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by douche 3344 days ago
This is the most dangerous thing about stability control - if you've learned how to drive without it, your instincts are going to be all wrong when it tries to compensate for what it thinks is happening. It's the same problem with ABS brakes, which can be terrifying if it's a little icy and you're expecting them to lock up properly.

I also wonder what's going to happen when those sensors get a little screwed up and start to fail. Or when you put different tires on, or make any modifications to the suspension.

1 comments

It's the same problem with ABS brakes

I get your meaning, but any difference with ABS isn't going to put you in harm's way (except some really rare cases of deep snow, where the effect of your tires pushing the snow provides extra resistance). All you have to do with ABS is trust it, but even if you don't it'll work out fine.

But in this case, you've got your mind calibrated to how you know your car can accelerate, and the safety of the maneuver is contingent on the car living up to it. But the stability control makes the car say, "no, I'm not going to do it", leaving you hanging out there in danger.