ABS light, Descent Control Fault, and Traction Control Lights

[Matt Iredale]

while I am driving my 2011 Explorer, the ABS light, Descent Control Fault, and Traction Control Lights all come on intermittently, then go off. I have not had the codes read because the lights do not stay on long enough to get to auto store. The car still seems to drive normally. I can't find any info online about this issue. I checked all the wheel sensors and they seem fine. Any ideas?

 

[thefranchise713]

Try for codes anyway before powering off the car. They may be stored historically.

My guess (purely guess, btw) would be that the ABS is the heart of the fault. Perhaps a broken or failing tone ring on one of the wheels. Traction control/advance trac are dependent on the ABS speed inputs, and I would presume hill decent is as well.

 

[aero10]

I would try AutoZone to see if they can pull something, even if you've restarted the car. If they can't pull it, it's still likely in the ABS module and could be pulled with ForScan or the dealer. I've had something similar happen (Note, the car DOES NOT like being on jack stands and having the car 'driven'). After I had all the lights come on (ABS, traction, sway control), they cleared after a little driving, but a couple weeks later I could still pull the DTCs with ForScan.

 

[peterk9]

while I am driving my 2011 Explorer, the ABS light, Descent Control Fault, and Traction Control Lights all come on intermittently, then go off. I have not had the codes read because the lights do not stay on long enough to get to auto store. The car still seems to drive normally. I can't find any info online about this issue. I checked all the wheel sensors and they seem fine. Any ideas?

When you get these faults does your TMS (Terrain Management System) still function?

Peter

 

[NunavutExplorer]

First off, Merry Christmas.

My Exp just started doing this. Every time upon start up says "Hill Start Assist Not Avbl" "Terrain mngt System fault" "Service Advancetrac" and the ABS light is on. Shut down and start back up they do not go away.

 

[Matt Iredale]

First off, Merry Christmas.

My Exp just started doing this. Every time upon start up says "Hill Start Assist Not Avbl" "Terrain mngt System fault" "Service Advancetrac" and the ABS light is on. Shut down and start back up they do not go away.

I had that same issue and it ended up being my left aft wheel hub. Also could be abs sensor too.. you will have to get the code read. Changing the hub was not too difficult.

 

[NunavutExplorer]

I had that same issue and it ended up being my left aft wheel hub. Also could be abs sensor too.. you will have to get the code read. Changing the hub was not too difficult.

Thanks, and if Peter was wondering yet, the TMS doesn't work when all these codes are off. So guessing it shut down 4wd?

 

[peterk9]

Thanks, and if Peter was wondering yet, the TMS doesn't work when all these codes are off. So guessing it shut down 4wd?

Merry Christmas. Don't know for sure if 4WD is gone completely but if you bring up the Intelligent 4WD display in the left Information Screen you should be able to see if traction goes to the rear wheels under hard acceleration.
BTW, on a trip back from Alert the plane stopped over in Resolute Bay to pick up divers that went under the ice at the North Pole. Then on to Trenton, ON. Never left the airport though. This was back '74

Peter

 

[KayGee]

When similar happened to mine, the stored codes related to a yaw sensor issue in RCM and there were also some ground faults in the BCM.

No sense in guessing - get the codes read with a good scan tool (forscan) and see what's there. Even if the MIL is off, you could have stored codes or codes that are "maturing".

 

[Ironworker40]

I had the same problem on my ex's buick rainier. She had it to the dealer multiple times and they could not find a problem as there were no codes. Hers would apply the anti lock brakes sometimes at slow speeds under 10 mph even if you were not on the brakes hard.
I did some research and I pulled the wheel sensors and cleaned the rust out of the holes they go in with a round gun cleaning wire brush in a drill. Then the flat area were the sensor seats against I used an angle grinder ( ingersoll-rand-angle-die-grinder-kit-w-2-3m-roloc-surface-conditioning-pads-a-disc-holder) with a sanding disk and cleaned that surface.
There was not really a lot of rust but this solved the problem. After I reinstalled the sensors I painted the area with rust converter paint.The rust lifts the sensor slightly and changes the air gap between the sensor and reluctor ring causing problems. Its has been two years and it has not happened again. Hope this helps.

 

[NunavutExplorer]

Awesome Peter, too bad was just a short airport stop. Well, checked and traction is going to all wheels. With the holidays not sure how long till I get access to read the codes. Maybe if I knew where the wheel sensors were I would be able to check/clean those. Because the day it started was when we got a bit of snow and then blowing snow. So maybe ice or something jamming it?

 

[Ronxlt]

I had this happen once on a ‘12 XLT and once on my ‘16 Limited. Both times were after I washed and fully detailed the trucks. Rust built up on the rotors after the wash and sat there as I polished and waxed the trucks. After driving for a few minutes the lights all came on and went away after driving a few miles. Never had any other problems

 

[4havnfun]

I had this problem with mine. It started right after delivery with the dash lighting up with multiple warning lights and messages. Very intermittent and took about 6 trips over 10 months to dealers in Ottawa, Florida and PEI. They started by replacing the ABS module and it was good for about 4 months, they then replaced a couple of wheel sensors with little improvement. Finally, the dealership in PEI found that the female pins in the harness for the wheel sensors had been stretched by someone using the wrong probe, causing an intermittent fault. They replaced the pins and the problem hasn’t recurred in about 4 months. Fingers crossed as we don’t have a lemon law in Ontario.

 

[Pbleiler]

I had that same issue and it ended up being my left aft wheel hub. Also could be abs sensor too.. you will have to get the code read. Changing the hub was not too difficult.

I did this and still same issue, changed hub/bearing x2, sensor x3, nuckle, tires, still no change, doing everything the dealer said, took it to several dealers, keep saying sensor or wheel bearing, about to drive into the river, be cheaper!!!

 

[peterk9]

^^ Welcome to the Forum.

Peter

 

[Pbleiler]

I did this and still same issue, changed hub/bearing x2, sensor x3, nuckle, tires, still no change, doing everything the dealer said, took it to several dealers, keep saying sensor or wheel bearing, about to drive into the river, be cheaper!!!

Did all that

 

[peterk9]

Did any of them check to see if there were any stored codes?

Peter

 

[Pbleiler]

I did this and still same issue, changed hub/bearing x2, sensor x3, nuckle, tires, still no change, doing everything the dealer said, took it to several dealers, keep saying sensor or wheel bearing, about to drive into the river, be cheaper!!!

Are you saying it has to be motorcraft?

Did any of them check to see if there were any stored codes?

Peter

Yes, all showing rest speed/abs sensor, changed that and every bearing hub multiple times

 

[TimsDAMexploder]

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum Tim.

Peter