01 C5 Service Active Handling Soon - warning

A guy I work with had the same thing and when the light came on he drove it to the dealer and did not shut the car off. It was there two other times for the same problem and the dealer CND (could not duplicate) it. When he showed up again with the car running they found the steering sensor fault and it was an active fault (because the car was not shutdown since the fault was declared.) Not really sure why they didn't act on this code the previous times (even though the code was old.) The finally changed out the sensor.

It could be something as simple as a loose connection.

Check the codes stored >I had a "Service Active Handling Soon" DIC warning and it cleared itself

JG,

Thanks for sharing the other guy's experience. Changing the sensor is a big deal. they have to remove the entire steering column to get to the maybe suspect sensor. My dealer is willing to do it if the DIC warning comes on again. I worry about other things that might get screwed up while they are changing the sensor. Ask the guy you work with if they confirmed the bad sensor and did it FIX the problem?

aRKay

arkay at qsl.net

Both of these stories sound strange, if the light was on any length of time it will take a hard set and the dealer should be able to diagnose and deal with the problem if there is one. What was the code, or did you open the computer and check it while it was on?

The story is the way it happens, at least for me. Even if you leave the 'vette running and the guy who writes you up sees the lights, they'll turn it off while it waits for service and the mechanic won't find a problem. As was said in an earlier post, check all the connections. My loose connection was in the connector to the passenger door. Pat Goss mentioned the loose connection problem a few years ago on Motor Week (PBS).

Tip, '99 6spd coupe

I ran into this problem about a year ago. I would get that message about once a week. At about that same time my battery died, so I replaced it. I have not seen the "service active handling soon" message since then.

Dude

You didn't answer the question, maybe because I didn't ask it correctly. Did you open the computer and read the code while system (ignition) was on, (not the engine)? Next question is if you know how to open the computer? We all know how to identify a light, you need the code number. Personally I fail to see how a loose connection in the passengers door will trigger an active handling message but I'd never question public television.

Once again you need to kill the engine to display the DTC codes. To enter the onboard diagnostics, ignition on, engine off, press reset to acknowledge any warning messages present. Press options button and hold, and press the fuel button 4 times in 10 seconds. DTC system will enter automatic mode and then go to manual mode when complete.

Stay tuned and if you get it open I'll tell you how to close it or you can read your manual. The fuel, gages, trip options, E/M, and reset buttons allow you to navigate forward and back and remove codes from the DTC.

Yes, I have the list of codes and their function if you can retrieve it I give it to you.

Dad,

I failed to get the error codes before I went to the dealer. I was told they found a communications error that had something to do with a sensor in the steering column. They noted the condition and reset or cleared the error code and ask me to try it. It has been several days and I have not seen the problem again. It could be a bad connection as suggested but I don't recall the dealer saying anything about checking connections.

Interesting comment in that I carried the car in for two reasons. The primary reason was the Service Active Handling Soon message on the DIC and the second reason that I did not mention was the passenger window stopped working. The dealer fixed he passenger window by replacing the motor and just reset the communications error code associated with the DIC warning message. I did not think the two item were related but they did mention the window motor may have failed due to something with a wire. I really did not pay too much attention to why it failed. I just checked that is was working.

aRKay

Now it makes sense, thanks for the feedback. Your dealer had more to work with than you gave the group and it just didn't compute with what was described.

There has been a number of times that the SAH warning has come on in both the C5s and the C6. Owing to the probability that it is a very sensitive system I never paid to much attention to the light. Normally it goes off on the next restart and the code will reset itself after

50 restarts or sooner. The system in my C4 ('92) was a different story because when it came on it pretty much stayed on. It was up in the high 80K at the time and failed completely one morning on the way to work in the rain. Took me for an interesting ride on a 90 degree corner on wet pavement, my bad as much as anything. My dealer replaced the computer and relieved me of a few days pay and it never did that again.

On thing I'm blessed with is a dealer that has a service manager that listens and will also tell you when he thinks you're wrong. Either way he will deal with your problem and you're on your way.

Press the E/M button to shutdown the onboard DTC system. There is some interesting information in there and I have opened it while driving just to cut the monotony and see what's going on while on long trips.

WOW!!! the C4 Corvette's are so cool!!! i want one

I love mine, '94 6speed ragtop. The earlier ones did have issues that I wouldn't want to deal with, plus the styling cues were much better after say.... '93 or so. But the later C4's were/are very good sport vehicles.

And the way I have my C4 setup with bigger wheels/tires, slightly lowered, brakes detailed, Ripper Shifter w/the white classic Hurst knob against the black interior, ragtop body style and very clean top and bottom, I get many more compliments than my C5 Buddies do. But doing to a C5 what I have done to my C4, they would be a head turners also. :-)

Actually the styling was the same from 1991 on through 1996 except for the waste chutes in the lower front fender. You need to look at them from a different hole to see that though. Nothing wrong with a C4 except some of their owners are a bit sensitive about their----- I'm not going there...........

C4 is a destructive material that was used by the Army in the 50s and a designation for a transmission.

Hi Dad,

I didn't open anything - the car was under warrantee at the time. The problem was intermittant. It would appear and disappear, and practically every electronic system in the car - dash lights, every warning light on the dash, every warning on the DIC, fuel gauges, radio, etc. - was affected. Apparently it didn't leave a code for the mechanic to read, since they never were able to find a problem until they found the loose connector on the passenger door when the power window failed.

The C5 uses a commincation network. Screw that up with improper termination (bad connection) and you can get reflections on the network that can affect the data. (BTW, Motor Week also is on the "Speed" network.)

The problem was fixed four years ago, but thanks for the help. If I have a problem again, I know where to go now - thanks!

Tip

Nothing wrong with Pat Goss I catch him when I can. Also the service manual has quit a bit of reference to the loose connection diagnosis.

What kind of curtains do you have in yours?

Nope, plastique is more stable than C4, any C4.

PFFFFFFFFFFTTTT LOLOLOL BITE ME YA,....... YA,........ YOU........ ARRRGH

I've had several DIC messages that I've thought were bogus. Fuel cap message has popped up a couple of times since the first of the year without an obvious cause. Other recurring message was a tire pressure warning (I'm sensitive to that since I'm scrapping the runflats.) Each time the hand gauge reading was OK. However, both tire warnings came on during severe lateral wind gusting (with, no doubt some big sideforce signals or maybe some telemetry noise.) In all, four or five incorrect warnings in three months of driving. Data errors happen.

As long as the errors are in warning systems rather than in control systems I can live with them. I've had false warning signals most of my life. From cars, from airplanes and from women (stated in order of perceived severity).