The Chevrolet Corvette C5’s onboard diagnostic system was programmed to detect engine knock so sensitively that it would retard ignition timing milliseconds after knock began, yet this same sensitivity occasionally false-triggered on poor-quality gasoline, causing the engine to run so conservatively that it would produce less power than advertised—a problem so subtle that owners thought their cars were simply underpowered rather than realizing the computer was deliberately neutering performance to protect against phantom knock events that weren’t actually occurring.
Car Fact #87 — September 11, 2026
