Strange Occurrence

[Tommytraffic]

I am dealing with a 2022 Tycan 4S that is alleged to have gone into a yaw with ABS activated and traction control functioning before impacting a cement light pole. Thankfully, no one in the car was injured. Seems a bit far-fetched for this vehicle to be able to yaw when traction control is activated. I think the investigating officer mis-interpreted the road surface marks he was seeing. I did not see the marks and have no pictures, so I can't verify it was a true yaw. Any one have any thoughts??

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[W1NGE]

I am dealing with a 2022 Tycan 4S that is alleged to have gone into a yaw with ABS activated and traction control functioning before impacting a cement light pole. Thankfully, no one in the car was injured. Seems a bit far-fetched for this vehicle to be able to yaw when traction control is activated. I think the investigating officer mis-interpreted the road surface marks he was seeing. I did not see the marks and have no pictures, so I can't verify it was a true yaw. Any one have any thoughts??

Seems unlikely. Perhaps the car has the optional rear axle steering (RAS) and the road markings displayed an odd pattern?

 

[WuffvonTrips]

I guess that with sufficient momentum and a sudden drastic loss of grip, neither ABS nor TC (nor auto emergency braking for that matter) are guaranteed to recover control in time to avoid an impact. What were the circumstances (e.g. directional and speed changes, and road state) leading up to the incident?
EDIT- additional thought- the sportier drive mode settings allow the car to get more wayward, particularly yaw, before TC intervenes.

 

[Rona]

January 2022 I phoned Porsche to tell them that something was wrong with the brakes - they sent a pick up affair to take it in for a check - They checked the brakes and said there was nothing wrong with them.
I’ve now received yet another recall and this time it’s pertaining to the brakes and describes exactly what I told them back in 2022.
I wonder if I’ve been driving around, all this time, with defective brakes ?

 

[Tommytraffic]

I guess that with sufficient momentum and a sudden drastic loss of grip, neither ABS nor TC (nor auto emergency braking for that matter) are guaranteed to recover control in time to avoid an impact. What were the circumstances (e.g. directional and speed changes, and road state) leading up to the incident?
EDIT- additional thought- the sportier drive mode settings allow the car to get more wayward, particularly yaw, before TC intervenes.

Great questions... I'm not sure what the drive mode was. The vehicle was totaled and sent off well before I became involved and I had no opportunity to examine it. This seems to me to be a simple acceleration either from a stop, or low speed from a roadway into a parking lot. Bituminous asphalt all the way around. Since I haven't seen any true pictures or recordings of the marks, I'm only guessing at what the officer saw and noted. He is not an experienced reconstructionist, so my guess is he is "supposing" he is seeing what isn't really there. My other suspicion is that this is simply a loss of control due to an inexperienced driver not being familiar with this vehicle's handling and acceleration characteristics, and not being able to react in time to the situation. Since this was a front-end impact and not a side impact, I feel very strongly that there was not an actual "yaw," especially since the ABS was activated during the movement also.

 

[Tommytraffic]

Seems unlikely. Perhaps the car has the optional rear axle steering (RAS) and the road markings displayed an odd pattern?

I agree about it being unlikely. I have the actual build sheet for this vehicle and there is no optional rear axle steering for this car. Great suggestion though, thank you.

 

[WuffvonTrips]

Great questions... I'm not sure what the drive mode was. The vehicle was totaled and sent off well before I became involved and I had no opportunity to examine it. This seems to me to be a simple acceleration either from a stop, or low speed from a roadway into a parking lot. Bituminous asphalt all the way around. Since I haven't seen any true pictures or recordings of the marks, I'm only guessing at what the officer saw and noted. He is not an experienced reconstructionist, so my guess is he is "supposing" he is seeing what isn't really there. My other suspicion is that this is simply a loss of control due to an inexperienced driver not being familiar with this vehicle's handling and acceleration characteristics, and not being able to react in time to the situation. Since this was a front-end impact and not a side impact, I feel very strongly that there was not an actual "yaw," especially since the ABS was activated during the movement also.

I'd have thought that any amount of yaw short of spinning on the spot is not incompatible with a frontal impact. What's the significance of the amount of yaw in this accident- are there potential legal or insurance implications? That would seem harsh if it was a simple loss of control turning sharply off the road, if the driver was inexperienced and unfamiliar with the car (especially if there were any sharp inclines or speed humps to unsettle it).

 

[Tommytraffic]

I'd have thought that any amount of yaw short of spinning on the spot is not incompatible with a frontal impact. What's the significance of the amount of yaw in this accident- are there potential legal or insurance implications? That would seem harsh if it was a simple loss of control turning sharply off the road, if the driver was inexperienced and unfamiliar with the car (especially if there were any sharp inclines or speed humps to unsettle it).

I agree totally with the incompatibility aspect. There is a legal issue being argued that I feel confidently I will be able to rebut. None of the vehicle's safety aspects and characteristics were taken into account during the officer's investigation.

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