traction control/stabilitrak/engine light error

Asked by Karina Sep 27, 2019 at 06:40 PM about the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT Extended Cab 4WD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

My traction control light and check engine light came on and started flashing.  I also get a "service stabilitrak" message with a "traction control off" message.  I'm trying to figure out what the cause might be.  I had something similar last December except I don't remember if my check engine light just came on or flashed and when the lights came on my truck almost instantly went into "limp mode".  The problem ended up being the throttle position sensor. Super easy fix thank goodness....I'm wondering if anyone can tell me what the chances are that it could be the same issue twice within a year? Is this that common?  If anyone has any other suggestions as to what it might be and how I might be able to fix it I'd really appreciate it!! Thanks in advance.

1 Answer

630

You might try checking this (per the following). It caused my problem which is very similar to yours. I need to update this situation. 9-27-2019. 2010 Silverado with 5.3L engine, 58,000 mi., LT, 2 wheel drive, and Crew cab. I have been going through the problem I described coming back and going away for almost two months now. I though it was fixed. It came back at the strangest times, usually when in PARK idling. Yesterday we found the problem. (The truck must have heard I was going to get my oscilloscope out and start examining signals. Ha!) Anyway, I noted that the problem seemed to always come back only after I re- installed the "Vortec" top engine plastic cover on it. Big Clue. So, it was noted that the cover was affecting the harness routed around the top/back of the engine. That was the harness that contained the wires going to the TPS (throttle-body position sensor). The wire that was the TPS sensor 2 signal wire (scanner reported "switch B circuit low voltage DTC - P0220 error) which is a purple wire (wire "F" at the TPS) was routed on the outside level/layer of the harness right up against the transmission dip stick tube (TDST). The TDST vibrates like a "tuning fork", especially at idle in PARK. (In drive it seems to not oscillate like a "tuning fork" so much.) I got up into the engine compartment to look closely at that purple wire routed close the the TDST. It was night time so I was using a bright flashlight to look at this. Low and behold I saw the insulation had been rubbed off the purple wire right at the point where it was routed up against the TDST. I saw a "sliver" of copper strand of the conductor wire, bare and shiney". It was not much, but enough to interact with the TDST which is actually engine/body ground! I though surely this cannot be the cause of my problem, so I tested the situation multiple times in "make the problem come back and then make the problem go away" process methodology. This is unbelievable, but true. I could make the problem come back by firmly pressing against the harness (as is done by the "Vortec" cover) up against the TDST while the engine was idling in PARK. I would then pull the harness away from the TDST shut the engine down and re-start it and the problem would go away. I did this four times shutting the engine off and re-starting it noting the problem coming back (harness pressed firmly against the TDST) and going away (harness pulled slightly away from the TDST). It should be noted that the problem that showed on the dash display WAS: Engine Power Reduced - Stabilitrak error icon light - service traction control message - CEL (Check Engine Light) ....every time...with OBDII DTC scanner codes P0220 P2135 P0222. Now that this diagnostic testing has been validated, it is also theorized that high humidity environments also aggravate the situation to cause the issue intermittently, especially during wet conditions. It should be noted also that the TDST showed minor removal of its black epoxy paint covering, but there must have been enough removal to effectuate a ground to the TPS 2 switch B circuit signal output from the TPS so that the ECM/TAC caused these resultant errors and engine de-optimizations through this problem detection. Crazy!!! YES! TRUE. YES! So far now after this fix (harness rerouted and wire wrapped with insulation wrapping) no problem and good idling and driving. I will update later if anything else happens, but I think we nailed this one. I sincerely hope this helps others participating in this forum.

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