[Moonatics]

Has anyone else experienced this? While driving my 2017 CRV EX-L AWD home in a snowstorm, the radar obstructed warning appeared, as it has multiple times. I was driving carefully and only about 15 mph when I began to spin. Once I started spinning, every safety control warning light lit up on the dash, and it felt as if the car engine had died. I was completely out of control. I called my husband, and he drove our Ridgeline 4WD over to where I waswith absolutely no problems. My 2010 Pilot Touring 4WD never had issues in snow, either. I do not think my lack of attention or overreliance on safety features caused my CRV to spin. Something went wrong. I have an appointment Monday morning to get things checked out. I'm considering switching cars after that very scary experience. I have seen many people reporting failures with the electronics on this generation, and there is a TSB as well.

It just seems to me the radar should function when a driver needs safety features the most. If I can't get help, I am considering a change of vehicle.

 

[Moonatics]

Okay, I did a search on this issue on here, which I should have done in the first place! Duh...

I printed out the Radar Obstruction TSB and will be taking it to the dealer as my car's VIN is listed under affected cars. I hope this is only a software update, and not a design flaw with the radar sensors. Losing control of a car is not a feeling I want to experience ever again.

 

[captainbeandip]

When you said you were "spinning" and "completely out of control", what exactly do you mean?

Were you just driving down the road at 15 mph when suddenly your car started doing doughnuts for no reason?

 

[sirwired]

If the radar shuts down, the AWD and ABS/traction control still work just as always. My guess is you don't have winter tires, hit a patch of ice, and your car did what every car does if you make too much in the way of control input when you hit ice. (Any one of too much gas/steering/brake will do the trick.)

The ABS and/or traction control light will start to blink if traction control kicks in, and the car will indeed automatically reduce engine power while it tries (apparently unsuccessfully) to get the car moving in the direction the wheel is pointing while you hear rapid thumping noises from the ABS pump.

 

[UMRdyldo]

If the radar shuts down, the AWD and ABS/traction control still work just as always. My guess is you don't have winter tires, hit a patch of ice, and your car did what every car does if you make too much in the way of control input when you hit ice. (Any one of too much gas/steering/brake will do the trick.)

The ABS and/or traction control light will start to blink if traction control kicks in, and the car will indeed automatically reduce engine power while it tries (apparently unsuccessfully) to get the car moving in the direction the wheel is pointing while you hear rapid thumping noises from the ABS pump.

Yeah I'm to the point where I thought the same thing. Unless the vehicle applied the gas or brake without her knowing, then this would be driver error.

 

[rd082298]

Did you have your cruise control on? If it was trying to accelerate on a patch of ice that can lead to a spin. During rain and snow I shut that system off.

 

[BBLee]

sounds like snow/rain started to pour hard thus the obstruction warning then her tires lost traction.... then panic ensued.... snow tires please

 

[Mike728]

sounds like snow/rain started to pour hard thus the obstruction warning then her tires lost traction.... then panic ensued.... snow tires please

I'll bet snow tires would have made no difference in her situation. Without further commentary, we can just speculate, though. I'm guessing "panic" played a role here, unless like was mentioned earlier, her cruise control was on.

I've lived in the Chicago area my whole life and have never felt the need for dedicated snow tires on an AWD/4WD vehicle. They may have come in handy on my IROC back in the '80's, but I doubt they would have made much difference.

 

[rocky]

Agreeing with others that there is no
Connection between radar obstruction and spin out. Apparently the laws of physics took over.

 

[CAJack42]

I've never tried it, but according to the owner's manual, you can't set cruise control below 25 mph.

 

[Genesis]

97.4% Driver error :kaboom

 

[JB in AZ]

I've never tried it, but according to the owner's manual, you can't set cruise control below 25 mph.

While you can't SET it to below 25 MPH, the ACC will slow and stop for a lead car that stops, and resume from a full stop.

 

[mrgoody]

Has anyone else experienced this? While driving my 2017 CRV EX-L AWD home in a snowstorm, the radar obstructed warning appeared, as it has multiple times. I was driving carefully and only about 15 mph when I began to spin. Once I started spinning, every safety control warning light lit up on the dash, and it felt as if the car engine had died. I was completely out of control. I called my husband, and he drove our Ridgeline 4WD over to where I waswith absolutely no problems. My 2010 Pilot Touring 4WD never had issues in snow, either. I do not think my lack of attention or overreliance on safety features caused my CRV to spin. Something went wrong. I have an appointment Monday morning to get things checked out. I'm considering switching cars after that very scary experience. I have seen many people reporting failures with the electronics on this generation, and there is a TSB as well.

It just seems to me the radar should function when a driver needs safety features the most. If I can't get help, I am considering a change of vehicle.

Totally different systems- Radar obstructed has nothing to do with traction- In your case looks like you are were not even using adaptive cruise. I believe you hit black ice or snow patch and traction control tried its best to control the car.
No amount of dealer checking will do any good for driver error. I would get a good set of winter tires and if you drive a lot in bad weather put some weight on the back wheels- which might help mitigate loss of control in some cases.

 

[BBLee]

I have not driven on heavy snow but my common sense tells me using ACC when weather is bad is not a good idea, most specially heavy or light snow.
I have seen test drive videos on YouTube of awd's with snow tires on ice surfaces (to test which snow tires are more reliable) anyone who can attest to this on real life scenarios ?

 

[rocky]

Sometimes threads appear that just aren't explainable except through user error.

Closing to avoid further embarrassment for the OP.