james21_h

So today i went a little bit crazy driving on the freeway. I was enjoying taking a 35 mile/hr onramp like a race track. The car was holding the line really well when my foot is on the gas pedal but once i realized i was going way too fast i let go the gas pedal and the car slid like i was driving on snow. Good thing was that it was a two lane onramp connecting to a 3 lane freeway. So my car slid to the outer lane with some pretty loud tire squeak. I was stunned for a second and then i hit the brake and then the gas to pull the car back on the inner lane. My wife was speechless in the passenger seat.... Yeah the ground is a bit wet but i think i need a new set of tires.. Those Michelins are definitely not doing the job. Have you guys ever experience this? Once you let go the gas the awd system and the anti-slipping system don't engage at all???? i was lucky that i didn't crash or hit anybody...

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

why you drive crazy with wife in the car?

Zutt

Sometimes the SHAWD badging provides an extra sense of confidence that should never be explored! Don't give the system an opportunity to show you where its capability threshold is.

wreak

Remember that the system only distributes torque under throttle so if you enter too fast and let off mid turn this can happen so make sure you get your entrance speed right and leave the wife at home next time.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Sounds to me like your car needs the driver improvement mod.

What you experienced is called understeer and is the natural tendency of large nose-heavy FWD/AWD sedans. The SH-AWD masks the understeer by over-driving the rear outside wheel to force the car to rotate, but can only do this when throttle is being applied. You were fine until you let go of the throttle. As soon as you released, the rear outside wheel stopped being over-driven and the car's actual handling tendency comes through.

New tires are not needed, just a better understanding of the limitations of your driving skills and the way that the car's systems work to improve handling. Spend some time exploring the car's limits in a safe environment and without the wife in the car and you'll be fine.

potmilkz

next time keep your foot on the gas pedal... and do it alone lol

nj2pa2nc

new tires are not needed-

SinCity-TL

What he said.

james21_h

Well, i have taken the corner pretty aggressive for many times but i guess i over did it this time and didn't slow down enough before entering the corner. Thats why i let go the gas to try to slow down the car before the turn ended. Yea.... Tried to show the wifey how good my car was but she was not impressed this time......... Lesson learnt

james21_h

And yes, i need to improve my driving skill.....

Dpak

I noticed slippage during the tight exit corners too but only when I let go of the gas. It helps to just feather the throttle lightly just to give it the grip it needs to pull through.

Teddybear

there's no torque to shift if you're off the gas (no SH).
also lifting off mid corner could cause the rear to break loose from the weight shifting.
the stock michelins don't help either lol

CerberusKy

iTrader: (1)

Don't get off the gas in the middle of a turn. This causes the weight to shift to the front tires and the back tires are more likely to break lose. Make sure your entry speed is good, and accelerate out of the turn. Practice somewhere safe.

JT4

...Or it was because the ground was wet, as you said in your original post.

AWD or not, if you drive carelessly it will catch up to you no matter the conditions... I'm glad this turned out well and no one was hurt.

probmxstyle

I know that is the popular opinion, but how come Honda states the following? Specifically, the second bullet point.

SH-AWD system torque regulation

Acceleration while cornering: Torque to the rear wheels is continuously varied to supply up to 100 percent to the outside wheel. This creates an inward yaw moment, significantly improving vehicle handling precision.

Deceleration (throttle closed) while cornering- Torque to the outside rear wheel is varied to change from an inward to an outward yaw moment, helping vehicle stability at all times.

Straight-line driving - Front-rear torque distribution is modulated for optimum performance. During rapid acceleration, torque is redistributed from the front wheels to the rear wheels. Conversely, during cruising, torque is concentrated in the front wheels. The result is additional driving stability.

d1sturb3d119

iTrader: (1)

^ Was just about to post that. Also the front diff is open and uses the brakes to vector torque. You got understeer so that's probably because you were going too fast. No AWD system can save you from physics.

http://www.honda.co.nz/technology/engine/sh-awd/

Samba

Take your car to some local autocross events. Low cost and risk to explore the limit of your car. You will have a lot of fun there.

james21_h

Thanks for posting this! I am positive that i read this before but keep hearing different opinions about how shawd works!

Samba

Video from Honda. Jump to 4'40". For some reasons, the offset time in the link does not work..

probmxstyle

So the conclusion is that the system works even during deceleration?

d1sturb3d119

iTrader: (1)

Yes. It is on their website as well. People have got to start reading what the website has with regard to these cars.

DefMunkie

Yes that's fine a dandy when your driving normal within the systems limits, however lifting off the throttle mid corner when in high speed will significantly shift the vehicles weight forward and will make the rear end want to transition out especially in a heavy car. Look up lift throttle oversteer. Regardless of what the cars system is doing there is limit. Hitting the brake will only exacerbate the situation even further.

The system only works well in those situations when you understand how to use it and some basic driving dynamic information. Thinking that AWD system will save you at high speed when you lift off the throttle suddenly is foolish.

I don't get how you can treat a public road as a race track with a heavy sedan, little to no high performance driving skills & your wife in the car.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

^hit it on the head.

lift off oversteer

Brock79

No one enters a turn under hard throttle, just watch a few races on TV, like nascar or any of the other types of racing. They always let off of the throttle going into a turn and throttle out of the turn.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

ALWAYS ALWAYS slow in, fast out.

DefMunkie

Not with our MIGHTY SH-AWD!!! The TL is on rails!! We can blast through any corner at speed in any condition!!!

Brock79

Yea, I don't think so. Ask the OP about those rails, even if he stayed on the gas he would most likely have been at speed that would have caused a loss of control or a meeting with the median. Otherwise his speed would have been good and there would have been no need for the brakes or lifting of the throttle

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

lol look at the smiles behind his statement. its sarcastic!

james21_h

I don't think it was that fast tho. 55 -60 the most! But the ground was wet.

james21_h

And i did slow down before entering the corner! I believe i was at 30 before entering the corner!!!!

Booya4139

shoulda gotta FWD

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

^lift off over steer applies to the FWD model as well

DefMunkie

A. That was my sarcastic comment of day see my post above the one you're quoting
B. In any AWD or Mid Engine car once you dive into the turn you are committed to the throttle. Sudden changes in acceleration or deceleration destabilize the car very quickly. Based on my understanding from the OP he was already Mid turn at speed with no problem. When he lifted off of the throttle mid turn is when things got interesting for him. Had he maintained the throttle (this includes slight modulation not slammed to the floor) through the apex he would have been fine.

probmxstyle

If you were replying to me, I am not the OP. I was just referencing Acura tech material. I was not the one driving crazy lol.

DefMunkie

Lol I know

It was a general reply to the Acura material you posted and this thread.

Sorry if it came off the wrong way

ucf_bronco

iTrader: (1)

It definitely takes some time to get the hang of the SH-AWD. I've lost my back end many times through corners but also had many "successful" turns.

As others have said, slow in and fast out on dry roads while staying on the throttle is the trick (oh yeah, and appropriate tires).

It can put a smile on your face or a pile of shit in your pants...all about the technique and proper conditions.

d1sturb3d119

iTrader: (1)

The gist is, if you want to drive fast you have to be steady. Abrupt throttle or braking will upset any car or motorcycle.

Watch from 6:30 for the gist.

If anyone is interested. Yes it applies to bikes but the physics don't change. The same rules apply to driving a car. In fact following the same rules and understanding how it works makes you a way faster and safer driver.


If you can drift a car by upsetting the chassis you can control a car just by knowing what it's limitations are.

Booya4139

He may have been able to avoid 'because racecar' syndrome with a FWD.