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- Symptoms Without Summary
- Car Leaking Coolant
- AC Isn't Cooling
- AC Blowing Hot Air
- Shaking While Driving
- Overheating AC
- AC Smells Like Vinegar
- Heater Not Working
- Windshield Wipers Don't Work
- Car Leaking Water
- Car Leaking Red Fluid
- Car Battery Leaking
- AC Only Work Sometimes
- Shaking While Idle
- Shaking At High Speeds
- Evap System Leak
- Shaking While Braking At High Speeds
- Shaking When Stopped
- Shaking When Accelerating
- Radiator Leaking
- Pink Fluid Leaking
- Car Leaking Oil
- AC Not Working.
- Car Leaking Gas
- Power Steering Fluid Leak
- Bad Brake Caliper
Hey, Why Are My Car's ABS And Traction Control Lights On
If you are short on time and want to fast-track the process to professional help, click Yes
Are your ABS and Traction control lights on?
The ABS and traction control lights are likely on due to driving on slippery terrain, indicating a "mode" the car activated. However, damaged brake and steering system sensors could send incorrect signals, causing the light to stay on continuously. Another possibility is problems with traction or brakes, such as low brake fluid.
Don't ignore those flashing ABS and traction control warning lights on your car's dashboard. They indicate that something is wrong with your vehicle's braking system, requiring immediate attention. The sooner you take action, the better, as the damage could become more severe, leading to costly repairs.
Keep an eye out for any unusual behavior in your car. Read our informative articles to gain the knowledge you need to communicate productively with your mechanic. Together, you can advocate for your vehicle to run at its best.
Let's Get To The Bottom Of It!
- A sensor in the brake pedal captures motion, informing the computer whenever the driver presses t...read more
A sensor in the brake pedal captures motion, informing the computer whenever the driver presses the brakes. This sensor also reads movement intensity, differentiating sudden emergency stops from regular ones. Additionally, this system comprises a backup sensor that compares readings with the original one, ensuring that they agree.
So, if a sensor fails, the backup takes over, preventing the brakes from dying. However, if both fail, your brakes might lock up. Plus, if the backup sensor doesn't agree with the original, a slight braking pressure might incorrectly be read as an emergency stop, locking up the brakes.
If you notice brake locking, red brake warnings, less-sensitive brake pedals, and check engine light on the dashboard, share these symptoms with the auto shop. These are critical indicators that they need to know.
- These warnings indicate a fault in the anti-lock braking and traction control systems. As a safet...read more
These warnings indicate a fault in the anti-lock braking and traction control systems. As a safety measure, when this type of failure occurs, the vehicle disables these driver assistance systems, somewhat limiting advanced skid, traction control, and braking capacity.
If you notice traction loss on slippery roads, odd braking performance, and warning lights on the dashboard, you might wanna share these symptoms with the auto shop. These are critical indicators that they need to know.
- The steering angle sensor is a car part that reads the driver's motion on the steering wheel and ...read more
The steering angle sensor is a car part that reads the driver's motion on the steering wheel and shares it with the computer. It reads direction and speed, showing where and how fast the driver wants to turn.
The computer uses this information to ensure all the wheels move at the right speed, and the traction control detects any slower wheel and makes it move faster; this "harmonizes" the wheels' rotating speed.
However, any failure in this sensor might cause the traction control system to operate poorly, resulting in handling problems. So if you notice inoperative cruise control, steering rack failure, steering wheel buttons failure, and airbag light on the dashboard, share these symptoms with the auto shop.
- The ABS module is the car's computer that controls the anti-lock braking system. It gets power wh...read more
The ABS module is the car's computer that controls the anti-lock braking system. It gets power when the driver turns on the ignition; it also gets info from sensors around the vehicle to know if a wheel is about to lock up or lose traction.
If this module detects a wheel close to locking or losing traction, it activates the anti-lock brakes. Note that this process happens much faster than you could react. It's like a light-fast driver assistant, helping the car maintain control of urgent brakes.
If you notice brakes locking up, an inoperative speedometer, steering wheel buttons failure, and an airbag light on the dashboard share these symptoms with the auto shop.
- The ABS module gets information from many car sensors to determine the driving speed. Then, it se...read more
The ABS module gets information from many car sensors to determine the driving speed. Then, it sends this information to the car's network, including the speedometer.
However, if the module isn't working correctly, it'll provide wrong inputs about the vehicle's speed. So, keep an eye out if your speedometer is incorrect or inoperative.
If you notice an inoperative speedometer, ABS, Traction control, less-sensitive brake pedals, and a check engine light on the dashboard, share these symptoms with the auto shop.
- The ABS pump, which is part of the anti-lock brake system in your car, pushes the brake fluid to ...read more
The ABS pump, which is part of the anti-lock brake system in your car, pushes the brake fluid to make the brakes work. It applies or pulses the brakes to each wheel very quickly.
However, if a motor problem happens, such as a short, a fuse blows up by default to protect the wiring and remaining electrical systems in the car. This process is a safety measure to prevent further damage.
If you notice an inoperative speedometer, ABS, Traction control, less-sensitive brake pedals, and a check engine light on the dashboard, share these symptoms with the auto shop.
Find Professional Help
Please select your vehicle's brand and location so we can locate the best professional help for youVehicle Health Inspection Proof
Explore the following typical inspection results that show a potential cause for the symptom and select the one you believe is similar to your vehicle's issue.
Brake pedal sensor failure
Steering sensor failure
Abs module failure
Speedometer-related abs failure
Abs pump failure
Faulty traction control system
This image shows the results of a brake pedal scan reading. In this case, the pedal isn't sending proper signals.
A customer dropped this vehicle off at the shop complaining about its brakes. They said that the brakes were locking up when they were driving on wet roads and that sometimes the brake pedal felt less sensitive.
The mechanic performed a test drive and noticed that the brake pedal wasn't communicating smoothly with the brakes. In addition, the car's dashboard didn't indicate any ABS and traction control light on.
The shop performed a vehicle health inspection, which didn't lead to any relevant diagnostic. So, the customer allowed for additional, more in-depth, testing procedures.
The additional tests found failure codes such as the C0045, C0046, and C0044, which all relate to the brake pedal sensor. Then, the technician used a special scanner to measure the pedal sweep, which seemed fine.
However, when testing the pedal sensor's circuits with a lab scope tool, the technician found glitches at different pedal sweep levels. So, they'll need to replace the brake pedal assembly.
1/6
This image shows a scan reading of the steering angle. In this case, the steering wheel is slightly off-center.
A customer came into the shop complaining that their vehicle was spinning and becoming hard to handle on wet or icy roads. But, it was driving normally in dry weather. They also mentioned that the traction control warning light was active on the car's dashboard.
The technician did a test drive, confirming that the dashboard was indicating a traction control issue. Moreover, they performed a vehicle health inspection, which didn't lead to relevant issues.
The shop got the customer's approval to start additional testing, where they found some traction control-related codes. So, the technician cleared the codes and went for another test drive.
After driving the vehicle for a few miles, all codes came back. The technician suspected the vehicle's steering wheel, so they analyzed it and found it slightly off-center.
The shop will assess this issue by performing a steering angle sensor recalibration following the manufacturer's diagnostic tree.
2/6
This image shows the reading of a scan tool, revealing that there is no communication between the ABS and TCS modules with the car's computer.
A customer dropped this vehicle off, complaining that its dashboard displayed the ABS and traction warning lights. They said that the vehicle was driving normally in dry weather. However, they didn't test its performance on wet roads nor had an opportunity to hard-press the brakes yet.
The mechanic performed a test drive, confirming the dashboard warnings afore-complained. Then, they tested a panic stop, resulting in a brake lock-up and ABS shutoff.
They did a vehicle health inspection, founding no leads to the problem. Then, the customer asked for additional tests.
The technician found that the engine control module and the ABS module were not communicating, even after using specialized tools. Then, they checked the fuses and ABS module power, finding no issues. The problem was rare internal damage, and they needed to replace the module.
3/6
This image shows a speedometer on a car's dashboard. In this case, the lack of communication between the ABS and TCS modules with the car's computer makes the speedometer show the wrong speeds.
A customer brought their vehicle into the shop complaining that its speedometer wasn't accurate; sometimes it wouldn't even move out of the zero mark.
The mechanic did a test drive, measuring the vehicle's speed with a GPS app. The car's speedometer said zero miles per hour while the GPS app said 56 mph.
Then, they did a vehicle health inspection, finding nothing wrong. So, the customer allowed additional tests. In one of these tests, a mechanic would be scanning the wheels' speed sensor while another person drove the car.
In this test, they found that the wheel speed sensors were sending the right speed to the speedometer, but it wasn't displaying. Then, they checked for software updates on the car's ABS system and found none.
At last, they used a specialized scanning tool on the speedometer, finding that the computer controlling the ABS brakes wasn't working properly; they'll need to replace it.
4/6
This image shows an ABS pump motor. The red arrow points to the pump motor serviced as part of a complete ABS assembly. In this case, the pump assembly blew out a fuse and needs replacement.
A customer brought their car to the shop because its ABS light was on the dashboard. Yet, they didn't complain about any driving issues.
The mechanic took the car for a test drive, confirming the active ABS and traction warning lights. Then, they did some quick stops, noticing that the brakes were locking up and the ABS wasn't working.
They did a vehicle health inspection, which didn't lead to any valuable information. So, the customer agreed to perform additional tests.
While analyzing error codes in the car's system, the technician found that there was a problem with the ABS pump motor circuit. Then, they checked the fuses, finding a blown ABS pump motor fuse. After the fuse replacement, they continued testing and found the ABS pump was worn out and drawing too much current.
If the pump assembly is not replaced, the fuse will continue to blow, and previous error codes will reappear. When a fuse blows, it is important to find and fix the underlying issue to prevent it from happening again. Remember that the ABS is one of the most important safety features in a car.
5/6
This image shows a car's dashboard displaying the ABS and Traction Control warning lights; this means that an issue is disabling these systems.
A customer brought their vehicle into the shop, complaining that it was showing the dashboard's ABS and Traction control warnings. They said the car was still stopping okay in regular driving, but it slid too much when they braked hard a few days ago.
The mechanic did a test drive, concluding that both the ABS and traction warnings were popping on the car's dashboard. They also noticed that neither the traction nor anti-lock systems were working.
Then, the shop performed a vehicle health inspection, which didn't lead to any wiring, wheel, or sensor damage. Moreover, the fluid level was okay, and there were no engine issues.
In this case, the technician will need to perform additional testing, which the customer agreed to. But, the problem relates to the ABS and TCS systems, so they could either be worn out or internally damaged, requiring replacement.
The replacement is urgently due since both ABS and TCS are vital safety features in the car.
6/6Typical Fixes to Address the Cause(s)
The following chapters bases themselves on experiences from our auto repair shop; we'll describe related problems' causes and fixes.
The AutoTechIQ ranking for Safety, Cost Avoidance, and Environmental Impact is
Vehicle Symptoms
Below are just a few examples of typical Symptoms and Fixes your car might be experiencing
Other things your auto repair shop might talk about:
same wheel speed sensors, same control module, car's brake control module, system indicators, detect tire slip. stability control systems. electronic stability systems compare. antilock brake system. control tire slippage. entire braking system