Can someone explain to me what the Active Handling feature does? And if you turn it off, can you spin the tires easier?

Just curious. Haven't spun any tires since the sixties.

Thanks.

 

You're confusing Traction Control (TC) with Active Handling (AH) .....

Traction Control - reduces (does not eliminate) rear wheel spin. It is a function of the Electronic Brake Control Module. When TC senses the rear wheels are spinning a certain rate faster than the front wheels (it uses the four wheel speed sensors for this) it requests the engine computer (PCM - Powertrain Control Module) to reduce engine torque. TC can ratchet down torque to try and get the rear wheels to hook up. If reduced torque doesn't fix the problem TC can command the rear brakes to be applied to further control the wheelspin.

Active Handling - This is another function of the EBCM. This function can sense oversteer or understeer occuring when the car is turning. It applies an individual brake caliper to counteract the over or understeer condition.

An example ... if you are making a left turn and the car is understeering (tending to go straight instead of turning) then the AH will command the application of the front left brake to help "rotate" the car to the commanded steering angle.

 

Thanks BlackZ06

You answered my question.

 

it stops you from wrecking your vette

leave traction control on unless u are in a straight line at the track

 

Might find this link helpful.

http://www.idavette.net/hib/ah1.htm

 

You mean you turn yours on in the corners ?

 

mine is off unless its snow or rain that im driving in.

My question is what is the main difference between AH/TC off and comp. mode,

 

Comp. mode allows you to spin the tires, but if the car gets squirrly than active handling will come on and try to save you.

 

I play Spin the Bottle... Does that count?

 

The system can run in 3 modes ....

DEFAULT - this is what the car always starts in .... both AH and TC are ON.

OFF - If you press the AH/TC button once, it turns off both systems. You are driving a car with no electronic "assist" other than ABS. This mode is often selected by people who take their car to an HPDE at a road course so they can experience taking the car to the "edge of the envelope".

COMPETITION MODE - TC is OFF and AH is ON. This mode is often used by drag racers where they want to be able to control wheel spin with their right foot, but should the car suddenly "snap" loose and the rear end starts to come around and turn the car into the guard rails AH will help them control the car before they go off the track.

For street driving ... you're nuts to drive in anything but default mode. Driving as if you think you're Jimmy Johnson or John Force on the street is STUPID ... Chevy put these electronic aids on the car to help you stay safe .... and more important .... so you don't injure or kill other people on the street because you can't control a VERY powerful vehicle.

 

Nice post

 

If you feel you must turn off traction control, leave active handling on by holding down the button for several seconds on your 2001 until the DIC reads "competitive driving". Then you can spin the tires but still have active handling. When you turn the key off and restart, it will default to both active handling and traction control on again.

 

You'll say that until the day your car suddenly starts applying brakes unexpectedly while you're driving perfectly straight in the middle lane of a crowded freeway on a dry sunny day.
Only then will you realize not only the benefits this system can offer...but also the potential it has to steer you into the very thing you trust it's there to protect you from when there's "a glitch in the system".

First thing I do after starting the car is hit the button and shut it off. Every single time, no exceptions.
I don't do it to drive the car to it's limits, I do it to protect myself in even the most mundane of commutes. I trust my ability to control the car a LOT more than I will ever trust the integrity of the various sensors this system employs.

If the desire to be in control of your own car is all it takes to be considered nuts these days, so be it...Count me in as one of them.

 

Y2Kvert4me : Thanks, great response

I always used to drive with it on in default mode, but after i had active handling pull me off the road, i will no longer use it for general driving in good weather.

 

So, let me get this straight. And after reading Y2K's post, I remembered something that happened to me on the way home from the dealership the day I bought the car. I was driving along, pretty much in a straight line, about 65mph. Suddenly, for no reason I can figure, my car started pulling itself to the right. No, my foot wasn't touching the brake pedal. It hasn't done it since, but now that I read your post, I'm wondering if it was trying to correct for something that wasn't really there.

I grew up in the sixties. I had a 327 4-speed SS 64 Impala convertible that ran like a bat. No active handling and no traction control. But I knew that car like the back of my hand I knew what it could do. I felt like I was always in complete control. I have not driven my vette without the AH/TC engaged, and even though I've only had it for five months, I still fell like I don't really have the feel for the car yet. I just feel a lot more distanced from it than I was in my 64. Maybe it's all the safety systems that's pulling some of the feel of the road and the feel of the car away from the seat of my pants. I don't know. But the next time I drive it, I think I'm going to take it for a ride without any assistance from the systems and see how it feels.

So, let me make sure I understand what's been said here. It starts up in the default mode with all systems on. If I push it once, it leaves the AH on but takes the TC off. If I push it and hold until I get the DIC message "Competitive Driving Mode" that means I'm on my own. Is that correct?

Thanks.

 

No, if you push it once, you're on your own.

Competition mode turns off the TC, but leaves AH.


You need to get that bad boy to a track or autocross . I felt the same way...distanced...from my car until I really unleashed it in a controlled environment. Now the beast has been tamed.

 

Don't confuse normal alignment tracking issues and road surfaces for the AH system turning on. The AH system will indicate on the DIC that is is doing something, it won't do it in secret. It will be a pretty rare event for the average C5 driver.

If you are considering turning it off, you should really take a driving school, autox training or HPDE before you think you can drive a C5 better with AH off. See what it does and what it does not. Most experienced road race drivers suggest leaving AH on while first learning road racing, it will teach you how to be smooth by turning on when your not smooth and keep you somewhat safer. I’m at the point where I’m faster on the road race track with AH off, but on the street its on 99% of the time. I even have the more intrusive pre '01 system. Comp mode, sure, but off is kind of nuts unless there is an actual problem with the system or you are sure you are alone and can do something stupid. On the track you can anticipate events and rely on the skill of the other drives. On the street all bets are off, I don’t trust anyone on the street with my property and health. They will do any number of stupid things, and a first reaction may be enough to make the problem worse, AH is insurance that what you do will not make a situation worse. For the times you want to be stupid on the street, then sure, make sure you can do it safely (at least for others) and then turn it off.

As for the system failing, it will throw codes and indicate a problem before it becomes a problem, it will even shut itself off if an error is bad enough. It’s a very good system and it may save your life, health, or your Vette. I’m very skeptical of any potential for it to cause problems without warning, can it happen? maybe. But, I think you have a much better chance of winning the lottery than having a failure of the AH that would cause a problem without some warning. Unless of course you ignore a failing part...

I think AH is a great development, one of the things that make the Vette great. Does it work in all situations, of course not, but you have to have some skill to be better than it. And, make sure you do, not just think you do... Can it fail, maybe, but not likely and a LOT less likey than you may benifit from it in every day street driving.

 

I leave AH on all the time and have it all 3 of my vehicles; The Vette, an 03 All Wheel Drive (not 4 wheel) Tahoe, and a brand new Malibu. I agree there are potential system failures that could result in an erroneous application of AH. The Tahoe has one of those potential failures which shows up when Traction Control starts applying itself when pulling away from a stop on drive pavement with light throttle. The solution to that problem is getting the wheel speed sensors cleaned (they are not part of the hub on the Tahoe). Most cases that would cause the car to pull to one side of the other would involve an issue with the steering wheel position sensor.
Although, an extremely rare occurence any failure that results in an erroneous application of AH will not show up as a failure code as the system doesn't know it has failed. In those cases the driver will need to know how the system operates and be able to describe what happened accurately so a tech can figure out what is happening.

When I have intentionally played with and used the stability control part of AH on the Vette and the Tahoe I found there was no slight pull to the left or right there was a distinct impact to the vehicle that was like nothing you normally get. On the Vette in an understeer situation the inside rear brake was applied so hard it felt like the car was hit with a very large sledge hammer and the car definitely yawed in the direction I was pointing the steering wheel. Given the longer wheel base and extra 2000 lbs of the Tahoe the impact didn't feel as great but it was evident and I could definitely hear the ABS pump running and a single brake being applied. On turns where a front brake was energized I could feel the brake appliction through the steering wheel. It is a violent application of the brake and is not subtle at all as the wheel is brought to a stop and then released. If it happens you know what it is as there is no question.

By the way the Vette is the only one of the 3 with competition mode. With the Tahoe and the Malibu when you turn off TC you turn off all stability control features just like all the other cars on the market.


Bill

 

speed sensor could of been failing or loose on that tire

 

Great Link!!

Thanks