service stab sys

[digglesworth]

So twice now in the last 2 days I've gotten this message on my dash. I pulled the neg battery terminal for over 30min last night to do a reset and it cleared. But it didn't seem like my truck did the reset. My climate control didn't flash upon restart and I didn't lose all my radio settings... Weird. And tonight it happened again on my way home. As soon as I started the truck to come home it came on. I'm thinking abs sensor wires since I just did my body lift the other day and might have stretched one tight somewhere while lifting the body. The back have lots of slack so if I was a bettin man, I'd say it'd be one of the two front ones. But when I got home, I checked all 4 and they seem to all be in tact (visually that is).... I made sure they weren't twisted, kinked or pinched on anything. I started the truck back up and the message was gone. All good. For now. Is there any way to test which abs sensor might be the culprit if it does pop back on? Any opinions?

 

[08H3]

Depending on which scan tool you use, it should point out which sensor is faulty.

 

[digglesworth]

Scangauge II is what I've got.

 

[08H3]

Scangauge II is what I've got.

No, you need a dedicated scan tool. I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3160-Diagnostic-Scan-Vehicles/dp/B001QIUGVI .

 

[digglesworth]

Ok. Thanks. I have access to one. I'll see if I can borrow it if the light comes back on.

 

[digglesworth]

Well the service 4wd / traction control failed message came up again. The scan tool I thought I could borrow turns out to be just a code reader... Dammit.

 

[digglesworth]

Could it be the button cluster on the dash? I have no indication if I'm in 4hi unlock or lock or 4lo. My abs light isn't on but the little traction control light is..

 

[digglesworth]

So I pulled fuses related to all those systems. Abs, stabili-trac, transfer case, etc... No fuses were blown but when I got done checking them, I started the truck and the errors were gone. Dang it. I need to find a scan tool. I really don't want to break down and buy one.

 

[Woodtick]

I had something like this a few years ago,it was under warranty and the dealer couldn't find it. I think I caused the problem with a cell phone holder ,that hung off the air vent just above those buttons. While wheeling or taking gravel roads at high speeds,the little phone thing,would bounce against the buttons. Since I stopped using the holder, it hasn't happened for a few years.maybe you have a button sticking? Not sure if any of this helps? Good luck.

 

[digglesworth]

I can get a new(used) cluster on eBay for $50 with the "best offer" feature. Was $69.95.... Don't really wanna take shots in the dark but without a proper scan tool, that's all I can do.

 

[Reloader]

If you had a shorted or open ABS sensor circuit the amber ABS lamp and maybe also the red brake light would be on. Both of these come on as a bulb check when starting vehicle then should go off unless there is a fault. Does your ABS work? Check it on a gravel road to see if you can lock up the brakes. An ABS lamp constantly on will disable ABS braking but allow service brakes to still function normally.

 

[Reloader]

Have you had an alignment recently? If so did they reset the steering angle sensor? This could cause the stablitrac/traction controll problem but not the 4wd problems i would think.
Need to get a proper diagnostic. A body lift install shouldnt cause a steering angle sensor issue as its usually located just below steering column in cab. A 1 inch body lift doesnt change steering shaft angle that much but anything is possible. Fixed a few used cars over the years with stabilitrac issues by replacing steering angle sensor and doing a reset with the proper scan tool. Hope its something simple.

 

[digglesworth]

Thanks Reloader. No alignment recently. I put a call out to my local 4wd club and got a guy that has the proper scan tool. Gonna try and meet up with him I think. I've never had a problem with my abs. I did drive my truck with the dash pulled out so I could tune my cb antenna. My cb is below the radio so I had to pull everything to put a swr meter on the back of the cb. Drove to an open area. Had the serv 4wd light and stuff on cause the cluster wasn't plugged in. Usually everything goes away though when I plug it all back in. Not the first time I've had to drive to an open area like that. Must be pure coincidence that this happened right after I did the bodylift. I've read all kinds of possible causes. Bad brake switch, encoder motor, switch cluster, fuses, etc..... Hopefully I can get a scan tool on it real soon while any chassis/body codes are still stored.

 

[benlaud87]

I have had broken abs/wheel speed sensors 3 times which caused the failed traction control and abs fault to come on.

 

[Woodtick]

All the selector lights being off at the same time is what makes it strange. Almost a carbon copy of what a had a few years ago.

 

[digglesworth]

I don't have any abs faults which leads me away from the wheel sensors. I checked the encoder motor plug and it's good. I pushed all the buttons with the truck off and none felt like they were sticking. If there's a problem, it's internal in the cluster. I guess I'll go ahead and buy the cluster off eBay. It was 69.95 and I made an offer and can get it for 49.50....

 

[H32NV]

Sounds like the same thing on my truck. Beebs thinks its a unit-bearing. This is what happened to hers. SERV 4WD/Stabili Trac, but NO ABS light. I took mine to the dealership, they said the whole ABS module was blown out. Wanted $1200 to replace it. $205 part on Rockauto.com, maybe an hour worth of labor and bleeding brakes. Still havent fixed this issue on my truck yet. Let us know what you find.

Took my truck to a gravel road, ABS seems to be working half of the time. So weird.

 

[digglesworth]

I'm still trying to track down a scan tool for chassis/body codes... Not quite sure what's gonna come up when I do get one plugged in and how specific it's gonna be. Do you know how the dealer came to the conclusion that it was the abs module?

 

[4speedfunk]

You just did a t-case swap correct? If so...that would be the most obvious thing to check. Maybe something got left un-plugged?

 

[digglesworth]

T-case will be here Wednesday CJ. It's intermittent. If something was unplugged , it'd be constant. I unplugged and plugged the encoder plug last night just to make sure that was good. I'll pull the dash out and triple check the plug into the transfer case selector cluster thing... After that, I have no clue. Gotta call a friend of my stepdad and see if he's got a scan tool to read the right codes. My scan gauge is telling me there's no codes but it doesn't mean much in this situation.

 

[Woodtick]

Something unrelated but kinda the same thing. The wife's Commander has all the drive line idiot lights come on after hitting a big bump,rail road tracks,ect. All of the lights clear in 5min. Dealer said no codes are there and I never cleared them. It's a bad connection some flipping where????

 

[digglesworth]

Yeah. My errors are leading me to think it's the switch cluster. That is a central location for the serv 4wd, serv stab and traction failed messages. I just hate to buy the cluster and it not fix the problem. I'm having a hell of a time finding a scan tool. I might have to start calling freakin shops and pay a few bucks to have them hook it up and tell me what they get. If they'll even tell me.

 

[Best4x4]

I have several pending codes on my Alpha that aren't the standard P0 codes and I'm sure their GM specific, but no CEL's or warning lights. Not 100% sure, but I only noticed the weird pending code faults after my PCM was flashed for the efan to be enabled. Like I said zero CEL's or fault lights so I'm not that worried.

 

[4speedfunk]

I sure do miss the simplicity of levers on the tunnel. They either work or they don't. :wink:

 

[Best4x4]

To many people complained about not having cup holders so the answer was an electronic 4x4 system. Or at least that's my story and I'm sticking with it lol!!!