ABS system and Traction System

Asked by Melinda Jun 17, 2014 at 10:44 AM about the 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix Base

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

As i drive and apply brakes, sporadically, the brake pedal will give a little and be harder
to start.   Then I hear a beep and the light symbols for the traction system and abs
system comes on on the tachometer area.  In the DIC it will read service abs system
and service traction system.   Then it will tell me the traction system is off.  My
boyfriend checked brake pads, does not need any.   But said it was very UNUSUALLY
hot.  What else needs to be checked?

28 Answers

10,655

Separate the wheel sensor harness connector at each wheel and carefully clean the contacts, Apply a little dialectric grease and reconnect everything. Those connectors get corroded over time and will send false or erratic signals to the ABS and Traction program. This can cause the symptoms you're getting.

35 people found this helpful.
18,235

For some reason worn out front wheel bearings can sometimes mess with the ABS. It's happened on cars of mine twice. Most often I noticed the symptoms during low speed turns.

22 people found this helpful.
18,235

Yes, changing out the front wheel bearings cured it. It's a good time to consider changing out the axle shafts too if its in the budget and they are high mileage. I like Norm's advice up above too though, and its cheaper than bearings and axles. I'd go there first.

11 people found this helpful.
250

so I have a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix everytime I hit my break pedal almost every time I hit my brake pedal it's like I'm sliding in snow my abs comes on mi pedal shakes like I'm sliding and my traction control light comes on and ABS light comes on does anyone know why that is?

25 people found this helpful.
18,235

Yes, it is likely one or all of three things. Possibly a failed wheel sensor. Possibly a failing CV (front axle) shaft and maybe a bad front wheel bearing. My feeling is its more likely an axle shaft than a sensor. I think sensors get blamed a lot of times when they are simply reading other mechanical problems. I've owned lots of GM front wheel drives, and I've had that sort of problem on several of them and it has always been cured when I changed out axles and bearings. Do you feel a vibration in the steering wheel when you are simply driving down the road at various speeds? That's a sure sign of a faulty axle, and a dull roar/rumble, sometimes barely audible is often a sign of a failing bearing.

9 people found this helpful.
80

We changed the wheel bearing and it was good for a week and now same problem. All lights and messages on for abs and traction.Put it on the machine and it said it was right front so that is the one we changed.

5 people found this helpful.
18,235

Could be the other bearing as well. They both have the same number of miles on them after all. And of course there are sensors down there which can fail. Remember we're all just guessing here because none of us can see or drive your car. You could just drive it for a while and see what happens. Or you could find a good front end shop to do some diagnosis. If its in the budget, you probably can't go too far wrong by changing the other bearing and seeing what happens.

3 people found this helpful.
30

Would you possibly think it's the Pedal Senor ? For the acceleration

3 people found this helpful.
160

First of all your CV axles have nothing to do with traction control they merely propel your tires, your sensors if you notice are getting a reading from a ring of teeth which the CPU takes and applies to an algorithm and deciphers it to know how fast each wheel is rotating and when on ice where the abs comes in is when a tire is turning and the rest aren't your brakes release and apply a hundred times a second in relation to the rings teeth the sensor is detecting that's turning. There is a small gap between the sensor and teeth so yes the hub bearings can alter the readings and make the CPU send a fault

4 people found this helpful.
160

RE:We changed the wheel bearing and it was good for a week and now same problem. All lights and messages on for abs and traction.Put it on the machine and it said it was right front so that is the one we changed. When you changed the bearing you might have allowed some contact in the sensors connection you might do as Norm suggested I believe separate the sensors connector and using electrical contact cleaner clean the two connectors and apply di-electric grease and that should remedy your dilemma? If not then your sensor may need to be replaced?

3 people found this helpful.
70

Some of the threads I have read elsewhere have been talking about a weak area of the wiring harness leading to both front wheels. It appears that many people have had corroded wires or broken wires connecting the wheel sensors to the control unit. This was found by checking the voltage output at the control unit and then periodically on the wires leading to the wheel sensors. There has been a noticeable voltage drop or absence of voltage just past the problem area of the wire. A repair splice of the wire or replacing all the rest of the wire leading to the wheel sensor has done the trick. As I understand it, GM sells a new wheel sensor connector and short segment of wire. Why would they do that if this were not a problem they are aware of?

7 people found this helpful.
18,235

Apparently it is a problem they are aware of. That's why they sell a sensor connector and short segment of wire. It's a service part. Cars don't last forever. As they get older things need repairing.

7 people found this helpful.
160

Sorry no offense but, people who know nothing about cars except how to drive them exist however Munron is right they've had hundreds upon hundreds of the same problem with that same model so rather than do a recall update and waste money they have number crunchers figure out what it will cost to make these repair kits and wait for customers to come in as these problem areas arise! That would explain the symptoms reported so I would try that first, A. Because it is certainly the least expensive repair and B it just seems logical and Drqueztv, please sarcasm isn't necessary!

8 people found this helpful.
160

My apologies Drqueztv I misread your comment I figured you were being sarcastic and no it has nothing to do with acceleration that's engine management we are on the area of braking and traction control!

1 people found this helpful.
30

munron or james, do either of you know what the actual name is for the sensor connector and segment of wire kit? is it Dorman 970-047 ABS Wheel Speed Sensor with Harness

3 people found this helpful.
18,235

Yes, after reading the description I would say that's the part you're after. It appears to be just the wiring without the sensor despite the badly worded description.

1 people found this helpful.
10

For my own problem front left and sensor was causing TC and abs light to come on... In order to fix my issue, I spliced the wires from the speed sensor arness. There is a week spot in the bend .disconnect it remove it from the holders and start opening up the wire shell. There will be a rubber shell as well. Carefully cut open with exacto knife fix week spot and clean the connector pins while you're at it !!! Only issue I still have is if I go wide open throttle it might turn abs / Tc lights on if I shut the car off and restarts the errors are gone

1 people found this helpful.
10

i have this problem with my 2007 grand prix, I had the bearing replaced and about a month later it started again

1 people found this helpful.
18,235

If you used a cheap Chinese replacement and the problem went away and is now back I would suspect the bearing/sensor is at fault again. If you used a good quality brand name part, then I'd look at other parts of the wiring harness or perhaps a different wheel is at fault.

2 people found this helpful.
20

If I have replaced the wire harness and no more lights come on but now when I apply the brakes and sit at a stop light my car starts vibrating and it sounds like some sort of pump then when I shut off car it sounds like the pump is either filling back w air or fluid for a second after the power is shut off?

2 people found this helpful.
18,235

Scan it for trouble codes and see what comes up.

1 people found this helpful.
20

They have scanned it 3 times now after replacing wire harness and no codes or lights ever come on so I am at a loss why none of these places have an answer when I take my car in

80

Changed a section of the wiring harness in the front on both sides.PROBLEM SOLVED after 2 years!!

3 people found this helpful.
20

Can 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix interchange with a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix?

2 people found this helpful.
10

I’m having the same problem. Abs light and traction control light have been staying on since I got the car from someone. Changed both wheel hubs for the front tires and unplugged the battery for 5 minutes. Still did nothing. Have been buying new parts for the past 2 weeks for my 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix. Can anyone post an update for their Grand Prix and explain what fixed the problem???

1 people found this helpful.
18,235

Stop buying parts until you identify the problem. (Just send the money to me if it simply must be spent) Scan for trouble codes. Start going through electrical connections to make sure they are tight and clean. I believe there is a repair section of wiring with a plug on one end that can be used down at the wheel. Movement there can cause wiring to break down inside the insulation while still looking OK. Make sure all grounds on the car are tight and clean. Good luck.

3 people found this helpful.

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