Check Traction Control

[Bmetzger8]

I am a new member so I apologize if you talked about this before. My 98 Mark VIII is giving me a "Check Traction Control" message on the dash. I took it in to the shop and they said it was the ABS pump. It would be $1,500 to $2,500 to fix. I thought it might be a wheel sensor but they said it's the pump. Have any of you had this problem?

 

[MonsterMark]

I don't personally know but someone here will. Someone may even be able to give a fair estimate of what the repair should cost and a DIY estimate also.

 

[Cubster]

I am a new member so I apologize if you talked about this before. My 98 Mark VIII is giving me a "Check Traction Control" message on the dash. I took it in to the shop and they said it was the ABS pump. It would be $1,500 to $2,500 to fix. I thought it might be a wheel sensor but they said it's the pump. Have any of you had this problem?

First :W to the LVC, I wish I could help you w/ your problem, having said that, Ray and or Craig will be more than happy to help you out, they're our resident problem solvers.

 

[Bmetzger8]

Thanks. I just recently hit 90,000 miles- just starting to have major problems. These repairs can get expensive!

 

[LarryNSteph]

Traction Control

I am a new member so I apologize if you talked about this before. My 98 Mark VIII is giving me a "Check Traction Control" message on the dash. I took it in to the shop and they said it was the ABS pump. It would be $1,500 to $2,500 to fix. I thought it might be a wheel sensor but they said it's the pump. Have any of you had this problem?

I'd like to start this by apologizing for my lack of "technical knowledge". Here's what I know: I have a 97 LSC with 74,000 miles on it that just started doing the same thing. My husband has spent quite a few hours on the ground with it, tracking down the problem. He thinks that it is a sensor located in the front passenger wheel area. I'm thinking that he told me that the part is around $70, give or take a few. Hopefully, he'll find time this weekend to fix it. (Our son's hockey team is in playoffs and weekends are pretty full.) If that works, I'll let you know!

 

[Bmetzger8]

I'd like to start this by apologizing for my lack of "technical knowledge". Here's what I know: I have a 97 LSC with 74,000 miles on it that just started doing the same thing. My husband has spent quite a few hours on the ground with it, tracking down the problem. He thinks that it is a sensor located in the front passenger wheel area. I'm thinking that he told me that the part is around $70, give or take a few. Hopefully, he'll find time this weekend to fix it. (Our son's hockey team is in playoffs and weekends are pretty full.) If that works, I'll let you know!

Thanks. I would be interested to hear what you find.

 

[steve]

I've got a 98 Mark VIII LSC and it started doing tthe same thing. It's only got 44,000 miles on it and it sat for 2 years before I bought it. I had several switches that were carroded and sprayed wd-40 on them and it fixed them. The switch on the steering colum that works the tilt had that problem and the oil fixed. I'm hoping the problem on the suspension is just a dirty sensor like the other stuff. I just need to jack it up and check it out. I need to get off my lazy butt and do it thats all. Good luck!

 

[Bmetzger8]

I've got a 98 Mark VIII LSC and it started doing tthe same thing. It's only got 44,000 miles on it and it sat for 2 years before I bought it. I had several switches that were carroded and sprayed wd-40 on them and it fixed them. The switch on the steering colum that works the tilt had that problem and the oil fixed. I'm hoping the problem on the suspension is just a dirty sensor like the other stuff. I just need to jack it up and check it out. I need to get off my lazy butt and do it thats all. Good luck!

Have you noticed a big power loss too?

 

[97 Ivory Pearl VIII]

I am a new member so I apologize if you talked about this before. My 98 Mark VIII is giving me a "Check Traction Control" message on the dash. I took it in to the shop and they said it was the ABS pump. It would be $1,500 to $2,500 to fix. I thought it might be a wheel sensor but they said it's the pump. Have any of you had this problem?

Does your traction control work after you get the message? If it does, it is most likely NOT the ABS pump but a rear wheel sensor like you suspect. That's what the wheel speed sensors are supposed to do. If they sense an imballance in the rear wheel speed, they tell the TC fairy to engage. And the ABS light goes off because our GEN 2 Marks have a TC system that uses a combination of braking, throttle and transmission to work. You are probably getting the "CHECK TRACTION CONTROL" error message when your speed reaches about 15 MPH the first time you drive after an initial start-up, right? You are probably also getting the ABS light on the dash, too. That's just the car's way of saying "check me out, fool! I need more money spent on me today!"

I recently experienced the same problem with my '97 and a friend of mine that works as a service tech at the local FLM stealership told me it was probably a rear wheel sensor. Haven't gotten around to fixing it yet, though. If you don't mind driving without ABS (I actually like not having ABS!) and don't want traction control (I only use it if I'm driving in deep snow, the rest of the time no TC so I can crank 'em off if I want to!!!), disable the traction control before you take off. If you try to disable the TC after you get the error message, it will not clear. You'd have to stop the car, shut it off, restart it and THEN disable the TC. It is an annoyance to me so far, but I'll get to the sensors once the weather gets a little better around here. I'll have my buddy give me a hand and hopefully it won't be too tough of a fix. Seems to me that the wheel sensors are under $50.00 each, but I haven't checked to verify.

Good Luck!

 

[LarryNSteph]

Does your traction control work after you get the message? If it does, it is most likely NOT the ABS pump but a rear wheel sensor like you suspect. That's what the wheel speed sensors are supposed to do. If they sense an imballance in the rear wheel speed, they tell the TC fairy to engage. And the ABS light goes off because our GEN 2 Marks have a TC system that uses a combination of braking, throttle and transmission to work. You are probably getting the "CHECK TRACTION CONTROL" error message when your speed reaches about 15 MPH the first time you drive after an initial start-up, right? You are probably also getting the ABS light on the dash, too. That's just the car's way of saying "check me out, fool! I need more money spent on me today!"

I recently experienced the same problem with my '97 and a friend of mine that works as a service tech at the local FLM stealership told me it was probably a rear wheel sensor. Haven't gotten around to fixing it yet, though. If you don't mind driving without ABS (I actually like not having ABS!) and don't want traction control (I only use it if I'm driving in deep snow, the rest of the time no TC so I can crank 'em off if I want to!!!), disable the traction control before you take off. If you try to disable the TC after you get the error message, it will not clear. You'd have to stop the car, shut it off, restart it and THEN disable the TC. It is an annoyance to me so far, but I'll get to the sensors once the weather gets a little better around here. I'll have my buddy give me a hand and hopefully it won't be too tough of a fix. Seems to me that the wheel sensors are under $50.00 each, but I haven't checked to verify.

Good Luck!

My husband assures me that fixing my car is on his list of things to do as soon as it gets warmer out. He did hook a scanner up to my car and the code it gave was a wheel sensor. Thanks for the idea of just turning off the silly thing. It never occured to me to do that. (You'll all have to excuse my "girl" behavior!)

So far, the only times that I wish it were fixed is when it is snowing. Fortunately, I think warmer weather may be on the way. At least I'm hoping that's the case.

Thanks everybody for your help with this. Not that I'm glad you have the problem too, but it's nice to know that my car truely isn't possessed.....