Chevrolet Malibu Forums banner

Service Traction and ESC

469K views 152 replies 68 participants last post by  DrivenDaily 
#1 ·
Once in a while, I get the message to service traction and ESC. Now the wrinkle to all of this is that, if I turn the car off and restart, it goes away. Anyone have this issue? It has happened a few times now and is never there when I restart the next time.

Thanks.
 
#3 ·
I had a similar problem which was due to using bad quality gas, however after running it dry a few times it kinda fixed itself. However I feel the cars acceleration is sluggish now...
 
#4 ·
if the service traction control light is on, or service stability, then its not powertrain related. not a cat, has nothing to do with poor fuel. unless the engine is misfiring, or other concerns exist with drivability. if not, then its not going to disable the stability system.

the reason that it resets after you turn the car off, is because it IS resetting itself. when it comes on, you need to take it to the dealer, do not shut off the car, take it directly to the shop, tell them to test it without shutting it off. the problem is current when the light is on. most likely - it is a wheel speed sensor failing intermittently, or wiring from the electronic brake control module to one of the wheel speed sensors. fixed several of them for various rear hub failures, few front hubs, had open circuits in the wiring to the wheel speed sensors, and even have had failed EBCM's. you wont know until the vehicle is tested. there will be a chassis DTC in the EBCM for the fault.
 
#15 ·
Very good. I also have had similar issues, the latest being the security light and it took three starts to make it go away.
Often if a wheel sensor is at fault, it will blink a number of times indicating which one is at fault, during the start up.
There is a SB that admits they left diodes out of the cooling fan circuit which exposes all the electronics to voltage spikes. This is one of several things that are very damaging to electronic components, especially semi-conductors whether it is a simple transistor or a computer chip. Sometimes such a spike will just kill the component, other times it damages it with a shortened life expectancy. The surge punches a hole through the PN junction and can cause a short at that point. If it is a relatively tiny hole it may only cause leakage, but also a hot spot that might eventually kill the component. Also shorts may be temporary such as when you turn off power and it does not show as a problem when power is reapplied, not immediately anyway.
There have been some posting that seem to connect dead ECM, TCM, and ABS to it.
What burns me up is they did the same stupid thing during the '90's with the Aurora and they are doing the same fix for this one.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Just curious, have you had this error re-occur yet? The reason I ask is I had this very same thing happening to my HHR SS on/off for almost 6 months. I think they finally nailed it down this time. It was in and out of the shop about 4 times, the last time for 11 days!

I was getting a P2138 code that current with mine and it ended up being a burned wire in the wiring harness. They had replaced the entire pedal assembly first, but that didn't solve it. This time they had to relace all of the leads between the throttle pedal assembly that went to the ECM. Looks like that was a total of 5 wires, but I do not know how many connectors.

Good luck!
 
#8 ·
I took delivery of a 2008 Malibu LT2 tonight at 8 pm . When driving to my home, the car started to brake by itself when I took off my feet from the gas pedal to a complete stop in a relatively short distance without using my brake pedal. When I stated to give gas, It felt like I was towing a charge heavier than my car. Suddenly a chime with the ESC yellow light blinking and the ''Service ESC'' message appearing on the DIC. So I decided to stop to the closest Chevrolet dealer from where I was at this point arriving there at 8h30.

The service dept was close but the receptionnist at the showroom took care of me like a was already a client with a car bought at this place and it was the first thing I told her that I just took delivery at another dealer. They finally gave me a courtesy car for the weekend as it was impossible for me to rent one because of the time.

So after 15 minutes of driving my new Malibu, it is already in for repairs ! Hoping I didn't get a full time membership to the service dept with this car ! The car have also a 4yrs extended warranty.
 
#9 ·
Last evening at 8 pm, I took delivery of my 2008 Malibu with 25 000 km. Driving back at home the car suddenly started to brake by itself to a complete stop as soon I took off my foot from the gas pedal ! When I gave gas, it was like I had a 20,000 lbs trailer ! Then I eard a bell chime, the ESC ligh came on and the DIC indicated Service ESC ! I stop the car and restarted it and the ESC light disappeared and no message on DIC but the car still doing the same thing. Then after 1 mile, the bell, light and message came on again. Doing the same procedure I finally arrived at another Chevy dealer near my place but Service dept was close.

I phone my dealer and all he found to say was ''Call the GM Roadside Assistance'' knowing I was already at another dealer. Very impressive !

I called GMRA and they said that the dealer where I was will take care of me. So I went to the showroom and explained my situation to the receptionnist. They effectively took care of me like I was the most important client of this dealer knowing that I just took delivery from another Chevy dealer ! Also, because it was impossible for me to rent a car for the weekend because it was too late, they offered me a courtesy car (Cobalt) asking me to come back Monday morning.

I hope I didn't get with the Malibu a full time membership with the service department. It's a bit frustating to arrive at home with this base Cobalt after advising my wife and all neighberhood that I will have a Malibu !
 
#10 ·
With a drive by wire throttle there are certain problems where the engine computer cannot control the throttle properly. When this happens the engine computer sends a message to the electronic brake control module that it cannot perform requested torque functions. The EBCM then shuts down stability control and traction control.

There are other problems in the ABS system that can affect the Traction Control and Stability Control. If the EBCM senses unusual wheel speeds Traction Control can be triggered for what seems to be no reason. Since the poster above mentions he bought a used car the first thing I would check is to see if the front or rear tires are the wrong size. If the front tires are the incorrect diameter in relation to the rear tires Traction Control can be triggered since the EBCM sees the fronts turning faster than they should when compared to the rears. Simple fix but maybe costly. Just buy the correct size tires.
Wheel speed sensor issues and corroded wiring connections can also trigger traction control.

Bill
 
#11 ·
Update to my post earlier...

It was towed to the nearest dealer. It took them 2 days to look at it and they found some kind of electronic control board to the fuel injectors became "unplugged". Took them 5 minutes to fix once they found the problem.

Nice to know critical components just randomly become unplugged in this brand new car.
 
#13 ·
Oh yes, very familiar with this problem on my 2008 Malibu!! It has been in the shop three times now and the dealership could not figure out the problem. They are now fixing the throttle body on it. I hope this works as the car starts to power the engine down when it says service traction, ESC off and I can not go over 40 mph! I only have 22,ooo miles on it- so I am praying they fix this before it's out of warranty. It really is a beautiful car, all problems aside.
 
#14 ·
I just had the problem with the 3 chimes and the service ESC light. I took it back to the dealer and told them what happened. I was in the waiting room about 15 minutes when my guy came back and told me they had to order a part.
According to the invoice: 1) a short in the traction control switch was found; 2) replaced the control switch; and 3) the description = Switch 4.710.

C. J. loves the 2008 Chevy Malibu LS
 
#16 ·
My problem was very special. When I took delivery of my car last october, the car was stopping by itself and it was like I was pulling a trailer of 10,000 lbs and the Service traction and ESC lights and chime came on. It cost GM a maximum of 10 cents in pieces and 3 man hours. When my steering was at the lowest position without telescoping, it was interfering with the brake pedal mechanism so brake was applied. A service bulletin was issued on this specific problem for Malibu with electric pedals and to correct this problem, only 2 small washers in specific size and thickness was necessary. I don't know where it goes exactly but they have to dismantled everything under the steering wheel and behind the master cylinder under the hood to install these 2 small washers. The ESC light came on because both gas and brake pedals was applied at the same time for too long I think so computer didn't know what to do (Braking or accelerating). It was the first time the service technician had this problem code from the OBD2 module and after a quick search in the computer, he found the TSB explaining the problem and the solution.

So if you have electric pedals and if you lowered your steering at the maximum and completely retracted position, it may interfere with the accelerator mechanism.
 
#17 ·
My problem was very special. When I took delivery of my car last october, the car was stopping by itself

So if you have electric pedals and if you lowered your steering at the maximum and completely retracted position, it may interfere with the accelerator mechanism.
It was common practice to have an adjustment for the rod that pushes the master cylinder plunger. It sounds like they thought they make every car exactly the same and did not need that adjustment anymore.

Electric pedals?
One small annoyance I've encountered is the amount the pedal has to be depressed to release the cruise control. Far more than any other vehicle I've driven. Many times I've tapped the brake and discover it did not release. Many older vehicles had separate switches for cruise circuit, brake lights, computer input, etc. And they were adjustable for the amount of movement before actuating. I don't know of this vehicles config, but now worry if brake light is being delayed and need to check if my warning tap to those behind me is actually working.
 
#19 · (Edited)
It really makes me question the engineering I must admit.
The combination of the I4 to the A6 was a big plus. Better pep and mileage, and I said "was" because of something that came to light yesterday, but not sure if it is just mine or a flaw in A6.

I ran across a post about a shudder at lower speeds yesterday. I too have it sometimes but was having real trouble trying to decipher where or what it was from.
It seems I may have gotten a big clue yesterday when starting from temp of 49. A bit cooler than we've had most days. When it shifted to third gear, it felt very much like it had slipped into neutral. Light but steady accel and several stop signs before leaving my neighborhood with speeds up to 35 mph.
I start watching tach. Instead of settling to the shifted RPM, it sluggishly dropped about half of the RPM, hesitated, then dropped the rest of the way before having positive engagement.
The amount of time that clutch would have been slipping is very disconcerting. I have not seen a break down of the tranny, but following what normally happens with electronic shift vs mechanical valve body, it seems highly likely that some sort of internal leak is occuring at cooler temps. Since it did not occur at other shifts, that seems most likely.
The complaints of shudder match the range of speed. The difference might be temp. Assuming no leaks, then it might be tied to pressure regulation, except then it would seem to be the same across all gear changes, except if the 2-3 shift engages another clutch without disengaging a different one. Then, there might not be enough volume & pressure to positively lock as it should.
Anyway, still a mystery, but needs deciphering.
 
#22 ·
I just dropped off my new 2009 Chevy HHR again today. 2nd time in the shop in 1200 miles for this issue and 3rd time I've had this thing flashing at me. I'm looking up lemon laws tonight just in case this doesn't get corrected. First issue I didn't even have 300 miles on the car. There are some good tips here that I will try if they don't fix it this time, but the reasons for ESC and traction lights are all over the map!! Geez does everything under the sun cause this error??? I wondered if it was bad gas the first time because the hhr is a 2009 bought in March 2010. Had 25 miles on it when I bought it and it may have been on the lot for more than a year. First issue occurred when 1st tank got to the low fuel message. This time I also had just reached the low fuel point. I see one other commenter said the same though it makes no sense to me that this would trigger the ESC light and all that noise I heard under the hood earlier today. Whining like a motor was running away then back down then back up. I pulled to the side of the road and stopped. Immediately it straightened out and was normal again. The light went off too. The first time the light stayed on until I turned off the key. Love the car, but annoyed over the inconvenience. Lemon law says 4 times or 30 days in for service in 12,000 miles or 1 year and not repaired then have right to refund, exchange, etc. We'll see. Guess I'm lucky it is acting up this much right after I bought it!!
 
#25 ·
Yes I have been getting this message all of a sudden. It started about 3 weeks ago when I was driving down the highway and a light came on saying "Service Traction, Service ESC" and it kept blinking til I got where I was going. The roads weren't wet or anything. So when I got back in my car and started it, the light was off. Now this morning (3 weeks later) I am driving my car down the highway and AGAIN the light comes back on. What is causing this??
 
#26 ·
What is causing this??
Welcome to the world of electronics.
Any component in the system may have a problem. Wheel sensors, computer, wiring, electronic brake control module.
There is a TSB that apparently does not address all vehicles since the 09 I had was not in the covered, but it did not have the diodes or the fix for the missing diodes. The diodes were to be installed across the fan motors. When the fan control relays are actuated it causes a inductive spike apparently and the diodes are to kill it.
This is a long issue with GM apparently since it was also noted on 96 Aurora which I acquired used and it had the fix harness installed. The missing diodes were blamed for killing electronic brake control module. HELLO! So I was shocked to see the same missing diodes issue on 09 Malibu and the same exact fix. Let me say if spikes are killing it, they can also kill any electronic component. In that way they are a bit like lightning, looking for the easiest path. Often they do not outright kill a semiconductor, they punch a small hole through a PN junction which creates current leakage in the device junction. If the hole is big enough it is flat dead. If it is small the current leakage creates heat until it shorts out. Removing power or cooling often allows it to work normally for a period of time such as getting hot again. Apparently the EBCM is the weakest spot in a significant number of vehicles so that they were able to find the issue. But it can be any other electronic component in the vehicle that gets the damage from the spike. Remember it is looking for a path and like lightning will take the easiest, so by normal deviations during manufacturing process other components may be the easiest path.
And BTW, sometimes no issue surfaces for a long time. But it has been shown that the life of effected semiconductors is shortened tremendously.
You will also find such stuff is generally only covered under base warranty.
The next time the lights come on, drive directly to a GM dealer, do not shut off until they agree to document it.
 
#28 · (Edited by Moderator)
My 08 Malibu keeps doing the same thing. My Service Traction/Service ESC light keeps coming on and I have already had my Malibu in the shop a few times over this problem. And let me save you some time and money - DONT let them tell you it's the Brake Pedal Sensor and etc.. because all that has ever done is cost me more money because everytime I get my car back it will act ok for a short while and then the Service Traction/Service ESC lights (along with my brake lights) come back on again.. I found that ALOT of people are having the same problem with their Malibu's - which should be a recall issue because it is definitely dangerous in traffic and could resort to a lawsuit. But I read that this could actually be caused by "terminal fretting corrosion" inside the BCM (body control module) C2 connector. You can read about it on this link GM Chevrolet Malibu Brake Lights Stay On When Pedal Up Repair Guide
 
#82 ·
My 08 Malibu keeps doing the same thing. My Service Traction/Service ESC light keeps coming on and I have already had my Malibu in the shop a few times over this problem. And let me save you some time and money - DONT let them tell you it's the Brake Pedal Sensor and etc.. because all that has ever done is cost me more money because everytime I get my car back it will act ok for a short while and then the Service Traction/Service ESC lights (along with my brake lights) come back on again.. I found that ALOT of people are having the same problem with their Malibu's - which should be a recall issue because it is definitely dangerous in traffic and could resort to a lawsuit. But I read that this could actually be caused by "terminal fretting corrosion" inside the BCM (body control module) C2 connector. You can read about it on this link
http://www.paulstravelpictures.com/GM-Chevrolet-Malibu-Brake-Pedal-Off-Tail-Lights-On-Repair-Guide/
I have been having this problem for the last 4 months with no resolve. I have been back and forth to the dealer and the first code they received was the traction switch which I replaced. The check engine light came on and then they said it was the map sensor so I was at a point I wanted to drive my 2009 Malibu in the nearest lake. So after reading your post I take my hat off to you because i have been searching and searching for something to help me without continuing to get things fixed and its not fixing the problem!!! Thank you so much for your post I will definitely look into this and hope mine gets resolved. I do hope your problem was fixed. The only problem I did not have was the brake pedial off tail lights. I just the stalling, the esc lights on and the shutting off.
 
#29 ·
Mine was fixed the 3rd time my HHR went to the shop. They called central technical support because I told them even though I liked the car I was going to return in to them under the Lemon law if I had to bring it back a 4th time. They said they changed out a sensor that is located under the seat and I had no problems afterward. Can't recall but seems it was under the passenger seat.

More recently, I have had a service airbag intermittent error for many months, but just haven't taken it back yet for service because there isn't a dealership close to me anymore.

The car has only about 36K on it now and has been on the road less than 2 years, so am not impressed at all with Chevy electronics. Have had more issues with this 2009 than all my other new cars in my lifetime combined. Like the car, good fuel economy, but their electronics issues are a big nuisance.

I want a Chevy Volt next, but think I'll wait until they work the bugs out!!:)
 
#35 ·
09 LT2 I4A6 Yes, shut down reboot. The fancy stability control failed me. I actually saved the vehicle on side skid because of ice snow experience. Firestone were not Touring as stated on window sticker. Tires alone would not fix problems. Easily wander on slight bump. Learned of recall effecting ABCM, but did not include my VIN. Same exact issue existed on 96 Olds Aurora, with exact same fix. Malibu had neither missing diodes or fix. Acted like sticking caliper, decreased braking. Stopped in middle of intersection, finally. Dangerous vehicle and EPS would try to steer off road ~once/1000 miles. Lemoned it for 11Lacrosse $43K. It was even worse. Lemoned it too. GM, per Leslie Stahl program, claims they have new testing at GM. GM man stating, "When we tested the Lacrosse, it was a big disappointment", raises confidence little. Dealer could not fix several issues on either vehicle. GM replacement parts may have been rejects. Dealer has to follow GM instructions to get paid, even when it is wrong.
Not all GM have been bad. They may have been doing what it appears Honda is doing on badly reported 2013 model. Taking profit, to make up for loss, by cutting corners, cheap parts, just letting garbage slide.
Good Luck
 
Top