2011 Explorer with braking system problem

[tw0scoops]

Hi all, new here.

Just picked up my 2011 Explorer Limited yesterday(I looooooove it btw) and as soon as I pulled it off the lot, I started getting this issue. I drove it all the way home because it only happened twice so I thought maybe it was a fluke, but it keeps happening.

Every once in a while the AdvancedTrac light will flicker on and off, and the car will feel "wierd". I describe it like I'm hydroplanning or the car is automatically breaking a little bit(very quickly), and then driving resumes to normal. When it does this the light goes on then off, and stays off. No other warnings or codes appear. My wife describes it as hitting ice or gravel(not sure I agree). But I think it's definitely something with the traction system.

When we test drove it, I definitely didn't experience this(and we drove it for at least 3-4 miles). Only until we picked it up the next week did we experience this. And our dealership is good about not letting people test drive it after it's been purchased, so I'm pretty sure it hasn't left the lot since our test drive other than to head down to their cleanup facility before we took ownership.

Any ideas? Is this a known issue? I already looked at the TSBs....didn't look like anything we have. Appreciate the help, guys!

Just a few other details: It was built in May, and the light is on the right side of the dash.

 

[jrmexplorer]

Hi all, new here.

Just picked up my 2011 Explorer Limited yesterday(I looooooove it btw) and as soon as I pulled it off the lot, I started getting this issue. I drove it all the way home because it only happened twice so I thought maybe it was a fluke, but it keeps happening.

Every once in a while the AdvancedTrac light will flicker on and off, and the car will feel "wierd". I describe it like I'm hydroplanning or the car is automatically breaking a little bit(very quickly), and then driving resumes to normal. When it does this the light goes on then off, and stays off. No other warnings or codes appear. My wife describes it as hitting ice or gravel(not sure I agree). But I think it's definitely something with the traction system.

When we test drove it, I definitely didn't experience this(and we drove it for at least 3-4 miles). Only until we picked it up the next week did we experience this. And our dealership is good about not letting people test drive it after it's been purchased, so I'm pretty sure it hasn't left the lot since our test drive other than to head down to their cleanup facility before we took ownership.

Any ideas? Is this a known issue? I already looked at the TSBs....didn't look like anything we have. Appreciate the help, guys!

Just a few other details: It was built in May, and the light is on the right side of the dash.

Doesn't sound normal. I'd try and look through the manual to see what the light is and then def. take it to your dealer.

 

[tw0scoops]

Doesn't sound normal. I'd try and look through the manual to see what the light is and then def. take it to your dealer.

The only thing the manual said about the advancetrac is that it could make noises or something when it's doing a startup when the engine is turned on, but this occurrs while I'm driving. So it's either not stopping it's diagnostics after startup, or who knows.

 

[jrmexplorer]

The only thing the manual said about the advancetrac is that it could make noises or something when it's doing a startup when the engine is turned on, but this occurrs while I'm driving. So it's either not stopping it's diagnostics after startup, or who knows.

I would take it into the dealer, it's probably just a sensor issue or something minor.

 

[tw0scoops]

I would take it into the dealer, it's probably just a sensor issue or something minor.

Yeah, hopefully. That would make sense if traction control is getting kicked off incorrectly.

 

[tw0scoops]

Just made an appointment for friday, will let everyone know if they find something.

The tech was very quick to wanna help since he saw I just got it off the lot yesterday which made me happy. Let's just hope it's something as simple as a sensor or fuse or something.

 

[dco43054]

1995E reported a problem that seemed to be torque steer. It ended up being a bad sensor at a front wheel. Your issue kind of sounds the same.

 

[tw0scoops]

Started the car up and the "front collision system" and traction controlled faulted and turned off. Now both the Traction lights are on all the time. At least the dealer will have something to see and probably some codes to read.

I ran a health check and these errors came up:

"TC, IVD, RSC Event or Fault"

and

Forward Collision Warning

Sounds like the radar or a sensor is messed up.

 

[tw0scoops]

Dealer fixed the problem. It had a faulty sensor module in the traction control system processor or whatever in the steering column. They replaced the whole unit and works great now. This was the first time our dealer has seen it and they documented the fix.

 

[1995E]

For me, I had an issue with a sensor causing the brakes to fire on certain wheels when I'm making a turn. It's probably a bad sensor.