Cold tire reading
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2024
Posts: 204
Likes: 147
From: Phoenix AZ
2024 C8 of the Year Finalist - Modified
No, it does not. That is just information for the driver. The car will allow you to drive as recklessly as you (or your current traction control setting) want.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 11,445
Likes: 8,609
There is nothing that says that, that I have seen. Adjustment to power/torque are done in real time to control wheel spin and stability based on real time (essentially instantaneous) measurements of wheel spin, steering wheel and brake input, and car motion. So, if "cold" tires tend to slip that will be detected and controlled (to the extent allowed by physics).
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 35,045
Likes: 12,411
From: NE South Carolina
Just validated the other day! Was not my intent. Cold rainy day. Was driving in Weather Mode handled fine. Then lift a mini mall onto a 4-lane divided highway. Forgot to put it back in Weather Mode. Started in Touring. Accelerated onto the highway and *** end side out a bit. It was caught when I backed off the Throttle. My AWD E-Ray is great in the rain- in Weather Mode!
2nd Gear
Joined: Feb 2025
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
Does the ECU limit torque output when the tires are cool.
I was wondering the same thing. I just got my car supercharged. And recently noticed when my tires read cool it feels like it's pulling timing after shifting up to the next gear, and I didn't notice that when the tires were normal.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 11,445
Likes: 8,609
I searched the 2020 Service Manual for "tire temperature" and found nothing that said the car will change behavior because of a low or high tire temperature.
The car probably does change behavior until the engine and oil are up to temperature.
Also, there are features that are not described in the manual. There was a thread about someone doing sustained high speed driving (not to be confused with tracking) and was experiencing a loss in top speed. I think it was Harlan that got involved. Turned out he had a track fill (and should not have because he was not tracking) and because of the extra fluid, there was some temperature sensor in the transmission that was getting constantly sprayed with fluid (this is all from what Harlan told him) in sixth gear - this caused an "erroneous" over temp from that sensor which led to the slowdown, even though the average temperature of the fluid was just fine. He was advised to remove the track fill, and that resolved the issue. My point though, is that its an example of feature that slows the car thats not really explained in the manual. As far as I know, there was no DTC set and no indication of overtemp. So it was sort of a hidden feature.
The car probably does change behavior until the engine and oil are up to temperature.
Also, there are features that are not described in the manual. There was a thread about someone doing sustained high speed driving (not to be confused with tracking) and was experiencing a loss in top speed. I think it was Harlan that got involved. Turned out he had a track fill (and should not have because he was not tracking) and because of the extra fluid, there was some temperature sensor in the transmission that was getting constantly sprayed with fluid (this is all from what Harlan told him) in sixth gear - this caused an "erroneous" over temp from that sensor which led to the slowdown, even though the average temperature of the fluid was just fine. He was advised to remove the track fill, and that resolved the issue. My point though, is that its an example of feature that slows the car thats not really explained in the manual. As far as I know, there was no DTC set and no indication of overtemp. So it was sort of a hidden feature.
Last edited by Andybump; Feb 8, 2025 at 09:07 PM.
Sr.Random input generator
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,811
Likes: 2,236
From: Sammamish, WA
If I recall, it was mentioned at thetime of C7's introduction that e-diff behavior changes per tire temp info. When it's cold, I presume it would lock more than usual, adding to understeer while increasing safety of the car's driving dynamics. Not sure if it does, but I'd not be surprised at all.
Last edited by X25; Feb 9, 2025 at 12:18 PM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 11,445
Likes: 8,609
I do not know if the car uses tire temperature directly to adjust powertrain parameters, as there is nothing about that in the Owner's Manual or the 2020 Service Manual.
But we do know this. Regardless of tire temperature, tire traction is still affected by road surface conditions. And we know that the car has Electronic Stability Control, and Traction Control System. There are sensors in the car that detect and prevent, as much as possible, loss of control (skids, slides, etc.) and wheel spin. It works so quickly that driver may never sense the slide or wheel spin, but instead just detects a slight reduction in power or maybe a "course correction". My point is that if the cold tires tend to slip more, the car will detect and correct for it even if it does not directly use tire temperature and the driver will feel these corrections. My guess is that surface conditions can affect tire traction as much or more than tire temperature.
But we do know this. Regardless of tire temperature, tire traction is still affected by road surface conditions. And we know that the car has Electronic Stability Control, and Traction Control System. There are sensors in the car that detect and prevent, as much as possible, loss of control (skids, slides, etc.) and wheel spin. It works so quickly that driver may never sense the slide or wheel spin, but instead just detects a slight reduction in power or maybe a "course correction". My point is that if the cold tires tend to slip more, the car will detect and correct for it even if it does not directly use tire temperature and the driver will feel these corrections. My guess is that surface conditions can affect tire traction as much or more than tire temperature.
