The ABS light, emergency brake light and traction control light are on along with the unresponsive speedometer
I'm having some issues with my car. Several crucial warnings have come on like ABS light, emergency brake light as well as traction control light. The speedometer is unresponsive. What caused this to happen and how can I get it fixed?
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Failure of one or more of the wheel speed sensors will cause all of these conditions to happen all at once. The wheel speed sensors and the DSC control unit will need to be checked and fault codes read out first. Then the wiring, connection, and wheel speed sensor of the affected circuit if a fault code is found. You may want to enlist the help of a mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will have access to proper tools and service information to diagnose and correct these issues. If necessary, they will also be able to replace your wheel speed sensor(s).
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
Because the ABS and traction control often share the same module, a problem with one mechanism might be indicated by a light for both. If the brake system is malfunctioning, the traction control light might come on as a result. The light for your ABS might also come on if the brake fluid is low.
The brake warning light and traction control light illuminate when the computer has detected an issue with either system. They illuminate together because they effect and rely on each other.
ABS light:
Low battery voltage (computer not getting enough voltage) Broken wheel speed sensor wire. Bad wheel bearing. Dirty tone ring.
If the TCS and the ABS warning lights both come on, along with the red main brake warning light, you should not drive the car until the problem has been fixed. Your entire braking system is affected, and may not be able to stop your vehicle when you need it to. Have your vehicle towed to a repair shop.
If both the ABS and the brake system light come on at the same time, your vehicle is no longer safe to drive. This means there is a serious problem with the car`s braking system and continuing to drive puts yourself and others at risk.
In some vehicles it is located under the hood and/or is a part of the ABS control module. Other vehicles may have the traction control module located in the interior or trunk areas.
If the ABS light on the instrument panel illuminates, our technicians recommend checking the battery first. A weak battery can cause the ABS light to turn on.
If the ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) warning light is also illuminated, this signals that the braking system has malfunctioned and your brakes may not work properly. Pull over and stop as soon as it`s safe to do so – keep your speed low and avoid braking suddenly.
Press the gas pedal 3 times in quick succession. Then, turn your engine on all the way and let it run for a minute. The TCS and ABS lights should reset and go away if there isn`t any underlying problem with your traction control system.
Traction control and ABS often share the same control module and internal self-diagnostics system. This means that sometimes an issue in the ABS can trigger the traction control light to come on.
The Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) helps AEB stop/slow down the vehicle efficiently. The entry-level AEB systems work only at slow speeds. They can be helpful when you drive in the city. The more sophisticated automatic braking systems work across a wider speed range.
The most common ABS problems occur when sensors become contaminated with debris or metal shavings. Malfunctions also occur when sensor wiring becomes damaged, resulting in intermittent or no continuity.
Signs of a failed ABS system include ABS light always ON, on your dash, the car not braking correctly (brake pedal feels different to normal), or loss of control while braking. Reduced braking performance – A failing ABS relay can cause reduced braking performance, especially during hard braking.
If the ABS system is not functioning properly, then your vehicle is likely to skid, hydroplane and lose traction under heavy braking conditions. The last time you want to find this out is when you need it most in tough conditions, which could lead to an accident on the road.
The P0856 code is a standard OBD-II trouble code that notes a problem with the traction control input signal. The traction control input signal is responsible for sending data to the powertrain control module (PCM), and other control modules.
The major difference between an ABS and a Traction Control system is that while ABS stops the wheel from spinning while braking, Traction Control stops the wheel from spinning while the vehicle is accelerating. A Traction Control System is also known as an Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR).
A failing wheel speed sensor will turn off your vehicle`s traction control, stability control, or any other driver assist feature. Sometimes, a damaged wire could also prevent the sensor from sending data to the control module.
The traction control system uses active sensors called yaw rate sensors in your four wheels. The sensors monitor each of your tires, including the vehicle`s speed and what the tires are doing.
In a car with no ABS, you`ll lock the wheels and steering will be impossible, unless you`re a skilled driver who can, in a stressful situation, manage the brake pressure and unlock the wheels.
In short, changes in the base brake system characteristics (hardware) may impact ABS/TCS/ESP performance in any or all of these three areas.
Yes, if your battery is underperforming it can cause systems within the vehicle to malfunction. A bad battery can also result in air conditioners, stereos and other applications not receiving enough power to function properly.
A failure in the anti-lock brake system (ABS) causes the ABS pump to continuously run, which will eventually wear down the battery.
BMW`s DSC system is a Dynamic Stability Control system that helps to improve the handling of the vehicle. The system uses sensors to monitor the speed and position of the vehicle, and then adjusts the brakes and engine output accordingly.
If your BMW DSC light is on, it is a sure sign that there is something wrong with the dynamic stability control system. If you don`t diagnose and fix the problem on time, you may end up in a deadly accident.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
The ABS light, emergency brake light and traction control light are on along with the unresponsive speedometer
ANSWER : Failure of one or more of the wheel speed sensors will cause all of these conditions to happen all at once. The wheel speed sensors and the DSC control unit will need to be checked and fault codes read out first. Then the wiring, connection, and wheel speed sensor of the affected circuit if a fault code is found. You may want to enlist the help of a mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will have access to proper tools and service information to diagnose and correct these issues. If necessary, they will also be able to replace your wheel speed sensor(s).
Abs light, emergency brake light, steering wheel assist light, engine light, EPC light, traction control light
ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. The vehicle does utilize a lot of the same sensors for these systems. Are there any other codes that are coming up when this code appears? If so you will want to take these into consideration when processing the repair and making a diagnosis. The module may be bad, and replacing it should fix the problem. The lights should turn off once the main computer recognizes the new module and the sensors sync up. If you believe the sensors need to be cleaned you may do so. Do as minimal as possible to make sure you are not damaging the sensor or disrupting the wiring inside. A bad connection would make the lights stay on. With so many lights that are effected by the module being illuminated, the module is likely bad or does not have a connection. Check the connection first and then resort to replacing the unit. For more help with these electrical tests, contact our service department.
EPC light on 2004 Jetta. Code said brake switch faulty, but brakes lights worked. Replaced brake switch, now no brake lights.
ANSWER : Hi there. The first thing that pops in my mind beyond of what you have listed is perhaps the electrical harness attached to the brake switch. Perhaps the harness itself is damaged or you have an exposed wire, loose ground wire somewhere. You might want to have a professional mobile mechanic come to your location and complete a brake lights not working inspection to help you diagnose this issue.
When I put my foot on the brake my back left brake light goes off, when I take it off the brake the brake light comes on
ANSWER : I would suggest trying to disconnect and reconnect the wiring to the rear lights. I have seen these older Toyota vehicles rear lighting short out on the lights themselves due to the way the light circuit was made on the lamp housing. Look at the housing circuit on the light to see if one is touching another, and that could tell you why it is malfunctioning. There could also be a problem with the brake light switch. If you are not comfortable dealing with wires, I recommend getting in touch with a certified mechanic who can look at your brake light issue for you to see what’s going on.
Brake lights are not working. replaced brake light swtch still no brake lights. the third brake light the connection was melted at
ANSWER : The first thing to do is to repair third brake light and replace the brake light fuse and then see if the third brake lights work and the lower lights start working? If only the 3rd brake light starts working then you may need a further checks on the turn signal flasher or switch could be bad.
My check engine light and traction control lights are on and the cruise control light is flashing on and off.
ANSWER : Hi There,
What you are describing is common for a vehicle with traction control when it has been activated in a situation as you have described. The cruise control is also controlled in some cases by the traction control system and may be flashing as a need to have it reset due to the traction control being activated under those circumstances. The traction control system monitors the steering stability of the vehicle and engages when loss of traction has been detected. This is done by the use of electronic sensors at each of the four wheels that communicate with the Power Train Control Module (PCM) regarding steering performance and stability in adverse weather conditions. The traction control system works by reducing engine speed and determining which wheel to apply brake pressure to in order to prevent the vehicle from sliding. The anti-lock braking system and the traction control system work together to maintain the stability of the vehicle. The computer uses this information received from electronic sensors regarding the rotational speed of each wheel, the horizontal motion of the vehicle, and the vertical motion of the vehicle to determine how to direct the traction control system or the anti-lock braking system to best control the vehicle when needed. In some cases, the traction control system may simply need to be reprogrammed. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to properly diagnose your traction control system.
What you are describing is common for a vehicle with traction control when it has been activated in a situation as you have described. The cruise control is also controlled in some cases by the traction control system and may be flashing as a need to have it reset due to the traction control being activated under those circumstances. The traction control system monitors the steering stability of the vehicle and engages when loss of traction has been detected. This is done by the use of electronic sensors at each of the four wheels that communicate with the Power Train Control Module (PCM) regarding steering performance and stability in adverse weather conditions. The traction control system works by reducing engine speed and determining which wheel to apply brake pressure to in order to prevent the vehicle from sliding. The anti-lock braking system and the traction control system work together to maintain the stability of the vehicle. The computer uses this information received from electronic sensors regarding the rotational speed of each wheel, the horizontal motion of the vehicle, and the vertical motion of the vehicle to determine how to direct the traction control system or the anti-lock braking system to best control the vehicle when needed. In some cases, the traction control system may simply need to be reprogrammed. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to properly diagnose your traction control system.
abs, traction control, E brake and check engine light comes on, code U0121 and U1120 show on scan tool what could be causing it?
ANSWER : Hi there. The only component that impacts the majority of these systems is a transmission speed sensor. In some cases, the sensor will slowly wear out, lighting individual warning lights when trouble codes are stored in the ECU. However, when all of them illuminate at the same time, it’s likely that the wiring harness was damaged somehow. I would first check the speed sensor and harness to make sure they are not causing your warning light issues first. If this is not the problem, I would recommend having all the OBD-II trouble codes downloaded by a professional mechanic as this might give you a better understanding of the root issue.
on starting engine light & throttle control and traction control light comes on and car idols hard no codes when scanned
ANSWER : Hello, and thank you for writing in. Unfortunately the first technician is correct in that this can be cause by a wide variety of issues. Considering that it is intermittent, we can assume that there is either an electrical issue (sensor or bad connection), or that there is a particular part which is dirty or failing. There are a couple of ways you can approach this. One being that you attempt to clean, repair, and replace the many number of components that can cause this. A second being that you attempt to replicate the issue by unplugging sensors and trying various tests to try and narrow down what system is being effected. When dealing with a misfiring situation, you need to look into the air intake, ignition (spark), and the fuel systems first. One last consideration is to have the vehicle scanned by another type of code reader. They vary in brand, manufacture compatibility, and software. For more diagnostic help, contact our service department to schedule an appointment, or to obtain a quote once the issue is diagnosed.
