Traction Control Stuck Off - No Codes, No ABS/Service Light*

[JeepOfTheseus]

Back Story: Just got back from week-long road trip, which ended with 2 days in June Lake where it was lows in the teens and highs in the 20s. During part of the trip we hit white-out conditions, and while in June Lake the area was under snow chain control. All that to say it got caked in snow/mud that was frozen solid for multiple days. I had been using a combination of 4H and disabling traction control in some areas and it felt great.

Everything was absolutely fine until the last day when I fired it up in the morning and...the traction control light was still on. That seemed odd because I thought it resets after turning the engine off (or sleeping). Tried pressing the button...light wouldn't go off. Dash reported that traction control was, in fact, disabled. I tried holding the button to disable stability control and that was the only hint I got: it flashed the Service ABS light/message.

So I checked for codes...nothing. I was even getting proper wheel speed readings from all four wheels using OBD Fusion. Driving feels fine, although I get the sense that it is allowing more power to be put down and not be dialed back (but this is completely unverified).

Now it's pouring rain back home, so I haven't been able to get under there...but I'm curious how there could be an issue with the wheel speed sensors (assuming there is, and assuming it's the culprit) without being otherwise reported. If it's not those, where else do I even start?

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[Janster]

You mentioned all the ice/snow/frozen conditions….
If I had to guess,….perhaps some ice/snow buildup around the sensors at the wheels and knocked the sensors off or loose?

 

[Dilly’S Willy]

If you can view LIVE DATA from the ecu/tcm, record your sensor data (PID data, you'll need to look up what PIDs are used for TC/ESC functions), and see if sensors/buttons are doing sensor/button things are they should.

 

[Lost1wing]

Check your other modules for faults. If you knocked your steering off center, it could trigger an ABS fault.

 

[DylanM]

If there's an active traction control or ABS fault then there should be at least one stored code. If the problem persists and you can't find any codes via your OBD Fusion, I would try stopping by your FLAPS and see if their scanner/reader has any better luck at pulling up codes.

 

[JeepOfTheseus]

You mentioned all the ice/snow/frozen conditions….
If I had to guess,….perhaps some ice/snow buildup around the sensors at the wheels and knocked the sensors off or loose?

That was my theory. I need to wash it all down and then my plan was to remove, inspect, and re-insert each one. It just seems odd that I can seemingly get accurate wheel speed readings.

If you can view LIVE DATA from the ecu/tcm, record your sensor data (PID data, you'll need to look up what PIDs are used for TC/ESC functions), and see if sensors/buttons are doing sensor/button things are they should.

As in whether the button press is actually doing anything? Haven't done any monitoring like that before...I'll have to read up on it if it comes to that.

Check your other modules for faults. If you knocked your steering off center, it could trigger an ABS fault.

I scanned the entire suite of modules that I have access to (~15000 PIDs). I found a few codes related to low battery voltage (a persistent issue I'm aware of), door/switch harness faults (from having things unplugged during my audio install), CHMSL failure (which I replaced and resolved). Nothing that seemed related to steering, ABS, or wheels.

I do have experience with off-center steering issues, but when that happened it disabled Adaptive Cruise Control as a result. ACC is working fine right now.

If there's an active traction control or ABS fault then there should be at least one stored code. If the problem persists and you can't find any codes via your OBD Fusion, I would try stopping by your FLAPS and see if their scanner/reader has any better luck at pulling up codes.

That's what I expected as well. I thought I had access to more than I'd ever need...

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