Active Spoilerlink
Last updated: October 20, 2023
Overviewlink
The active spoiler is an adjustable rear spoiler on the rear decklid/liftgate which houses the center high mount stop lamp (CHMSL). The active spoiler automatically calibrates itself during operation.
The active spoiler is controlled by the rear Body Control Module (BCM), which is mounted to the rear wall in the liftgate area.
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| Rear Body Controller |
The active spoiler is raised and lowered via a single center-mounted motor that is connected to two torque rods. The torque rods twist, allowing the hinge to move the stanchions up or down. The active spoiler is raised to present the CHMSL when necessary and lowered to hide the CHMSL (and provide a sleek look) when the vehicle is off.
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| 1. Active spoiler assembly 2. Stanchion (x2) 3. Hinge (x2) 4. Drain hose (x2) 5. Torque Rod (x2) 6. Motor |
The active spoiler assembly is comprised of the active spoiler applique, active spoiler, and the CHMSL.
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| 1. Active spoiler applique 2. Urethane 3. Active spoiler (stanchions shown) 4. CHMSL |
The active spoiler utilizes the Accessory (ACC) and Drive Rail statuses, vehicle lock status, vehicle gear, and customer settings to determine the height of the active spoiler. There are three different positions for the rear spoiler:
- Retracted: Lowest position
- The active spoiler is flush with the liftgate. There are adjustable bump stops on the rear glass to adjust the retracted position of the spoiler.
- Vision: Highest position
- Provides the most visibility out of the rear of the vehicle for the driver while the CHMSL is visible from the rear.
- Aero: Middle position
- Provides for increased aerodynamic efficiency.
Any time the ACC or Drive Rails are ON, the active spoiler will rise to the "Vision" position so that the CHMSL is visible to other drivers and pedestrians. Once the vehicle exceeds 10 mph, the active spoiler raises to the "Aero" position.
Note
The active spoiler remains in the "Retracted" position if the ACC Rail is OFF and the vehicle is locked.
Note
The active spoiler primarily operates automatically based on the vehicle state. However, the position can be manually changed under certain circumstances (e.g. cleaning) on a single drive cycle basis. The user can select which position to leave the spoiler in when the vehicle turns off. The active spoiler remains in this position until the vehicle is shifted out of Park.
| Gear | Speed (mph) | Spoiler Position |
|---|---|---|
| Park (Locked) | 0 | Retracted |
| Reverse | - | Vision |
| Drive | < 10 | Vision |
| Drive | > 10 | Aero |
Unit/System Specificationslink
There is a single center-mounted motor which is powered and monitored by the rear body controller.
| Stall current | 23 A |
|---|---|
| Operating range | Between 9.6V and 14.4V |
| Nominal operating voltage | 13.5V |
| Stall torque | Between 20-28 Nm |
| Target obstacle detection force | 200 N |
A relative quadrature encoder (integrated into the motor assembly) is read by the rear body controller to monitor the position of the active spoiler. The encoder uses approximately 1 pulse per motor revolution at approximately 350:1 reduction.
The rear body controller uses the current draw values and the built-in motor encoder to detect obstacles and for pinch detection. If the spoiler stops while presenting because of an obstacle it will retry three times.