achieves (close) to normal conditions. Effectively straightening out your car.
This is what I believe happened to you. The catch is, you never lost control. The car thought it did though and that's not good. I have never encountered this myself and this sort of scenario has always played out in my mind: "what would happen if the conditions were truly normal but the sensors went haywire?".
It's a freaky thought. I'm glad you are okay. Get it to a certified mechanic who knows this stuff well. Get it fixed ASAP.
I will surely be mindful myself from now on. I was under the impression that there was a whole lot more going on between accelerometers, gyros, speed, etc ... Meaning the system wouldn't have a knee jerk reaction because a single failure would contradict other read outs. This is how I understood it from GM themselves.
Glad you're safe. Good luck!
ACTIVE HANDLING:
1.) the ECU was fed information from a faulty sensor that traction was lost. The sensors would be reporting a loss of traction with the rear swinging to the left. (car is in a clockwise spin)
2.) the system initiates the traction control "counter measure" IMMEDIATELY by reading the telemetry and determining the car needs to be corrected by "swinging" the rear back to the right. It accomplishes this by using your already forward momentum to it's advantage, simply by sending a signal to BRAKE the front LEFT wheel ONLY. This creates a "fulcrum" or pivot point at this tire, as forward momentum will now force a bias on the right side of the car.
3.) the system will do this until it achieves (close) to normal conditions. Effectively straightening out your car.
This is what I believe happened to you. The catch is, you never lost control. The car thought it did though and that's not good. I have never encountered this myself and this sort of scenario has always played out in my mind: "what would happen if the conditions were truly normal but the sensors went haywire?".
It's a freaky thought. I'm glad you are okay. Get it to a certified mechanic who knows this stuff well. Get it fixed ASAP.
I will surely be mindful myself from now on. I was under the impression that there was a whole lot more going on between accelerometers, gyros, speed, etc ... Meaning the system wouldn't have a knee jerk reaction because a single failure would contradict other read outs. This is how I understood it from GM themselves.
Glad you're safe. Good luck!
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 100
Likes: 1
Glad to hear you are alright.
At first I liked the idea of active handling until I found out what happens when it acts up. If this were my car I would have it removed/tuned out/disconnected.
That sounds like a very dangerous situation. I'm glad I picked up a low optioned FRC
At first I liked the idea of active handling until I found out what happens when it acts up. If this were my car I would have it removed/tuned out/disconnected.
That sounds like a very dangerous situation. I'm glad I picked up a low optioned FRC
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,600
Likes: 2
From: Outer banks North Carolina
Glad to hear you are alright.
At first I liked the idea of active handling until I found out what happens when it acts up. If this were my car I would have it removed/tuned out/disconnected.
That sounds like a very dangerous situation. I'm glad I picked up a low optioned FRC
At first I liked the idea of active handling until I found out what happens when it acts up. If this were my car I would have it removed/tuned out/disconnected.
That sounds like a very dangerous situation. I'm glad I picked up a low optioned FRC
Dave
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,208
Likes: 6
From: Prince George VA
My traction control kicks in around 75 but I lose engine power. I have to turn it off on the highway. A friend of mine got a new C6 and his pulled him to the left and he ended up crashing into a telephone pole.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,199
Likes: 1,139
From: Santa Rosa Beach FL
C5 issue was passed on to C6
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1249213
go to post #35 & follow link
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1249213
go to post #35 & follow link
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Brett Foote
Pro
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 537
Likes: 2
From: Whitesboro Texas
I am assuming you had the code for the steering position sensor. I did not replace mine myself, because you have to pull out the steering column. The sensor is at the base of the column. That being said, I took mine to the dealer (just last month actually), and it was just over $400 for the part and labor.
Drifting
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,822
Likes: 2
From: San Clemente CA
Race Director
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 16,574
Likes: 13
From: Winfield IN
Active handling is a really nice, high-tech feature that we should be thrilled to have on our cars. I would advise against ever having it turned off. After all, C5's are 7+ year old cars, and all cars require repairs to keep things in working order. Just always have problems with active handling addressed and fixed immediately!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 739
Likes: 1
From: Madison Ct.
It's not the traction control, don't be mistaken! Just by turning your TC off doesn't mean your active handling isn't ready to activate if your vehicle detects spin!!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,858
Likes: 242
From: Hillsboro OR
It is not a TC issue. It is not an AH issue either. The AH is doing what it was intended to do. Unfortunately, the AH is acting on the bad information that the SWPS provided. I agree that the GM engineers should have designed a different algorythm to handle "bad" SWPS data.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,789
Likes: 8
From: Myrtle Beach SC
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
This is what I have gathered from various sections of the manual:
Summary
There are 3 modes
1) Traction Control Off, Active handling Off
2) Traction Control On, Active handling On
3) Competitive Driving = Traction Control Off, Active Handling On
Traction Control (TCS)
•This limits wheel spin by working the rear brakes and reducing engine power.
•TCS comes on automatically when you start the car.
•If it engages (i.e. if you start spinning the wheels and it kicks in to reduce spin), the DIC shows TRACTION SYS ACTIVE (momentarily)
•To toggle TCS on or off, press the Active Handling button on the center console briefly. This will also toggle the Active handling System in conjunction with TCS. The DIC will briefly display "TRAC/ACT HNDLG -ON" or "TRAC/ACT HNDLG -OFF".
•If it is OFF, then the skidding-corvette-rear-end light (TCS light on the instrument panel) is ON.
Active Handling System
•Active Handling helps maintain directional control by selectively applying any one of the vehicles brakes.
(The video has an interesting segment on this feature)
•Active Handling comes on automatically when you start the car.
•If it engages to regain vehicle control, the DIC says "ACTIVE HANDLING" (briefly).
•If you turn the Active Handling System Off, the traction control system will also be turned off. It is toggled on or off the same way the TCS system is toggled (see above)
•If it is OFF, then the skidding-corvette-rear-end light (TCS light on the instrument panel) is ON.
Competition Mode:
•Competitive Driving mode allows the driver to have full control of the rear wheels while the Active Handling system helps steer the vehicle by selective brake application.
•When on, the DIC displays "COMPETITIVE DRIVING"
•To turn on Competition Mode, press the Active Handling button on the center console for more than 5 seconds.
•To turn it off, press the button briefly. Does the active handling/traction control then turn ON?
The manual states that ABS remains on with the traction control and Active Handling Systems off. I assume this means it also remains on when in Competitive Driving mode?
Last edited by Redeasysport; Apr 4, 2011 at 01:54 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,191
Likes: 53
From: Tucson Arizona
C1222 RF Wheel Speed Sensor Input Signal is 0
C1226 LF Excessive Wheel Speed Variation
C1233 RF Wheel Speed Circuit Open or Shorted
C1234 LR Wheel Speed Circuit Open or Shorted
C1235 RR Wheel Speed Circuit Open or Shorted
C1248 DRP Disabled (dynamic rear proportioning)
C1278 TCS Temporarily Inhibited By PCM
C1283 Excessive Time to Center Steering
C1287 Steering Sensor Rate Malfunction
C1288 Steering Sensor Circuit Malfunction
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 473
Likes: 0
From: Jeffersonville Indiana
Several times with the A/H, I would be doing NOTHING that should cause it to kick on, and it would kick on under normal acceleration onto the highway. This happened on several occasions and I felt like I was in danger, as well as those around me because the car felt the need to randomly brake hard to one side at 70mph. These are the ONLY times I have ever been scared behind the wheel of my car. Truth is, I'm cheap, and I'm not going to pay to fix something I don't like anyway. So for me, turning it off has been best. As they say, to each their own.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 739
Likes: 1
From: Madison Ct.
I tend to disagree with this, for myself of course-not speaking for others. I know when to push my car, when not to, and I know my limits as far as my driving ability goes. Since I've had it turned off, which has been since August of last year, I've not had a single problem with traction (or lack thereof) and I have never been in a situation I would consider dangerous to myself or others. I am not easy on my 600+hp, when the situation permits-I like to enjoy the performance.
Several times with the A/H, I would be doing NOTHING that should cause it to kick on, and it would kick on under normal acceleration onto the highway. This happened on several occasions and I felt like I was in danger, as well as those around me because the car felt the need to randomly brake hard to one side at 70mph. These are the ONLY times I have ever been scared behind the wheel of my car. Truth is, I'm cheap, and I'm not going to pay to fix something I don't like anyway. So for me, turning it off has been best. As they say, to each their own.
Several times with the A/H, I would be doing NOTHING that should cause it to kick on, and it would kick on under normal acceleration onto the highway. This happened on several occasions and I felt like I was in danger, as well as those around me because the car felt the need to randomly brake hard to one side at 70mph. These are the ONLY times I have ever been scared behind the wheel of my car. Truth is, I'm cheap, and I'm not going to pay to fix something I don't like anyway. So for me, turning it off has been best. As they say, to each their own.