Donut problem, not the kind you eat

[TheMadMachinist]

I was just out in my complete stock 2013 GTS with 22,000 miles with my daughters husband it was his first ride in the car. So after hot footing it around a little we found ourselves in a flat open area and I had the bright idea to spin a few donuts. Being a 2013 I only have two mode traction and two mode stability control. I turned the traction to off and the stability to the second setting whatever that is and proceed to turn the wheel and get into the throttle. As expected the back end of the car snapped around but right from the get go I could tell something wasn't the same "yes I have done this before" and as soon as the car came around it seemed like the car was losing power. I throw in the clutch and then it just died. I know this isn't the smartest use of this car but you know as well as I do it's just too much fun every now and then to let it hang out there. So car dies and I restart it and thinking that the traction control was on and with the car just sitting idling I push the button on the wheel and nothing happens. It seems to be locked up. Turn the ignition of wait a few seconds then restart the car and I now have control with the button on the wheel. Push the button a few times to turn the traction and the stability completely off. The dash light up to confirm I then get the car moving slowly turn the wheel and hit the throttle. The car starts to snap around but I can tell I don't have full control of the throttle. This time the car doesn't completely die but it's not happy and although I have never experienced limp mode I would have to say that is how it felt. But just like the first time I am again locked out of any control of the traction or stability until I shut the car off and restart it. Not wanting to push it anymore we drove home and the car felt the same as it alway dose on the way there. No codes where thrown. I don't do this a lot but I have done it enough and in every combination of traction and stability modes to know something is a miss. Has anyone else had anything like this happen to them?

As much as I hate to it looks like I have a trip to the local dealer in my future.

[Voice of Reason]

When you turned traction control off did you hold the button for a few seconds so everything shows off? Or just cycle through until it said sport? I believe the only way to disable ALL nannies is to hold the traction control button for 5 or so seconds but I've honestly never done it. Anything less and the computer was probably freaking out at the donuts you were trying to do so it shut the car down trying to control it.

And small side note - as a GTS the only thing you're missing on a '13 is rain mode, otherwise you have everything the '14+ non base models have.

[ViperSmith]

I'd imagine it is the ECU trying to protect the car. If ECU was not completely off, then that is probably the case.

[ViperPete]

When I raced my car at the 1/2 mile event my very first run I ran it in "track mode" or "reduced mode" or whatever because it was 30 degrees out and didn't know what to expect from spinning tires...etc..

At mid 4th gear down at the end of the straight, the car went into limp mode and really freaked me out- I thought I blew my engine! Check engine light was flashing... the whole bit. Wouldn't rev past 3500 rpm no matter what.

I limped back to my spot, shut it down- counted to 20 and then turned it back on.

I made sure to shut off the traction control system completely.

The light was gone and the car ran normally for the next 9 runs. Ran great actually. 152.33 was my fastest time and I can shift the car like "driver mod" now :)

You want my advice? Shut off ALL the granny gadgets whenever you are wanting to do anything fun lol.