Check Advancetrak? Maybe just add Brake Fluid

[Jim Henderson]

Short message, is... if your "check advancetrack" message comes on, all it may need is brake fluid.

I have had an intermittent "Check Advancetrack" message over the past month or so.

This past week the message comes on almost every trip so I was getting ready to take it in to the dealer. Before i was going to call and set up an appointment I decided that I would add some brake fluid since it has needed some for several months, duh.

I have an excuse. The reason I have not added brake fluid at the first chance is that All my tools and chemicals were at my home in Oregon waiting for us to sell the house and move to SoCal. I have about 1/2 gallon of Valvoline Synthetic Brake Fluid, but it was in storage. I did not want to add just regular brake fluid since I wanted to use the Valvoline. So I decided to wait since all my past experience with other cars is that it takes a long time for the fluid to get down and as long as the brake light doesn't come on I figured it was OK.

The fluid was originally down to below the full early this summer. I checked it periodically and it very slowly went down as I put on the miles. This Sept, I got one incident where the check Advancetrack light came on and went away. Then in October, the light came on again, after a couple thousand miles. It would come on maybe every week or so and gradually worked up to every other day or so until last week. The fluid was down to about the seam in the tank this week.

Now that we are unpacking, I have found my box of chemicals and the brakefluid. So I added fluid til the reservoir is a bit over full, working in the dark ya know. After one start stop cycle the light went away and has not been back.

My GUESS is that the brake fluid was low enough to trigger the check advancetrack message without triggering the check brake light. As the fluid went down slowly due to brake pad wear, the level triggered the advancetrack message more frequently. Adding fluid apparently raised the level to where the message has not come on since. I am a little surprised the check brake light never came on, maybe it doesn't check for fluid level?

I cannot guarantee this is the fix for my problem, but so far it has been maybe 3 days, 200+ miles and maybe a dozen start cycles.

Long story short, if the message comes on, the first thing to check may be the brake fluid. That may be all the "check Advancetrack" message is squawking about. Easy and cheap fix so thought I would pass it on.

I plan to do a full fluid flush in Spring, hopefully no bubbles got into the system while it was low, I don't think they did.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

[Maddog121483]

What year is your car???? if its 2003-2006 you will have to take it in. its a wiring problem a resistor is failing. it seems to be a common problem with the 2004's.

 

[CataLS]

What year is your car???? if its 2003-2006 you will have to take it in. its a wiring problem a resistor is failing. it seems to be a common problem with the 2004's.

Mine's come on twice. The first time it came on and then went off they ended up having to do a bunch of recalibrating because of the codes it left behind. I remember seeing "yaw rate") amongst them.

However, a few thousand miles later, the "Check AdvanceTrak" text, the dash icon for it, and the brake icon all came on. Different symptoms than above. That was when they ended up replacing your resistor. When that occurred, the warnings didn't go away til the dealer reset them.

 

[Jim Henderson]

Mine is a 2004 and still under warranty.

I was just intrigued that the Advancetrack sensors would be set off by low brake fluid, although it makes sense. Not sure why the AT would be tripped but not the check brake light.

I am keeping an eye on it and will make a trip to the dealer if the light ever comes on again. Or will mention it is I have another service call.

I hesitate to take my cars into dealers since on 90% of the work, I find I do a better, or more conscientious job. I am early in the ownership of this car and am not yet certain of the dealer. Other dealers with other cars have not been confidence inspiring, one claiming my wife's car had a V6 with cam belts, which of course "Needed to be changed to the tune of $$$, when I knew it was a straight 6 with chain drive.

Just wanted to mention it so that some guys having similar problems might be able to "fix" the problem with something as simple and cheap as adding brake fluid.

Interesting car so far. Still miss my TA and SS, even the TurboCoupe.

Jim Henderson

 

[CataLS]

Mine is a 2004 and still under warranty.

I was just intrigued that the Advancetrack sensors would be set off by low brake fluid, although it makes sense. Not sure why the AT would be tripped but not the check brake light.

I am keeping an eye on it and will make a trip to the dealer if the light ever comes on again. Or will mention it is I have another service call.

I hesitate to take my cars into dealers since on 90% of the work, I find I do a better, or more conscientious job.
Jim Henderson

I can understand that, but we also have no recourse for anything computer-related. I'm just enough of a worrier that there'd always be the nagging doubt that an out of calibration A.T. would act unpredictably if it ever kicked in on me.

 

[Maddog121483]

the only thing that came on with mine was the Check Advancetrak message. it came on alot untill one day i had time to take it the dealership. my car only had 24000 miles on it when they fixed they held it over night cause a number of problems with some codes and the main thing was the resistor it was suposed to read 0.4, but it read 6.8. i'm looking at the paper work right here. your car may have a different problem, just remember this car isn't your average vehicle.

 

[lduntley]

lduntley

the only thing that came on with mine was the Check Advancetrak message. it came on alot untill one day i had time to take it the dealership. my car only had 24000 miles on it when they fixed they held it over night cause a number of problems with some codes and the main thing was the resistor it was suposed to read 0.4, but it read 6.8. i'm looking at the paper work right here. your car may have a different problem, just remember this car isn't your average vehicle.

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com//images/icons/icon5.gif
Question


Morning Men, been looking at an '05 LS v8 at the dealers. I do like the power and rear drive. He Wants 43K and change. I'll get him down with rebates etc. but is this a car with just too many inherent problems? I drive quite a bit in the Adirondacks were reliability is a must. Any insight will be appreciated. Leon

 

[Cruznlife1]

Brake fluid goes low for a reason. As the brake pads wear the fluid gets lower and lower as the caliper pistons are pushed out, the calipers hold more fluid.... Use the brake fuild level as a pad indicator, when the pads are new make sure it's full as it goes low, you'll know you're pads are worn. Unless it's leaking from somewhere you are never supposed to add brake fluid. Now when you change your brakes you're going to have a big mess with you compress the pistosn for the new pads. or you're going to have a very pissed off mechanic.... Not trying to be a smartass just letting you know, if you're fluid is low, make sure you check you're brakes.

 

[Jim Henderson]

BTW, it is a good practice to periodically flush and clean your brake system. The fluid over time gets dirty and collects water.

I think the recommended interval is something like every two years.

I plan to flush out all the old fluid and replace it with syn this spring. Also now that I have all my tools I plan to take a look at the pads etc. I only have about 23K miles but at the rate the fluid went down either my pads are wearing faster than I am used to or there is a very slight leak somewhere. I don't normally expect the fluid to drop as low as mine has until the pads are well worn.

Of course it could just be that I have been unable to do my routine maintenance without having all my tools and chemicals handy, so the reservoir showed low because I have not topped it up as I would routinely do.


BTW, if you do your own brake service, suck out some of the fluid from the reservoir before you push the pads in, that will prevent the mess of fluid overflowing.

I have a Mityvac vacuum pump, very handy for sucking up fluids and of course checking vacuums.

Jim Henderson

 

[KC_Steve]

OK, my Advancetrak Light went off this morning... it would not let me turn it off... It seems a little bit suspicious to me that it came on at 40,002. Is this one of those hard coded things to get you to bring your car in for maintenance?? I just had the brake pads replaced and rotors turned about two weeks ago..

Any suggestions?

Steve

 

[LincolnTech38]

Well I can tell you for a fact that low brake fluid will not cause a check advance trac lights

the 00-02 LS has many problems with the active brake booters as well as the pressure switches on the master cylinder

03+
Most likely cause is a bum front wheel speed sensor, moisture gets in the bearing cap and shorts the sensor, there is a TSB on it, we drill vent holes int he bearing caps and replace the faulty sensors.

Jay

 

[Riles]

Well I can tell you for a fact that low brake fluid will not cause a check advance trac lights

Jay

I wouldn't use the word "fact". Brake fluid has been my culprit in Advancetrak lights. It's happened twice since I've owned the car, once because I changed my brakes and lost some fluid, and once because I improperly bled the brakes. Each time, the light came on when the fluid went low, and turned right off when I corrected it. Seems to contradict your statement....

 

[Black03]

Mine came on a couple weeks ago and the brakes started pulsating while i was driving, almost like it was running through a diagnostics or something. Light went off next time i started the car, took it in and they told me it was because i have drop springs on it. The springs have been on for 18 months or so and this hasn't happened before.

 

[LincolnTech38]

I have never seen low brake fluid cause the ''check advance trac'' message to come on in the message center. The red brake light yes, not the advance trac message.

Black 03 sounds like false activation, doubt it has anything to do with your springs.

Number one cause of false activation is a cracked or chipped abs tone ring but that usually isnt an intermettent problem

Could also be an ABS sensor going bad or one that got moisture in it like I staed above.

Jay

 

[macboy]

I have never seen low brake fluid cause the ''check advance trac'' message to come on in the message center. The red brake light yes, not the advance trac message.

It could happen, since Advancetrac depends heavily on the car's braking system.

 

[ToddG]

It could happen, since Advancetrac depends heavily on the car's braking system.

But the red brake light and the AdvancTrac indicator are monitoring different systems.

 

[JES_LS]

As for the low level, I'll bet that you'll be doing brake pads very soon.

That was the first sign that the LS was heading for brake pads.

 

[galantz28x]

I am having intermittant problems on my 05 v8 with the advancetrack and abs light coming on. I would take it to the dealership but I am worried that they will try and charge me because I have aftermarket 20" rims. It is under warranty, what are your suggestions???

 

[Archer28]

My "check advanctrac" message was displayed about 4 days ago. I was pulling out of our local library, making a left hand turn. The library parking lot has a steep gully that I try to take sideways to keep from scraping the front bumper.

Just as I went over this, my message was displayed. I turned the car off and back on, and haven't seen it since. Could a tire coming out of contact with the pavement for a moment (as I went over the ditch, I could have had only 3 touching) cause the sensor to have a false problem?

 

[Jim Henderson]

Fixing the Advancetrack should be under warranty, but tire size can affect the system, says so right in the book. So you might be sol.

Getting uneven traction will often cause the advancetrac to light up, but my experience is it will shut off a few seconds later. I have had mine light up crossing railroad tracks at an angle, turns during wet conditions, a little too much throttle in a turn etc.

If it doesn't come on and stay on again, I wouldn't worry about it.

There was some problem common with sensors and I think there was a resistor somewhere in the car that would go bad which would set off the warning. I believe most of these are covered under warranty, if you still have it.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

[macboy]

My "check advanctrac" message was displayed about 4 days ago. I was pulling out of our local library, making a left hand turn. The library parking lot has a steep gully that I try to take sideways to keep from scraping the front bumper.

Just as I went over this, my message was displayed. I turned the car off and back on, and haven't seen it since. Could a tire coming out of contact with the pavement for a moment (as I went over the ditch, I could have had only 3 touching) cause the sensor to have a false problem?

Don't worry about it. The message was triggered due to the fact that you were driving over uneven ground. That caused the four wheels to turn at slightly different speeds in a particular way which confused the advancetrac system, so it spewed the error message.

 

[joegr]

Not true. Uneven wheel speeds will cause the yellow light to come on, but no error message. The system was designed to handle uneven wheel speeds.

 

[mholhut]

Well... my turn...

Over the past year, I've gotten the intermittent "Check Advancetrac" message. I can clear it from the message center but the idiot light had remained on. Usually this happened with ice on the ground as I was bringing the car to a stop... I could feel the front wheel lock, so I know I've got a front wheel sensor going south.

Now, on an almost daily basis and after driving for about 5 minutes, I get the same message and idiot light. ABS is working fine and the brake fluid on my car is full.

Question is, if the light is on, will an OBDII scantool tell me the problem or do they just read PCM codes? If a scantool can read the advancetrac message, then I can just bring it to AutoZone when it comes on and have them read it.

Anyone?

 

[eastcoastLS]

the advance trak system on the ls. how does that work does it apply brake the brake to the inside wheel like some traction control systems? if not just key me in.

 

[mholhut]

Senses slippage or uneven tire rotation and cuts engine timing to avoid wheelspin. Not sure how much the brakes come into play with it, if at all.

Try getting your LS off a sheet of ice in the winter... not fun.