I don't see how the loss of TC can cause any accident at reasonable speeds, unless you are on ice. TC limits the ability to spin your tires thru throttle management and only engages if you start to lose traction. If no loss of traction, TC does not engage.

AH on the other hand uses individual wheel braking. Applying whichever wheel is needed to try to correct your apparent out of control vehicle. Now, if something goes amiss with the AH, an individual brake could possibly be applied, possibly causing a loss of control.

The ABS keeps the brakes from locking up. Failure of ABS will allow your brakes to easily lock up.

At least this is how I understand the workings of the system. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me.

Also Michele, please come in and explain, in detail, exactly what happened. This question has been asked several times, and for whatever reason, you refuse to answer. Please enlighten us.

 

I got it mixed up. You can delete your own replies, but not your own posts. You are correct 65GGvert, the moderator will delete a post upon request from the person who started it.

 

Ouch! This may not go well.

 

 

No, but there is one over the cupholders, I think.

 

I have a fair amount of experience investigating aviation accidents. Generally speaking, it is very rare for any accident to be a single cause accident. It is almost always a chain of events that leads to any accident.

NEVER jump to the instant conclusion that the driver is at fault until all systems malfunctions have been ruled out and all design flaws have been eliminated and environmental factors have been eliminated.

The extremely disrespectful manner in which some posters responded to this individual's questions was unacceptable and unprofessional.

Were one or more car systems at fault? Was the driver at fault? Were the road conditions at fault? Was it a mix of all these things combining into a Murphy's Law scenario. Frankly, I don't have enough information to make a constructive comment on any of these possibilities.

If one wished to respond to the OP, the only proper response would be to begin by asking clarifying questions as a few posters correctly attempted.

As a starter, the first question that might have been asked is, "What specifically caused you to believe the car systems may have malfunctioned?" Then maybe, "Provide us with even more specifics as to the chain of events that led to this accident and the road conditions and type of road and the type of tires and their condition."

 

I have had issues with the active handling engaging a brake causing the car to dart suddenly to one direction. Very important to keep your stuff aligned so the steering wheel is centered. I could see this potentially causing an accident given the right circumstances. What can you do though...just bad luck.

 

Why do people keep confusing Active Handling with Traction Control?

Two totally different systems that operate in two totally different ways.

 

Very VERY interesting recent comments.

I own a 2003 vert. About once or twice a driving season, my DIC will chime, stating something about Active Handling, and then quickly return to normal. It sets one or two codes. I never really gave it any serious thought, thinking it's a blurp like what can happen to my lap top computer.

Right now my C5 is under wraps with a disconnected battery assuming all DIC codes are cleared. Next year when it happens again, I will pursue this, not ignore it. I might even replace the Steering Position Sensor over the winter just to be proactive.

 

BINGO!

I've been wondering since the first page when someone was going to notice this.

Loss of Traction Control cannot "cause" an accident.

 

I think the general reaction to the OP's post is that immediately after the incident he jumped to the conclusion that it is GM's fault and the answer lies in litigation. People's reaction - mine included - is based on a disgust with the "not my fault" mentality that is rampant in America today. Somewhere along the way people have stopped accepting responsibility for their actions, the bad decisions they make and the results automatically become somebody else's fault.

The lack of personal resonsibility nowadays is appalling to those of us who have been on this earth for a while.

RANT OFF:

 

possibly...rally

 

B747VET, Very well said!

 

how can you get mad about people piling on when you didn't even make an attempt to describe what happened. Simply saying "traction control failure" is no different than saying "I wrecked because it was raining" or "I wrecked because it was snowing" . Nobody wrecks because it was raining.. nobody. You only wreck in the rain because you are not driving safely for the conditions it is NEVER the rain or the snows fault someone wrecks. If you had explained the scenario that caused the wreck and it was clearly due to a traction control malfunction and not driver error and people were then mean to you I would be defending you. BUT you did not even attempt to explain what happened. 99.99999% of accidents are due to driver error so how can you fault someone for thinking the accident was due to driver error... especially since your first reaction was "who can I sue for this"

 

I tried to point this out way back in my original reply. TC and AH are completely different, and the OP may not even have AH based on the year of the car. Granted I don't know everything about how TC works, but I really can't see the loss of TC causing an accident.

 

IT's not possible for losing traction control to cause an accident. If you have active handling and it failed then that could possibly cause an accident but traction control not working would not cause an accident.

 

Sorry, I just couldn't resist

 

Road conditions cannot be "at fault" in an accident. A driver going too fast for those conditions would be the one to receive the blame.

 

There should be for people over 50 only ones that act like they are 90.
Michele never posted any facts thats why he was grilled. Loosen up your white belt,pull up your bermuda shorts and black kneehigh socks. Loosen up a bit . I saw some of your other posts about younger owners, some of them are just as helpful as older members. Oh by the way Im 68 glad I dont act like an immature 54 year old

 

Very simply, traction control pulls (retards) timing when wheel slip/spin is detected thereby reducing power to the rear wheels.

They only way traction control disengagement could possibly cause an acident would be if the wheels were trying or starting to spin off the line or starting to loose traction - as in you were drifting around a corner and traction control had already pulled timing and reduced HP and you continued to drift.

In both instances, sudden disengagement of TC would cause a rapid rise in HP and the wheels would spin more easily.

Now who's fault would the resulting accident be?????