Help! Traction control

[FWemlinger]

My 2004 XLR with 30K has just started traction control message to come on and DIC says to get serviced. Took to dealer and they checked and found no errors reported and said they reprogrammed braking system.
Light was out for a couple days after that and then came on again. then a day or so later light went off and is now back on. Anybody have any info on this problem. I found in owners manual you can shut off stabilization totally with 5 second hold on TC button. So I shut whole system off. The traction and stabilization is only really useful when doing winter driving. In winter in MN I do not drive it. it is stored from Nov thru March.

 

[rexster314]

How's your tire pressure?

 

[Pbsilberman]

My 2004 XLR with 30K has just started traction control message to come on and DIC says to get serviced. Took to dealer and they checked and found no errors reported and said they reprogrammed braking system.

Adding brake fluid to the max line fixed mine.


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[FWemlinger]

Thanks,
Checked fluid level.it is about 1/2 full at reservoir joint. What is max fill level? Is that the bottom of filler neck at bottom of air slots? Cannot find anything that actually tells you in manual what max level is? Not marked on res. either. Turns out that with the TC on stabilzer needing serve DIC notice on, the cruise control does not work either.
FW

 

[Pbsilberman]

Thanks,
Checked fluid level.it is about 1/2 full at reservoir joint. What is max fill level? Is that the bottom of filler neck at bottom of air slots? Cannot find anything that actually tells you in manual what max level is? Not marked on res. either. Turns out that with the TC on stabilzer needing serve DIC notice on, the cruise control does not work either.
FW

I have a 2006 XLRV so YMMV. My reservoir is marked with raised letters and a line in the same plastic as the reservior. It is located towards the back of the reservoir of the fender side. If your reservoir is at all dirty, give it a good wipe first.

My line is a touch below where the flat side of the reservoir starts to curve towards the top.

 

[V Happy]

Traction ControlI

My 2004 XLR with 30K has just started traction control message to come on and DIC says to get serviced. Took to dealer and they checked and found no errors reported and said they reprogrammed braking system.
Light was out for a couple days after that and then came on again. then a day or so later light went off and is now back on. Anybody have any info on this problem. I found in owners manual you can shut off stabilization totally with 5 second hold on TC button. So I shut whole system off. The traction and stabilization is only really useful when doing winter driving. In winter in MN I do not drive it. it is stored from Nov thru March.

First of all you should make sure the fluid is the new updated type. 04 to 06 had to have an up dated fluid. ( check out there have been threads on this) Also if I am correct you have to disengage each time you restart the car. I think a simple fluid change would cure your problem.
V. Happy

 

[FWemlinger]

Just found marks before your response.

Thanks again
Found Max & Min embossed on side where you said. Reservoir is spotless but one cannot see the level marks on side without the shadow of a flashlight. Going to dealer shortly to pick up some Dot 3 and see if max level fill fixes it. Manual says brake fluid level drops due to break pad wear and should be checked. Also, there is a low brake fluid sensor on reservoir, but, that is when res. is close to empty. Manual also says if fluid if less than 1/2 full that should be topped off.
Hard to believe that 1/2 fluid level causes the TC problem, but, we'll see if max fill fixes it.
FW

 

[V Happy]

Thanks again
Found Max & Min embossed on side where you said. Reservoir is spotless but one cannot see the level marks on side without the shadow of a flashlight. Going to dealer shortly to pick up some Dot 3 and see if max level fill fixes it. Manual says brake fluid level drops due to break pad wear and should be checked. Also, there is a low brake fluid sensor on reservoir, but, that is when res. is close to empty. Manual also says if fluid if less than 1/2 full that should be topped off.
Hard to believe that 1/2 fluid level causes the TC problem, but, we'll see if max fill fixes it.
FW

iI was referring to rear diff fluid.

 

[Pbsilberman]

Thanks again

Hard to believe that 1/2 fluid level causes the TC problem, but, we'll see if max fill fixes it.
FW

I had the same doubt when another thread said to add fluid even if not at low line but with the low cost of the DOT3, I went ahead.

BTW, I used a name brand DOT3 from the auto parts store rather than a dealer trip.

 

[FWemlinger]

Status

Just drove 20 miles each way to and back from dealer to get $7 worth of GM DOT 3. Amazingly, both ways the TC light never came on and the ACC worked. No DIC Service messages. Weirdness!
Got home and put in DOT 3 to Max level, which the bottom of filler tube and Max on reservoir side align.
Will report in next few days if that has permanently fixed the intermittent TC problem.
FW

 

[Smoothran]

In my experience whenever my car is raised and lowered for service, the traction control system shows needing service. When my oil gets changed, when tires were replaced, when I put new wheels on it. Each time service stabilitrac comes on and after a while resets itself. So I'm believing it's in the shocks and suspension. In many cases these cars sit unused and then when they are taken out these quirky issues arise.

Also it's a bad idea to add brake fluid to the system unless you're changing the fluid. As the piston pushes the pad against the rotor the pads wear down causing the fluid level in the res to lower but not in the system. When replacing the pads the pistons get compressed back into the caliper which pushes fluid back into the reservoir. Now the fluid in the system has no where to go.
Be sure to warn your mechanic before replacing your brakes the system may be over filled.

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[FWemlinger]

Smoothran,
With only 30 K on it I've replaced and rotated tires and had it on lift a couple times for oil changes with no trouble with TC. Realize and figured maybe it is due to storing it all winter in MN.
5" thick service manual states that you should check Brake fluid level and lower same if necessary when modifying or replacing brakes. Don't know if servicemen at dealers have ever read all the particulars in the 2004 XLR Service manual. Doubt it! They probably don't even have hard copy of service manuals and just look on line for stuff which isn't the same and easy to miss stuff. My service dealer I know doesn't have hard copy.
Good to point it out about fluid level.
Will see if this full reservoir trick works. Not in service Manual. Maybe the low brake level sensor is faulty and needs full reservoir to not give error message to the much to complicated ABS brake system and related functions.
My 29 year old 88 Allante with 75K has a complicated ABS system as well, but so far, has never had an ABS system problem and it has been stored most of the time in recent years except for a tank full of gas minimum every summer. I change brake fluid in that system every few years. Maybe have to do that with XLR as well.
FW