This is my first experience owning a vehicle with an electronic transmission and electronic parking brake. I posed some of these questions to my sales and service reps, but never got any answers (just speculation). So I'm hoping someone on this forum may have some insight.

In the event of a complete power outage while driving (i.e. battery power somehow becomes dead or disengaged)...

(1) Are there capacitors in the LC that retain power for emergency control?
(2) If the doors are locked, do they remain locked - preventing passengers from exiting?
(3) Will the steering wheel become locked (like when the engine is turned off), preventing steering control of the moving vehicle?
(4) I suspect the mechanical ability of the brakes will still function (without the assistance of the hydraulics). But does the "emergency" parking brake become inoperable, preventing any additional braking assistance?
(5) If one is able to get the vehicle to a controlled stop, does it remain in gear - since the electronic transmission will presumably be non-functional?

I understand the likelihood of this happening is slim, but I think we should all know the answers to these questions.

 

You worry too much. I’m more worried about being able to outrun a UFO in my LC when I’m driving on a deserted road.

 

I'm old, and a bit old-school. Yes, I have a certain amount of faith and confidence in the expert engineers in Takumi-Land, but I'd still feel a lot better if I had a mechanical parking brake and a mechanical transmission - to maintain control in an emergency situation. I even bought one of those life hammers for the first time ever because I was initially afraid of getting trapped in this thing! I've been stuck in a car with power locks and windows that failed before, but it had a manual release on the hatchback, so I could get out (without having to attempt to kick out a window). At least you have UFOs in your area to rescue you.

 

Pg. 101 of the manual kinda implies that the interior door handle will open the door whether there's power or not. I hope that is correct.

The C6 Corvette has electronic door locks that when there is a power loss, you use a special "pull" on the floor that will release the locks. There are cases of owners who didn't know about them climbing over the seats into the trunk and pulling the trunk release to get out.

 

there was even a case of a corvette owner dying in the car from heat stroke because he didn't know how to get out.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.2253934

 

mjeds,

I never heard that story but am not surprised. I got my '09 used and remember the dealer pointing out that door release "pull" to me when I picked it up. I also have a friend who had an '08 and he pointed it out to me as well.

Regarding the LC, those interior door handles are an absolutely GORGEOUS part of the interior design, and I hope their "mechanical nature" is independent of the locking mechanism so they would operate whether there's power or not.