Topic: UPDATED: 4-02-10 ABS light / service ESC / service Traction - what to do?

[Gentleman Jack]

I was heading home from the Kia LPGA event at La Costa today, enjoying the SoCal weather with the top down when this happened:

1. check engine light
2. service traction
3. traction off
4. service esc
5. ABS light on and off

crazy.  every  yellow 'idiot' light was going off, car was running wrong, no power, limp mode, full power, no power, shifting funny (it's an automatic)..

I was able to limp home at a steady 65 miles per hour with no further issues, but had to skip out on going out with the guys due to car trouble.  

I got home and scanned to get a P0101 code (MAF).  

Pulled MAF and checked for dirt / debris but saw none.  

Replaced stock ECM.  Will see what that does this week end.

FYI- have Wester's tuned ECM and DDM clamps (may have bad clamp?) otherwise stock 07 GXP.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

GJ
[powerless in San Diego]

[2kwk4u]

I'd start by checking all of your grounds.  The one on the front left side of the head is problematic.

[DeepBlueGXP]

Check your battery connections, have you ever replaced it?

[JimmyBaja]

Sounds to me like it's a problem with your traction controll system, maybe a bad sensor.
I had this happen on a Dodge work van - the transmission overheat light would come on & it would downshift out of overdrive going down the highway at 65, & go into limp mode if you were driving around town.
I know this a different vehicle & different lights but it turns out it was a bad sensor on the transmission.

[2kwk4u]

True, could be confined to a TCS/ABS/ESC issue.  Pull the wheels and get a good look at all the wheelspeed sensors.  Might have snared one of those leads or something.

[DeepBlueGXP]

That makes sense too

[snaponbob]

Before taking the car apart looking for a ghost, check your battery and charging system. ESC and other "handling" warnings all popping up at the same time AND limp AND shifting issues sounds like a low state of charge. Deep and 2 may be on the right path.

[Gentleman Jack]

just checked all the connections I could find (3 neg, 2 pos) and all look good.  Battery terms look good.  Charge is good (car starts with no hesitation)

I have put the stock tune back in and am off for a test drive (to pick up dog food and DVD-r's)  Will see what happens.

GJ

Thanks to all for the help.  If I can't figure it out, off to the dealer it goes.  Warranty thru August, so I'm ok there.

[Gentleman Jack]

Ok, went for a test drive with stock tune.  Here is what happened:

all was ok in the begining, about 10 minutes.  Parked, bought dog food, drove around again.  The ABS light came on and "service ESC" came on the DIC.  A few seconds later "service traction" came on.  That was it. No check engine light at all.  I did not go on the freeway. 

I negative post on the front left of the engine, it seemed fine.

True, could be confined to a TCS/ABS/ESC issue.  Pull the wheels and get a good look at all the wheelspeed sensors.  Might have snared one of those leads or something.

I can do this Sunday.  What exactly am I looking for?

Thanks,

GJ

[U4EA]

Had a friend with a Ford pickup experience same sort of issues. Truck was starting fine, gauge showed normal charging, I suggested he replace the battery. Problems solved, been a month now and no further issues. The systems today work on milivolt readings/feedback and if the battery is not up to snuff they will put out bad readings. No more just on or off or open/closed.

Have you done anything in the trunk lately? I,m referring to mods!

[kennysabarese]

I had this issue, but might headlights would turn off or get dim and I'd go into "reduced power mode" the dealership replaced my alternator. All was well.

[DeepBlueGXP]

Autozone or Advance auto will do a alternater check for free and they can tell if your battery is going bad.  Start there.  If everything is ok, take it in to the dealer. 


On a side note. when ever we would come off a dyno, I would have the same lights.  Then it would go away.  Go into a large parking lot and put the car in reverse, go slow and turn the wheel all the way to one side and listen for grinding noises.  Then the other side.

If the rear end is binding and one wheel is traveling slower than the other, the same lights will come on.

[Gentleman Jack]

Had a friend with a Ford pickup experience same sort of issues. Truck was starting fine, gauge showed normal charging, I suggested he replace the battery. Problems solved, been a month now and no further issues. The systems today work on milivolt readings/feedback and if the battery is not up to snuff they will put out bad readings. No more just on or off or open/closed.

Have you done anything in the trunk lately? I,m referring to mods!

U4EA,
Nothing done in the trunk lately. 

Autozone or Advance auto will do a alternater check for free and they can tell if your battery is going bad.  Start there.  If everything is ok, take it in to the dealer. 


On a side note. when ever we would come off a dyno, I would have the same lights.  Then it would go away.  Go into a large parking lot and put the car in reverse, go slow and turn the wheel all the way to one side and listen for grinding noises.  Then the other side.

If the rear end is binding and one wheel is traveling slower than the other, the same lights will come on.

Rear end binding?  Done in the trunk??  Jeeze guys, I was asking about an ABS light.  It stands for anti lock brakes- not "Any butt services".  Can't a guy get some good advice once in a while?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ end of hijack^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thanks for all the good info.  I will go get tested (ha ha, very funny) today at Autozone.  I am only at 17K miles, so I would be surprised if the alt had gone bad, but stranger things have happened.  The battery could be...

DBG- would the car see a dyno run the same as a big burn out?  Rear wheels going like crazy, fronts not moving at all?  I did do a bit of a smokescreen in a big empty parking lot just before all of this happend... I didn't think it was related, but the car wouldn't know the difference between a burn out and a dyno run.  What exactly was wrong with your rear end?  How loud was the grinding noise?

Thanks again everyone!

GJ

[Kelu]

I have ABS lights on also after dyno or doing donuts or burn-out

[DeepBlueGXP]

Kinda hard to describe the grrrr grrrr ggrrrr soudn

[Gentleman Jack]

Kinda hard to describe the grrrr grrrr ggrrrr soudn

Grrrrrr grrrrr grrrrr?  Not Gaaaakkkkk gaaaaakkkkk gaaaaakkkkk????

Ok, just got back from Autozone.  Battery and alternator checked out fine.  Battery was at 11.63v and the alternator 14.34v.  Both well within acceptable standards as far as I know.

NEW INFO:
I was able to trigger the warnings.  Here's how:
I have an automatic.  that said, I still prefer to downshift to slow down when possible.  Two reasons- it sounds cool, and thats how I drive.  So I had it all the way down in L, going 14 mph.  speed up a bit and got the rpms up to about 4800-5000 (one stop light to the next) and took my foot off the gas.  as soon as the tach hit about 4200, the ABS went off.  I was able to repeat with amazing consitency.  It would not happen below 4200 and only if I was slowing from above 4500 rpm.  It seemed to alternate between ABS-service esc and ABS service traction.  Other than that, no lights no service engine and no codes.

Thoughts?

GJ

[Critterman]

Where they any codes stored in the system and did you have them cleared while you were there?

[Gentleman Jack]

Where they any codes stored in the system and did you have them cleared while you were there?

See first post- only code was P0101- MAF.  I cleared that one and checked the MAF for dust / debris, but it seemed clean.  Have not had code come back.

GJ

[Gentleman Jack]

DBG / 2K et al.

What would I be looking for when pulling a wheel?  Any images of wheel speed sensor on an 07 (might all be the same?)

GJ

[Critterman]

try spraying the sensor with MAF cleaner.

[Gentleman Jack]

try spraying the sensor with MAF cleaner.

Critter,

Which sensor?  The MAF?  That is the problem I think is fixed.  It's the other issue.  Unless you mean spray the wheel speed sensor with MAF cleaner?  I'm confused.

Just for S&G's I will go get some MAF cleaner and spray down the MAF.

GJ

[U4EA]

Have you ever unpluged your TCM?
Are your brake lights working?

 

NEW INFO:
I was able to trigger the warnings.  Here's how:
I have an automatic.  that said, I still prefer to downshift to slow down when possible.  Two reasons- it sounds cool, and thats how I drive.  So I had it all the way down in L, going 14 mph.  speed up a bit and got the rpms up to about 4800-5000 (one stop light to the next) and took my foot off the gas.  as soon as the tach hit about 4200, the ABS went off.  I was able to repeat with amazing consitency.  It would not happen below 4200 and only if I was slowing from above 4500 rpm.  It seemed to alternate between ABS-service esc and ABS service traction.
Thoughts?

Don't do this?! 

Also had the ABS service esc and ABS service traction on the dyno.

There are are ABS wires in the trunk, I cut the wrong one once!

Maybe rubber/stuff built up on the wheel speed sensor/monitor.
 

[Gentleman Jack]

Was just heading out to garage to check WS sensors. 

Maybe rubber/stuff built up on the wheel speed sensor/monitor.

Where on earth would the rubber come from?

Have you ever unpluged your TCM?
Are your brake lights working?

never unplugged TCM - but will check connections to be sure
will check brake lights too

haven't done anything to the trunk.  Will check wires at wheels.

GJ

[DickW]

I had something similar right after I bought my car. It turned out the it was out of alignment enough to give the wheel sensor  an error. I was forced into a curb by a semi. They had to reprogram something after aligning it.

[Gentleman Jack]

I had something similar right after I bought my car. It turned out the it was out of alignment enough to give the wheel sensor  an error. I was forced into a curb by a semi. They had to reprogram something after aligning it.

DickW,

any idea what they reprogramed?  Do you have TPMS?  If they rotated tires, this could be what they did?  Otherwise??? Not sure.  If you find out, let me know.  I will keep this on my checklist of things to do.  Thanks for the heads up.

GJ