My club ran a higher-speed autoX today at the Englishtown road course (rather than our usual parking lot courses). I was very surprised to learn something new with my car after all of my autoX'ing as well as a track day.

I've read folks saying how our Stability Control is not fully disabled by pushing the VDC button, but I never believed it until now. Like I said, at a track day, I never once had it interfere, and I've had my share of 180 degree spinouts at the autoX. So I was quite surprised when, at one particular spot on the track, I had the SLIP light flash and the power cut out in the middle of 2nd gear during each run. Scared the hell out of me on the first run. I thought I finally broke the car. Then I looked down at the dash on the 2nd run when it happened and that's when I caught the SLIP light.

I don't know why it has waited all this time to surface or why it didn't like that one part of the track. Really wish there was a "fully disable" button. Ah well.

 

Was it the uphill-downhill right before the left turn to get on the straight away?

 

Were you there today?

It would depend on which direction you run and what part of the course you use. This part was a small bit of track that has a rough patch. It is a downhill that then turns sharply left into an uphill. (or vice versa if running the other way). It is located furthest away from the road to enter the park.

 

I know its a little rough between turn 8 n 9 and also between turns 3/4/5 where the car might feel a little jumpy but the turn I'm talking about is between 9 n 10.

I have ran that track a few times last year so I'm familiar with the turns and their conditions. Coming into turn 10 would make my car feel light and would make the brakes feel spongy when coming from the direction of turn 9.

 

Yes, that is it. We started at #4 and used a cutthrough to enter at #12. We ran a slalom between 12 and 11, then a short straightaway where I would go into 3rd gear briefly, then a tight chicane at #11 and into another slalom towards #10. About the center of turn 10 is the rough patch I spoke of, and going uphill from that towards 9 is where the car freaked out every time.

 

Yep same thing happened to me.
At the time I thought it was my brakes but they were strong for every other corner. I think between the unloading of the suspension and the application of the brake trying to line up correctly for that turn unsettles the car's computer in such a way that it activates VDC.

The only remedy I have gotten from others but this mainly for 1/4 mile events is to remove the brake light fuse. I have yet to tested and actually would rather not since we are racing bumper to bumper and rather instruct the driver behind me that we are entering a braking zone. Maybe If I get some solo time I will test it out and see what I find.

 

huh.
Well, thanks very much for replying and letting me know its not just my car. I'm just glad it doesn't happen at the regular autoX.