AdvancTrac almost caused a major wreck

35546 Views 187 Replies 39 Participants Last post by FordService, Jun 18, 2014

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Discussion Starter · Jul 26, 2012

It was 80F, on a clear, flat, smooth dry on ramp. I tried to get around an 18 wheeler hauling rocks. I had TC off, and went to 2/3 or 3/4 throttle, didn't even floor it, when I got along side the truck the TC Active light came on cutting the throttle and slaming on each brake individually in a clockwise order. I wasn't even coming close to breaking any traction, and this went on for a while. I pulled over, put it in park then pulled back out to get on the freeway. I very slowly and steadilly pulled up to about 50mph and the TC freaked out again!! Slamming each individual brake so hard I began swirving badly, and I'm in the middle lane with traffic passing me on both sides now. Even when I slowed way down it is still going nuts. The TC button would not work, I couldn't turn TC or advanctrac on, off or anything. Finally I made it to the shoulder, turned the car off for several minutes and babyed the car home.
I have an appointment with the dealer tomorrow. I've been postponing the shifting TSB, and the squeaky belt TSB hoping they would happen more often making it easier to diagnose. Also my steering wheel buttons are looking bad, flaking off paint. Sure hope they can get me fixed up. Just don't want to hear that they drove around the block and it drove fine for them...

Anyone have a similar TC event?

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1 - 20 of 188 Posts

MustangMadnesGO

· #2 · Jul 26, 2012

What year is the car?

Rickyv90

· #3 · Jul 26, 2012

Wow, never heard of something like that happening before. At least you didn't crash, hopefully they can fix it for you.

solidhadriel

· #4 · Jul 26, 2012

Wow! That's crazy! I wonder what the cause is?

As for the buttons on the steering wheel: I thought my paint was fading, as there was noticeable color discoloration, I ended up wiping them with my interior cleaner designed for hard vinyl plastic, and lo-and-behold the buttons cleaned up and looked as good as new.

Keep us updated on what happened...I'm interested to hear what the deal was.

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G

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jul 26, 2012

Well, you certainly have a serious issue with your TC. Let the dealership take care of you.

As far as the buttons on the steering wheel, this is a common problem, and the button covers are pretty easy to replace yourself. A search in this forum will get you some good info. But the problem is people using their finger-nails instead of their finger tips/pads.

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Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 26, 2012

Heading to class now, I'll check back if a couple hours! Thanks.

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Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 26, 2012

Sounds like a wheel speed sensor fault.

Darin1988

· #8 · Jul 26, 2012

MustangMadnesGO said:
What year is the car?

guessing a 2011 3.7 judging by his name :}

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Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 26, 2012

Darin1988 said:
guessing a 2011 3.7 judging by her name :}

Fixed.
............

Sanguin

· #10 · Jul 26, 2012

I find it very common in cars driven by women that the buttons on the interior are missing paint. As stated, they use their nails instead of their pad and it just scrapes it off over time.

Anyway, I'm voting on possible wheel speed sensor or whatever monitors steering input. The car thinks you're doing something you're not, so it's one of these areas that are subject to being the likely cause.

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Discussion Starter · #11 · Jul 26, 2012

Wheel speed sensor, good possibility to know about. I was just thinking dealership reflashing something in the PCM that controls advanctrac. It's scary, I'm driving slowly with 2 hands firmly on the wheel, just waiting for the car to freak out and start swirving out of control again.

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Discussion Starter · #12 · Jul 26, 2012

Wow! I don't drive with advance Trac of traction control on unless the roads are slick. I drive with everything off. I like to be the one in control of my car, and the car moves faster with everything off. At least the butt dyno feels that way.

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Discussion Starter · #13 · Jul 26, 2012

Sanguin said:
I find it very common in cars driven by women that the buttons on the interior are missing paint. As stated, they use their nails instead of their pad and it just scrapes it off over time.

Anyway, I'm voting on possible wheel speed sensor or whatever monitors steering input. The car thinks you're doing something you're not, so it's one of these areas that are subject to being the likely cause.

Giggle... Snort..., I'm a C-17A Flying Crew Chief. I have very short, and very dirty finger nails most of the time. Maybe some residual hydraulic fluid, or Jet-A fuel when I touched them... Much more likely. It's o.k. to stereotype with limited info, I do it all the time.:yup:

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RickAKATed10

· #14 · Jul 26, 2012

Wow, that sounds scary. Maybe contact Deysha to with your VIN and the issue for more help when you take it into the dealer.

solidhadriel

· #15 · Jul 26, 2012

11Red3.7 said:
Giggle... Snort..., I'm a C-17A Flying Crew Chief. I have very short, and very dirty finger nails most of the time. Maybe some residual hydraulic fluid, or Jet-A fuel when I touched them... Much more likely. It's o.k. to stereotype with limited info, I do it all the time.:yup:

That's awesome. I'm a huge fan of those birds. Then again, I'm a huge fan of any sort of flying fortress that can perform short take offs, transport large payloads and not sink out of the sky.

/envy :bigthumbsup

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Discussion Starter · #16 · Jul 26, 2012

solidhadriel said:
That's awesome. I'm a huge fan of those birds. Then again, I'm a huge fan of any sort of flying fortress that can perform short take offs, transport large payloads and not sink out of the sky.

/envy :bigthumbsup

Ditto, I heard your exhaust video! Envy

I hope they don't fall out of the sky every day, we had an Alaska bird 2 years ago practicing for their airshow sink out of the sky. Crew error, very sad.

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Discussion Starter · #17 · Jul 26, 2012

I wrote Deysha a private message. I don't know what help that will be if any. Fingers crossed. Maybe I'll I get a good service tech tomorrow.

solidhadriel

· #18 · Jul 26, 2012

11Red3.7 said:
Ditto, I heard your exhaust video! Envy

I hope they don't fall out of the sky every day, we had an Alaska bird 2 years ago practicing for their airshow sink out of the sky. Crew error, very sad.

Thanks!

That's tragic... Aviation definitely is not one of those 'safer' occupations. One of my competitive pilot friends lost a buddy earlier this year performing maneuvers for a show as well. My worst fear is entering an uncontrollable stall (or being too low..)

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Discussion Starter · #19 · Jul 26, 2012

2006GTfan said:
Wow! I don't drive with advance Trac of traction control on unless the roads are slick. I drive with everything off. I like to be the one in control of my car, and the car moves faster with everything off. At least the butt dyno feels that way.

Would make absolutely no difference if you have TC on or not. The wheelspeed sensors provide information to the ABS system as well, which you cannot defeat with a press of a button.

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malystryx

· #20 · Jul 26, 2012

11Red3.7 said:
Ditto, I heard your exhaust video! Envy

I hope they don't fall out of the sky every day, we had an Alaska bird 2 years ago practicing for their airshow sink out of the sky. Crew error, very sad.

As a Boeing engineer (I'm on the H-47, not the C-17), I can promise you our main goal is to make sure they don't fall out of the sky.

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