NHTSA complaint: 2012 CHEVROLET CORVETTE — ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
UPON BRAKING TO ENTER A TIGHT LEFT HAND TURN IN THE COUNTRY THE DIC DISPLAYED SEVERAL WARNING INDICATORS, ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL. THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LOCKED UP (CONFIRMED BY THE FLAT SPOT ON THE TIRE). I BEGAN MODULATING THE BRAKES THINKING THAT I HAD LOST ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, BUT THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE HAD LOCKED UP. THIS REDUCED THE BRAKING ABILITY OF THE CAR CAUSING ME TO GO OFF THE OUTSIDE OF A LEFT HAND TURN AND INTO A DITCH DAMAGING SOME COMPONENTS OF THE FRONT END. I WAS ABLE TO RETURN HOME SAFELY. THE CAR WAS PARKED UNTIL A MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT. A DIALECTIC GREASE WAS APPLIED TO THE CONNECTORS BETWEEN THE SYSTEM AND THE WHEELS AT ALL 4 CORNERS. THIS SEEMED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE AS EXPERIENCED ON THAT DAY. NOW, 5 MONTHS LATER ALL THE DASH LIGHTS INVOLVED IN THE ACTIVE HANDLING SYSTEM HAVE COME ON AGAIN. SERVICE ABS, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL AND SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING ALL CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME. THE CAR WILL NOW NEED TO RETURN TO THE SHOP FOR SOME MORE DIAGNOSING AND REPAIRS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. HAVING NO ACTIVE HANDLING, TRACTION CONTROL OR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DOES NOT MAKE A DAILY DRIVE UNSAFE. NOT UNTIL APPLYING BRAKES AND YOU FIND THE SYSTEM LOCKING UP ONE WHEEL CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL. IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION IT WOULD BE UNSAFE AS WELL OF COURSE. WE'VE COME SO FAR IN IMPROVING THE SAFETY OF OUR CARS IT'S A SHAME THAT THE SAME TECHNOLOGY THAT IMPROVES THE SAFETY OF OUR CARS CAN ALSO CAUSE A VEHICLE TO BECOME UNSAFE.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation