7th Gen ('06-'07): "Service Traction Control" strangeness
#1
12-27-2017, 02:04 PM
"Service Traction Control" strangeness
I just wanted to post a separate thread for the annoyance I'm having with my newly acquired 2006 LTZ - since my intro thread isn't the best place to discuss it 
So here is the issue I'm having: When cruising and then accelerating I'm getting a "ding" and a "Service Traction Control System" message on the dash with the TC light coming on for 2-3 seconds before going away. I'm trying to find a pattern to it... as it only seems to happen on my way to or from work. It seems like I need to be driving for more than 20 minutes before it starts happening, and when it happens it is not consistent - ie: it happens maybe 25% of the time regardless of how hard I accelerate and regardless of if the wheels actually slip (it is icy and snowy here now).
When the message shows up it is ONLY the TC light that lights up, the ABS light stays off.
The trans shifts harder right after it happens for the next shift that occurs.
The TC light stayed lit for more than a few seconds only once - and it went off again when I restarted the car.
The car has 44,000 original miles on it - purchased from my in-laws who only put 11,000 miles on it in the 6 years they owned it - and it was meticulously maintained while they owned it... but for the last 2 years it mostly sat still aside from being regularly started and moved around in the driveway to keep it in running shape.
I did some research - I found someone with a similar problem found it to be related to a dirty fuel system, and "cured it" with fuel system cleaner... that is going to be my first step since I'm due for a fill up tomorrow. I don't really understand the relationship between the fuel system and the TC system - but that doesn't matter if it helps
I know that checking for codes in that system is a must and also that I need a GM Tech II capable reader to pull them - I am planning to check the local auto parts shops to see if any of their "free check your codes" machines can pull the airbag/traction control system codes to see if any are stored - but that won't be til the weekend.
Any other things that I should be looking into? Wheel speed sensor should trigger ABS light, shouldn't it?
Thanks!
So here is the issue I'm having: When cruising and then accelerating I'm getting a "ding" and a "Service Traction Control System" message on the dash with the TC light coming on for 2-3 seconds before going away. I'm trying to find a pattern to it... as it only seems to happen on my way to or from work. It seems like I need to be driving for more than 20 minutes before it starts happening, and when it happens it is not consistent - ie: it happens maybe 25% of the time regardless of how hard I accelerate and regardless of if the wheels actually slip (it is icy and snowy here now).
When the message shows up it is ONLY the TC light that lights up, the ABS light stays off.
The trans shifts harder right after it happens for the next shift that occurs.
The TC light stayed lit for more than a few seconds only once - and it went off again when I restarted the car.
The car has 44,000 original miles on it - purchased from my in-laws who only put 11,000 miles on it in the 6 years they owned it - and it was meticulously maintained while they owned it... but for the last 2 years it mostly sat still aside from being regularly started and moved around in the driveway to keep it in running shape.
I did some research - I found someone with a similar problem found it to be related to a dirty fuel system, and "cured it" with fuel system cleaner... that is going to be my first step since I'm due for a fill up tomorrow. I don't really understand the relationship between the fuel system and the TC system - but that doesn't matter if it helps
I know that checking for codes in that system is a must and also that I need a GM Tech II capable reader to pull them - I am planning to check the local auto parts shops to see if any of their "free check your codes" machines can pull the airbag/traction control system codes to see if any are stored - but that won't be til the weekend.
Any other things that I should be looking into? Wheel speed sensor should trigger ABS light, shouldn't it?
Thanks!
#2
12-27-2017, 03:54 PM
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Southeast PA
Posts: 25,136
Wheel speed sensor doesn't ALWAYS trip the ABS light. What might be happening is that the sensor is giving a quick wrong reading, and the car thinks the tire is slipping and activating traction control. When traction control doesn't do anything (because a tire isn't slipping), it throws the error message. Once that happens, perhaps the car's sensor then gives the right reading, and then you are fine and it shuts off.
I would check all of the connections to the hubs (and the grounds), but if doing that does nothing, then I would wait for it to get a little worse, and then replace that offending hub.
I would check all of the connections to the hubs (and the grounds), but if doing that does nothing, then I would wait for it to get a little worse, and then replace that offending hub.
#3
12-27-2017, 08:59 PM
Wheel speed sensor doesn't ALWAYS trip the ABS light. What might be happening is that the sensor is giving a quick wrong reading, and the car thinks the tire is slipping and activating traction control. When traction control doesn't do anything (because a tire isn't slipping), it throws the error message. Once that happens, perhaps the car's sensor then gives the right reading, and then you are fine and it shuts off.
I would check all of the connections to the hubs (and the grounds), but if doing that does nothing, then I would wait for it to get a little worse, and then replace that offending hub.
I would check all of the connections to the hubs (and the grounds), but if doing that does nothing, then I would wait for it to get a little worse, and then replace that offending hub.
Makes perfect sense. It tripped a check engine light again on the way home from work today - I’m swinging by the local auto parts shop to scan the engine code since my replacement OBD2 reader won’t be here til Friday.
#4
12-30-2017, 01:26 PM
So the check engine light (MIL) that came on at the same time the TC message popped up is P0171 - system too lean bank 1. IN a thread from 2012 I saw reference to fuel injection issues causing a stumble that would trigger the TC service message...I wasn’t noticing any performance issues but maybe that’s related?Step one cleaning the MAF, right? I’ll see if I can figure out where that is on this car
#5
12-30-2017, 02:48 PM
Possible causes
- Intake air leaks
- Faulty front heated oxygen sensor
- Ignition misfiring
- Faulty fuel injectors
- Exhaust gas leaks
- Incorrect fuel pressure
- Lack of fuel
- Faulty Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor
- Incorrect Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) hose connection
#6
02-20-2018, 08:02 AM
Just to close out this thread in case someone searches and finds it:
After a full tank of gas run through the car I can say that I’ve fixed it.
Turns out the clamp on the MAF/air filter box was loose - to the point I didn’t have to loosen it up to remove the hose. I cleaned the MAF and put things back together, made sure the clamp was tight... and I have had zero “service traction control” messages. The week before I was getting at 5-10 messages per 20 mile trip to work.
another side effect is that my gas mileage has gone up by 2mpg - so that’s one more trip to or from work on a tank of gas. I was averaging 19.8-20.2, this tank was 22.3 driving the same route/traffic conditions.
After a full tank of gas run through the car I can say that I’ve fixed it.
Turns out the clamp on the MAF/air filter box was loose - to the point I didn’t have to loosen it up to remove the hose. I cleaned the MAF and put things back together, made sure the clamp was tight... and I have had zero “service traction control” messages. The week before I was getting at 5-10 messages per 20 mile trip to work.
another side effect is that my gas mileage has gone up by 2mpg - so that’s one more trip to or from work on a tank of gas. I was averaging 19.8-20.2, this tank was 22.3 driving the same route/traffic conditions.