Last Friday I was heading up Taylor street (steep enough to have steps for a sidewalk--I'm guessing in the 25-30% neighborhood) just before California street in San Francisco and had to stop for a light just before the hilltop. When the light turned green and I worked the clutch/gas the car died and rolled back. I restarted the car and and it happened again. I turned off DSC and the tires would only spin as the car slid backwards. As drivers were honking and gesticulating, I had to drive backwards down a one-way street through Friday night traffic in a week old MCS with paper plates and only 410 miles on the O. Had the car behind me been your average-below-average driver and parked two feet off my rear bumper I'd be on the phone with my insurance company this morning.

So why couldn't this high performance vehicle not make it up the same hill that lesser quality cars were going up with relative ease?

Believe it or not, aside from this uphill incident, a chronic rattle in the headliner and a ticking sound coming from the supercharger when idling, I've been extremely happy with the car.

FYI...I have the Pirelli 17" runflats, DSC and LSD. And yes, I know how to drive a stick.

 

There was another thread about this same issue - not sure what the final outcome was. I'll try and find it. . .

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=40698

Should be this one.

 

I'm familiar with that thread but I think my problem is a different one. When I turned off DSC the car wouldn't die. But, the tires would spin while the car was sliding backwards.

 

Did you give it enough gas before releasing the clutch pedal?

 

Is there a RIGHT time for a car to "crap out"?

 

You've lost me...you're smokn the tires and it's sliding backwards Were you sitting on a patch of oil or something?

 

My driveway would have been a better/safer place. But yeah, I see your point.

 

Im confused... other than stalling the car at the light, was the engine running normally? How were the tires spinning as you slid backwards? You mean you had NO traction? Or was the clutch not grabbing and your revs were high?
I know those streets, but I cant imagine you not being able to drive them with a mini

 

I'm puzzled by the tires were spinning and going backward statement also..

 

Me too. If you were on a patch of oil, then your description sounds about right. With DSC on, it would detect the wheels spinning and cut power (which is why it is recommended to turn DSC off in the snow). With DSC off, the front tires would just spin without traction. Has it happened at any other steep hills?

 

Yes...tires were spinning, no traction and because the hill was really steep the car was sliding slowly backwards. Also, I didn't see oil on the road.