Article Updated: September 27, 2022
How to Fix Chevy “Service StabiliTrak” & “Service Traction Control”
Early to mid 2000’s Chevy trucks and suburbans have a common problem with the stabilitrak and traction control service lights appearing on the dash. For most truck owners, the warning lights occur frequently when the truck is idling and then disappears and reappears while driving. The “Service Stabilitrak” light will usually appear first and then the car will turn traction control off. Once traction control is turned off, the transmission beings to shift very hard and rough.
Additionally, the warning light most commonly appears in cold temperatures. Loss of engine power and or limp mode are also symptoms in addition to very hard shifting. While not isolated to these engines, the problem is very common in 2007-2013 trucks with the 5.3 Vortec and AFM.
With that being said, the Stabilitrak and Traction Control lights are common on just about any GM vehicle with the Stabilitrak system for a few reasons. Below we will discuss what Stabilitrak is, what causes the lights, and how you can diagnose and fix the issue.
Here is a video from us describing the issue with Stabilitrak and how to diagnose and fix the issue.
What is Stabilitrak?
Traction control obviously help you gain traction on low-traction surfaces, such as snow and ice. Stabilitrak is another “electronic stability control” system, but it serves a different purpose than traction control. Traction control will limit power to various wheels to help your Chevy go from stop to start when there is low traction on the road.
Stabilitrak helps your car go in a straight line once it is already moving. The system uses sensors to determine the position of the steering wheel and tires compared to the direction the car is moving. If you are on a slippery road and begin to fishtail, Stabilitrak will kick-in to help correct your path. If your car is fish tailing to the right, but you have your tires and steering wheel pointed towards the left, Stabilitrak will apply the brake on the outside front tire to straighten the car out.
Stabilitrak is connected to your Chevy’s stability control system, your wheels and steering wheel via sensors, and to your brakes. Because its a connected system, multiple issues can cause the “Service Stabilitrak” light to appear in your Chevy.
What Causes the Service Stabilitrak Light?
The Stabilitrak system is controlled by a combination of the steering, the brakes, and the wheel speed sensors. However, there are nearly a dozen or more problems that can lead to the system turning off because of the safety functionality built into it.
Both traction control and Stabilitrak have a safety functionality built into them which is the primary cause of the lights going off. Both of these systems need consistent power, or consistent engine speed, to function properly. Anytime the engine isn’t providing a consistent engine speed, Stabilitrak and traction control automatically disable. Basically anytime you experience a misfire, rough idling, or some other performance related issue that causes RPMs to jump around, these systems will disable automatically.
So, to narrow things down we are going to group the causes (and solutions) into two buckets:
- Issues with the Stabilitrak System itself
- Other performance related issues that cause RPMs to be inconsistent
1) Issues with Stabilitrak itself
Stabilitrak is controlled by a number of sensors so it is possible for your issue to actually be with this system, and not from an underlying issue. The three main components that can go bad within the stabilitrak system are:
- Wheel speed sensors (one on each wheel)
- Steering wheel sensor
- EBCM (electronic brake control module)
- There is a relay that is usually the cause
- ABS sensor failure (not a part of stabilitrak but part of the braking system)
Usually when the issue is actually with the Stabilitrak system you will get a check engine light and a fault code. All of these sensors and the EBCM have individual fault codes so an issue with one of them would appear in a check engine light and with a scan from an OBD reader. You usually won’t have any underlying performance issues like loss of power, rough idling, hesitation, misfires or so on.
Because issues with Stabilitrak itself don’t cause any performance issues, it is a pretty easy fix. However, the most common cause of the Stabilitrak light is actually from other performance issues and not from the system itself.
2) Performance Issues Causing RPMS to Fluctuate
The safety functionality kicking in from an ignition or fueling related problem is actually the most common cause of the lights to come on. And while a lot of people tend to notice various symptoms when these lights come on, the symptoms actually aren’t caused by the Stabilitrak system. Instead, they are caused by whatever other issue there is with the engine.
This is where the list of potential issues is long. But, ignition and fueling tend to be the most common causes. Here is a list of potential causes in order of highest likelihood:
- Spark plugs
- Ignition coils
- Clogged or dirty fuel filter
- Bad fuel pump
- Bad or dirty throttle position sensor
- Dirty throttle body
These problems are pretty much always going to be accompanied by some symptoms of decreased performance. Misfires, hesitation, sluggish acceleration, rough idling, and so forth. If you are misfiring it is possible to get a check engine light and P0300 misfire codes. A bad TPS sensor could also throw a check engine light and code. However, a number of these symptoms and causes might not throw any codes at all.
If you don’t have any codes then checking these parts above is the best step.
Additional Causes and Solutions to Fix Stabilitrak
While the two buckets above contain the solution for probably 90% of people with this issue, there are a few random causes and some random solutions that might help. We’ve dug around all the forums to find the random tricks that have fixed this issue for the people who have gone through all the above steps with no luck.
Random Causes
- Bad TPMS Sensors: your tire lights will be going off if you have this issue but it won’t throw a check engine light or any codes
- Brake Switch: this is the switch that causes your “BRAKE” light to appear on the dash
- Body Control Module
- Lifter Failure: probably the least common issue
Solutions to Fix Stabilitrak Light
- E85 Fuel: many people report their service stabilitrak light disappearing after running their tank dry on E85 fuel and changing back to traditional gasoline
- This is usually a sign of an issue with your fuel filter so if this fixes the problem we recommend replacing the fuel filter
- Disabling AFM: check out our guide on how to disable AFM
Symptoms of Stabilitrak and Traction Control Issues
A lot of the symptoms experienced when the Stabilitrak and traction control lights come on aren’t actually caused by the Stabilitrak system. As we mentioned earlier, these systems automatically turn off as part of the safety feature when engine related issues are detected. So a lot of times these symptoms come from issues with an underlying engine problem which causes RPMs to jump around which then causes Stabilitrak and traction control to disable.
- Hard shifting
- Warning lights appearing
- Misfires
- Rough idling
- Loss of power / limp mode
- Trouble codes that have appeared alongside the issue:
- C0561: ABS Disabled
- P0011: Camshaft Positioning A
- P0521: Engine Oil Pressure Sensor
- P0121: Pedal Position Sensor
- P0300: Misfires
- *Getting no engine codes is common*
Since there are so many things that can cause these systems to turn off the best place to start is with the symptoms you are experiencing. If you are getting misfires and rough idling, you probably want to look into your ignition and fueling components like spark plugs, coils, fuel filter, and so on.
Starting with a code reader and determining the codes is always the best first step. Since all of the Stabilitrak components have fault codes any issues with the system itself should be easily determinable. The codes will tell you where you should be looking for problems. If you have no codes at all, this can be caused by a dirty throttle body, a dirty TPS sensor, a clogged fuel filter, and so on.
Can I Keep Driving with the Stabilitrak Light On?
Your Chevy truck is still drivable with both the stabilitrak and traction control lights on. However, you may notice a lack of power and 90% of the time the problem is accompanied with hard shifts. While still drivable, hard shifts are not good for a transmission.
Hard shifting usually occurs from low transmission fluid, which means the metal components inside the transmission are rubbing on each other with a lot of friction. However, in the service stabilitrak situation, it generally has nothing to do with low fluid levels. Nonetheless, the internal transmission components are rubbing hard against each other which is what causes the “hard shift” feeling.
Why the transmission hard shifts with stabilitrak issues is still unknown. With that being said, driving while hard shifting can cause serious wear and tear on your transmission and is not recommended.
If your symptoms are just misfires and some rough idling then there won’t be too much damage that can be done by continuing to drive on it.
GM Service Stabilitrak Summary
GM’s Stabilitrak system is a traction control related technology designed to help your car “stabilize” and keep going in a straight line when traction is lost. It is controlled by the steering wheel position sensor, the wheel speed sensors, and the EBCM. When the car detects a variation in wheel speeds and the steering wheel is at a certain angle, it uses the EBCM to apply brake pressure to wheels on an individual basis to try to control the car and help stabilize it.
The Service Stabilitrak and Service Traction Control lights frequently appear on the dashboard of all GM vehicles with this system. This is because of a safety feature built into it that causes it to disable when RPMs fluctuate. Therefore, diagnosing the issue can be broken down into two buckets. The first is issues with stabilitrak itself. In this case you will probably have a check engine light and a fault code for the steering or wheel sensors or the EBCM relay. The second is ignition or fueling related issues that cause RPMs to jump around which then kicks in the safety feature and disables the systems. In this instance, issues are predominantly caused by spark plugs, coils, fuel pump, fuel filter, and the throttle body.
In the instances where you don’t have any check engine lights or fault codes you will need to take a look at your underlying problems and determine what can cause them. There are some random sensors that can cause the issue and some random tricks that can fix it like disabling AFM or running a tank of E85 fuel.
Ultimately, there are a number of issues that can cause a Stabilitrak light on the dash. Figuring out what the actual problem is that is causing it will require a bit of digging.
I’m having this issue w my 2017 Trax AWD. It only has 56000 miles on it. I really didn’t want to trade it but I’m tired of having to put money in it. After this experience I will not b buying another Chevrolet vehicle an what’s so bad I really enjoy my vehicle.
My 2018 buick encore light started yesterday with the stabilitrak and it has never did that before so I’m worried about what’s going on
Mime too This is the third issue I’ve had with my vehicle the first time it went to limp mode on the freeway the second time I was backing into my garage and went to go pull out in the parking brake would not release this time every time I’m at a light and intermittently stops and starts and flashes that the stability track needs maintenance. I have a 2018 Buick enclave
Our 2011 Chevy Avalanche is having the same issue and I have been doing a lot of research. I have been reading several forums and I keep finding a common denominator – “cracked spark plug” . I know this doesn’t necessarily make sense but I counted 9 people that have said this was their issue and replacing the spark plugs fixed it. My husband and I plan to try replacing our park plugs in hopes that this is also our issue.
Maybe it can work for some of you with your “StabiliTrack” issues.
This just started happening with my 2017 trax and I only have 58000 on it
2019 and not even 20 000 km
I got 2011 Chevy traverse my came on once before and all I had to do is Change the wheel bearing. Now I got the problem again but light doesn’t come on until I drive 15 mile or more everything seem fine tho with the car can’t figure it out driving me crazy
Just did the passenger side front wheel bearing (traction, stabiltrac and ABS all were lit before and now about 15 miles later they just came back on. Going to change the driver’s side bearing next weekend and check my wiring on my sensors. Reply if you find a solution.
Loom just get you some Throttle body cleaner and a toothbrush and clean all the build up in the throttle body.It fixed my problem
That’s what I did took a soaked rag and some throttle body cleaner and it removed the traction control light on dash.easy peazy
Where is the throttle body so I can clean it? I just had my TPMS replaced today. It helped that of course but not the traction/stabilization alerts. Thanks!
Go to your cars intake air filter and follow the plastic tube where it goes into your engine that is where your throttle body is. There should be a big clamp around the plastic hose if you release that and work the hose off so you can get to the throttle body. If you look inside you will see a butterfly valve, that controls your air flow in the engine. My recommendation go to your local Walmart or auto parts store and get a can of sea foam throttle body cleaner should be white can red text black cap and use it as instructed on bottle.
My truck is blowing white smoke continuously throughout that process what should I do
That’s what Seafoam is supposed to do. It will clear up on it’s own.
Texas Winter Storm 2021…Thank God for my Chevy? Hmmm. 2008 Chevy Silverado 4×4 5.3L V8 flex. By Wednesday Stabikitrak warning and everything mentioned here happened. My computer system gave out a P0641 code indicating a issue with the 5v electrical system. I replaced the oil pressure sensor during my DIY rampage and reset the computer via the battery. No go. I wish Chevy would own up to some answers. I finally have electricity after a week and am left with a broken down lemon that I’ve thrown over 10k into since I bought it. Chevy used to be a truck you could be proud of. Apparently they dont care much anymore.
2012 cheverlet 5 3l every two weeks throw a quart of oil in it to keep the check engine light off did the oil pump sensor did the screen did all that just add oil fixed the problem. Cleaned throttle body no check engine real crazy stuff after high rev in gear breaking jumping tack. All good drive it and keep driving will relearn and act right. Future buy afm delete that plugs in make it straight 8 no problems. I interchange flex fuel one tank regularly with ethanol no problems.
I have a 2012 5.3 flex fule and it is doing the same as you was saying and I do fell its has alot to do with the flex system I can’t afford the chip to Make it stay in v8 so all I need to do is clean the intake
this just started happening to my 2013 silverado after the texas ’21 snowpocalypse .the stabilitrak lights turn on and off and i can hear the ABS activating/chattering. fun times.
Check your abs sensors, shoul be dirty and that should fix the problem
You mean the wheel speed sensors? What are ABS sensors?
Same here. Just did steering angle sensor and shift solenoids a still hard shifting one day and slipping the next. And now the traction control light will not go off.
stabilitrak and traction light came on, and engine power reduced in my 2009 Chevrolet 1500 Silverado. Truck didn’t go over 20mph. Made it home, turned it off then came back out an hour later. Truck runs great now. What the heck is going on??!
I think we all get lawyer and file classaction lawsuit to GM. With this case.
Let find lawyers who’s wiil take the cade?
Own a 2005 Impala 3.8 liter V6, have not worked since Covid-19 and my only means of transportation. TRAC Control along with ABS lights come on and warning that the Trac Control is active, this along with the hard shifting has become a big concern as I can’t afford to get a new car, come in GM, get your act together.
I agree same problem here had the car for 6 days should I take back to dealer or can I even take it back I have a car note loss of power service light keeps coming on and now engine light
I’ve got a 2016 equinox an traction light on won’t go off the car I’s in reduce power more less u can’t drive it I drove it home seem like didn’t want to shift I owe on it it’s sat in the drive way for two month not sure what to do I change sensor clean throttle body nothing help I’m using my son car I hate to have it go back on me I don’t know what to do the idling is awful there’s no way u can drive it my son doesn’t know what to think anymore don’t ever buy a Chevy I’ve never had a car do this I’ve put over 400 in it an dtillvthe same I give up there goes my credit gGM. Thanks he’ll of a lot
Only had my car for 3 days 2012 Chevy Cruze LT and I’m already getting stabilitrak light and traction control cars running hot while and check engine light is on
We got, the same car, a month ago, and while it has a head gasket issue possibly, that light came on and it was jerky when driving of which, the connector hose from reservoir to water coolant valve blew off as pin was loose. Once we swapped out 4 new spark plugs it disappeared, 2.5wks so far. Today it appeared starting up as well as engine light but turned it off and on then both engine and that disappeared. I’d swap out plugs 1st as I came across, A YouTube video that suggested it.
I have a 2012 Chevy impala…… while I love my car, it is giving me and my brother the blues….. I now have a service engine light that constantly stays on with codes that have all been changed. I also have service stabilitrak on as well as traction control and sometimes reduced engine power. The temperature gauge would go up so we changed the thermostat and that helped with the temp. I have changed my throttle body., the sensor, my gas pedal, changed my oil, they changed wheel bearings, and yet my issues with stabilitrak and traction control has not changed. I bought my car brand new and have put way too much money into it and yet this problem will not stop. My car had issues when I bought it. I had a recall which Chevy did. They had to change the whole exhaust system. Not to count all the batteries this car goes through in its 10 years of life……. Im to the point that I will never buy a Chevy ever again.
Had exactly the same experience with my 2009 Chev Express van, Suspect plugs may need changing, van had 110k miles of which I have put on 40k (no idea whether previous owner changed plugs). Will post what I find out.
Richard – I have a ‘09 Chev. Express, 6L ~55K miles automatic transmission. My “Service Stabilitrak” light came on in April ‘21, it’s on when I start the engine. I can cancel the dash warning, but indications are Stabilitrak never initializes. That means it’s not turned on. Chev. dealer checked and said (basically): “We can’t find anything wrong, just go ahead and drive it.” Is this the same as your experience or is your warning light more intermittent?
Yes indeed! They have no clue what to do! I have spent over $1,500 over 6 years and it still has issues. Never purchase Chevrolet products!!
And if you do don’t take it to a dealer there full of it ! Transmission issues they say I’d have to leave for a month
14 impala. Service stabilitrak ,power steering, parking brake & traction control light on. Some days it drives and shifts perfectly fine. 5 mins later it may not go over 60 and shift hard. It’s as if I’m stuck in 6th gear all the time. When my lights are on it drinks coolant. When it’s off it doesn’t. At top speeds of 50-55 I’m at 3800 rpm with my foot to the floor. Chevy told me they do t know what the problem is and good luck.
Mine did that was the throttle position sensor
Throttle body. Exact same thing happened in my 2011 GMC Sierra. Took it it to the dealer, and luckily it was under a recall.
This solution only applies to the stablitrak/traction lights AND no power limp mode. Does not apply if it’s just the lights.
My truck just did the same to me have you had anymore problems
Same mine just did this – I have 2008 Chevy Silverado 1500
🙈🙈🙈
The limp mode could also be a small grounding wire about 16 gage wire at the very back of the engine block. It goes from the block to the fire wall. Not a clue y its there but it shut down my yukon untill i cleared the codes every 5 miles on the way home.
My 2017 Trax is also experiencing a similar problem. 64k miles and the stability light turns on when I apply my brakes, only sometimes. I recently had my oil valve cover replaced due to it leaking oil badly also. I am getting what feels like a hard shift after using my brakes on a longer drive also.
I tried to start car and drive yesterday but it will not let me shift out of PARK and my Service Stabilitrak came in. I tried turning StabiliTrak OFF but it doesn’t even recognize those efforts and just continues to stay lit …..and I’m stuck in PARK. Car is a 2016 Checy Equinox. Wow. Incredible 🙁
Same thing is happening right now with my 2015 Chevy Equinox. It is dead in my driveway. When I am driving and the Service Stabilitrak comes on all my gauges on my dashboard go to zero. My a/c shuts off my speed drops to about 20 mph and when pulling away from stop lights I have to play with the gas for about 10 seconds before the car will actually move, very slowly at first.. I have almost been rear ended several times even with my hazards on. Not only frustrating but DANGEROUS. Then after I reach my destination and turn it off it doesn’t turn back on, I have to keep trying the ignition in 10 minute intervals. My mechanic had done the diagnostics and no codes come up. he said that the system is not “talking”. Has anyone replaced the PCM module? I understand it is about $800. but would that fix the issues?
Had an equinox that had similar problems. It was the battery was going bad. Got a new one and everything was fine after that.
Im having this exact problem right now. Was you able to get the issue fixed?
I also have a 2015 AWD Equinox and it’s doing the exact same thing! it’s so scary to drive! I’m beyond frustrated and tired of taking it to the dealership and then worrying after picking it when it’s going to do it again! I’ve lost count how many times I’ve taken it in!
I had the same issue with my 2010 equinox this weekend where the stabiler trak light came on and went into to limp mode when I get to my destination itwould not start i hook up my scan tool and there was no codes available i check the fuses and relay for for the ignition system found everything ok check my spark plugs for spark and coil pack found ok still no start check to see if the i was getting fuel and that also was ok hook up the scan tool a second time still no code and vehicle would not start and the same stabilizer light still on i made a random check on my crank shaft position sensor and replaced it and the vehicle started right up and the stabilizer light went off
I have a 2012 Chevy Impala ls and my traction, abs light, and stabilitrak light came on. Changes the abs wire harness, wheel bearings, and brake pedal position sensor and the only thing that still comes on is service stabilitrak…don’t know what else to do
I got stuck in slush and ice..it was deep, I managed to dig myself out and I put it into 4 wheel drive and reverse to get out of it. I slammed into a rut and slammed it hard and since then, my sensor Stabilitrak light keeps coming on every time I go over a bump.
That’s most likely one of the sensors in a wheel. Might be damaged or somethings loose. That or the breaks them selves can cause it since it appears to be linked together.
I have found that setting it on fire and rolling it off a cliff solves the problem.
Yes! or park it somewhere with the keys in it and let the thief deal with it. maybe sell it to the local police and they can use it as a bait car!!!
2010 Silverado, replaced the transfer case August 2020. Since then my cruise control would work every now and then, and eventually stopped working, my check engine light has been on since October. February 2021 I have felt like I’m not getting all the power I should be getting, March 2021 truck begins hard shifting every now and then. April 2021 My check stabiltrak light comes on and goes away almost every time I drive it along with the hard shifting. May 2021 back to square one…Stabiltrak light, Traction control light, reduced engine mode. 😑 I’m not paying over $2000 again. What is the real issue?
My 2007 Silverado cruise control started working sporadically and then finally failed completely. Turned out to be the brake light switch on the brake pedal. The switch has 2 circuits; one for the brake lights and one for the cruise control. The cruise circuit malfunctioned but I was still getting brake lights. Test by lifting up on the brake pedal with your foot and trying the cruise control. If it works, it’s the switch. $15 on Amazon.
As far as cruise not working check the brake switch on the pedal inside the cab. Usually keeps cruise from working when it fails. Pretty cheap and easy fix
My mechanic ended up having to replace the entire shifter component as one little red wire had broken and wasn’t repairable. But all works fine now!
Good luck to you …..it may be something tiny that needs to be discovered.
After my check engine light came on for stabltrac I checked it at work and the check engine light is gone but now I have problems with my radio not showing any channels except Sirius . What the heck?
Just researching and reading all the comments, I have the same problem, no codes prior diagnosis after 2 days at certified dealer service Body Control Module. The part is going out. Electric issues moving all around the vehicle. The Control module is the brain that controls all electric. About $1k to repair.
I have a 2010 with the 4.8 V8, stabilitrac and traction control lights come on and go off randomly. Cruise works sometimes. No hard shifting or other issues though.
My 2007 Silverado cruise control started working sporadically and then finally failed completely. Turned out to be the brake light switch on the brake pedal. The switch has 2 circuits; one for the brake lights and one for the cruise control. The cruise circuit malfunctioned but I was still getting brake lights. Test by lifting up on the brake pedal with your foot and trying the cruise control. If it works, it’s the switch. $15 on Amazon.
I have 2010 GMC Sierra 1500 with ,4.8. Same problem and the low engine power appears in message. The code reader says P2135 throttle position sensor.
Just got it this morning on the way to work with my 2016 Chevy Cruz LT. Now I’m worried.
My 2015 Chev Express 2500 has been showing traction control light and service stabilitrack since 30,000 klms. First started with humidity in the air. Now does it with right turn. I am thinking steering wheel position sensor. Dealers don’t have a clue or so they say. I do believe they don’t have a clue. Change the oil boys and rotate them tires. Sometimes I can’t even do that right.
I have had the traction control problem and not starting problem a few times. I live in Alberta and it always happens after driving in a heavy snowstorm when moisture gets into the sensors or computer or something. I dry it out and also do a 10 minute key reset and it seems to solve the problem. The 10 minute key reset, you turn the key to the on position of 10 minutes and off for 10 seconds and then turn the truck on. If it doesn’t work the first time, keep trying. My gut feeling after reading the other comments is the traction issue happens after moisture has entered the drive system or the computer or sensors.
What sensor did you dry out? My 2017 Chev Traverse traction control and service stability light on. Hard shifting loosing power on highway driving. Jerks like fuel filter is dirty and can’t go over 60 kms. Can’t get housing off to replace brake pedal sensor don’t have right tool for that. This is so annoying started doing this two days after I bought it. Dealership says it was ok before no problems.
Hi Patricia,
I have the same year Traverse. Any resolution to your problems. Mine started over winter, but now happening more frequently. I don’t want to waste my money on useless fixes. Any help is appreciated! Thank you!
That seem to work but noticed if I have truck in park a rev up the motor and hold it there it like at 2 thousand rpm’s .ithe rpm’s will drop down like I took my foot of the gas .What is that ?
My daughter just got her 2016 Chevy Equinox a week ago and the stubtrak light came on. Has an appointment at the dealer ship on Tuesday.
Hi did they figure out what the problem was. Thanks
Yes mine was the window switch I replaced from Amazon. I’ll be getting the new one from dealer. Trying cleaning the throttle body real good and try and find out if any electrical components were replaced and if so where they dealer parts?
Same Is happening 2009 chevy Silverado z71…class action sounds like a good idea…anyone anyone? Bueller
Definitely a class action, my 2007 Tahoe stabilitrak and traction control service lights are coming on. I’m getting crankshaft sensor codes, bank 1 sensors, and catalyst system. The codes varies depending on the day of the week. I thought Gm had quality. Boy was I wrong. I have 144000 miles on it.
I am also having the same problems with my 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe. I have changed coil packages, plugs and wires, throttle body, and multiple other things and it always eventually comes back. I’ve put thousands of dollars in this problem. I want answers.
Agree! My 2007 Chev Tahoe. 6 yrs of BS and thousands of dollars and same trouble!! Never purchase Chev products!!
Yup my 2011 Chevy lt is doing same thing .Of course bought it a week ago .We all need to file a class action on this
i just had the dealer diagnosis my 2008 chevy silverado z71 99800 miles for a traction control/stabilizer service light issue. 500 dollar bill to fix it. i”ll turn a corner an this when the light comes on almost every time i drive it. To hard to understand the dealers fix but it has to do with a angle issue on a code. truck drives ok. but hard to swallow 500 bucks for a light fix. maybe mores involved i don’t know.
2010 Silverado 5.3 LTZ Service stabilitrak, traction control, abs, gauges all went to 0, door locks started locking by themselves, transmission shifts hard. Won’t start at all. Mechanic doesn’t have a clue. I don’t what to do.
I have a 2011 z71 ! Same thing here !!! There’s so many suggestions of what it could be .. still can’t find any answers from any mechanic! Make sure to file a claim on nhtsa.org so we can get a recall !
Got 2013 GMC Sierra 1500. No check engine light. While driving my radio shuts off gauges go flat like it’s wants to die then dies at stop signs. Some days runs fine some days like a dog turd. Trucks all stock. When problem happens dash says service stabilizer. Any that figures this shit out let me know please
my service stabilitrak ,traction control is been on for quite some time on my 2007 avalanche took the steering down to replace it and it is discontinued i find the part but it always has 8 pin connector and the plastic stub is in a different spot the dealers don’t have it and the only ones available are for 2010 and wont work does anyone have an answer for this problem no one at chevrolet dealer knows
This just started happening in my 2008 Tahoe LTZ and needless to say it’s pissing me off!! I only have 74k miles (I don’t drive a lot) and I recently picked it up from a maintenance visit at the dealer. I notice it only happens when I’m stopped; I hear ding, ding, ding, ding, then Stabilitrak Off, red brake symbol, Traction Control Off, and Service Brake System pop up on the dash. Eventually all disappear except for the little yellow road sign with the squiggly lines. No shutting off, no hard shifting, no losing power.; I can still drive fast and brake when I need to. So far, it’s more annoying than anything else because it shouldn’t be happening. But the craziest thing is, I called to ask my dad about it, he had no idea; and about two days later he called me furious saying the same exact thing starting happening to him 600 miles away in his 2015 Buick LaCrosse. WTH!!!! I’m down for a class action!!
My 2012 Z71 w/98k miles started doing that on Sunday. Monday I called the Chevy dealer to schedule an appointment. Found out they charge $140.00 for diagnostic. Out of curiosity I took it a local auto parts store for a free scan. Their tool indicated the vehicle was low on brake fluid and sure enough…. Anyway, I bought a $5.00 bottle of fluid and topped it off. No issues since. Now I’ll keep an eye on things to make sure I don’t have a leak somewhere. Hope this helps you.
When it does this it can possibly be the brake pedal position sensor located on the back of the break pedal under the dash n it’s easily to remove n replace
2013 Suburban LT Traction/Stability Lights flashing and the engine light flashing too! Auto Zone checked the engine light for free! #1 cylinder spark plug failed, I need a tune up (100k miles). This article says sometimes the problem is interrelated, so if I get the tune up the Traction/Stability Lights will reset? I pray so because I don’t have no money to pour into this vehicle (as much as I love it).
2013 Suburban LT with check engine light on and Traction Light on and Stability Light on. Auto Zone reads check engine light for free: cylinder #1 misfiring! $260.00 for a new coil spark plug and the wire + oil change $40.00= $300.00 and shes purring like a kitten! Once the spark plug was fixed the Traction/Stability Lights reset? Idk, but all the lights are out!
After reading all this, and experiencing my own Service Stabilitrak & it’s accompanying dashboard light show, I’m down for the class action. Seems Chevrolet needs to get its act together. Mine happens after parked in my driveway for 3 days w/o driving. Driveway is now an incline where I use my E-break as precautionary measure.
My 2017 GMC Savana van is doing it… I have it at the dealership and they have had it all day… I told them I couldn’t affect a lot of money… It only has 20,000 miles on it…!
I replaced my window master switch on driver side a year ago. Got part off Amazon. My problem with stability and traction started a few months ago. I unplugged the switch a week ago and problem went away. I f you have to switch out any electrical components get them from gm and not from Amazon. I found out the hard way.. good luck guys
It may only be a coincidence but I also installed a master window switch from Amazon and my troubles started. It took only a week though. I uninstalled the new switch but it didn’t fix the issue. I tested some other solutions and nothing else worked. The check engine code was lost TCM comms so I ended up having to purchase a new TCM. Fortunately I read that ordering one from https://dansdieselperformance.com was better than going into the dealership so I went that route. It took 5 minutes to swap out the old with the new and the truck is working again.
Regarding the Amazon window and door lock switch.
I picked one up too because the passenger window wouldn’t open from the drivers side. Mostly because I left my window open in the rain a bunch of times.
Got the switch, put it in. It worked but didn’t sit as well as the factory one.
Opened up the factory one, cleaned all the contact points, put it back.
Now the Amazon one is a spare and the factory one is back in place and everything works fine.
Thats just my little story about switches.
My Stabilitrack and ABS lights came on intermittently after a cold (near freezing) and wet spell. The weather got better and the lights turned off.
I have 2012 siverado ltz 96k km. My problem start when the engine check show up and the idle go down and up 1st start it in the morning,few days ago stability and traction goes on and off. Run the yun about 40 km and sundenly hard shift show up and loosing power. Traction and stability light show up..what is the cause of the problem?
2008 Chevy suburban with 79500 miles has the stabilitrax issue so I took it in and to completely fix it isn’t even possible due to GM discontinuing the part all together. Can’t even get the problem taken care of. I’m seriously not happy about it. Glad we are in Florida where it’s summer all year long. Wouldn’t be smart to drive in the snow.
The Chevy Express vans have fifteen or more ground points, at least my 2008 does. I have experienced multiple issues in recent years related to poor grounds. Such as damaging fuel pumps, throwing intermittent codes and power steering failure. I’ll bet it’s a poor ground somewhere. And difficult to find.
Not power steering but cruise control failure.
I have a 2012 Chevy Equinox and I’m having the same issues with the stabilizer track light going on loss of power light show hard shifting I’ve had it checked no codes but have changed spark plugs wheel bearings oil and all filters changed brand new tires and sensors and I drive to Texas I feel like they should discontinue these vehicles and give us a compensation for our money lost from trying to fix these crappy trucks. I DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO!!!
I am having this problem with my 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 with 79,000 miles on it
My 2014 express has both tire pressure sensor issue and then this stabilitrak problem @ only 69000 miles. Really annoying as I depend on this van for work!
It’s under warranty and I do like this van! I hate to have to consider another one besides Chevy but with the amount of other people having to deal with strange unexpected problems I don’t know.
I have a 2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 V8 4×4 with over 140,000 miles. My stabilitrak warning has been coming and going for the last year, but it always turned off once we turned the truck off and turn it back on. A few days ago the warning has been on and it beeps every so often. There is also a bad smell like something is too hot. Can that be from something rubbing too much? Anyone else have a bad smell associated with the Service Stabilitrak and service Traction Control warnings? We changed the oil thinking that was the smell problem. I’m out in the remote village and can’t get to a auto shop. I still need to use our scanner and see what codes pops up but figured I’d ask if anyone else is experiencing any smell.
I’ve had ABS system light come on, now I’m having the stabilitrak light come on – but no smell. Mine started literally a mile from where I got new tires put on. Wondering if that triggered something?
Mine started right after brakes were replaced. No consistent codes.
Guessing game, but costs $$$ to play!
Yes, it’s not like any type of fluids smell, but plastic or metal smells. Again the StabiliTrak light is intermittent. Also during winter it’s even harder to self diagnose ever touch point that could be the issue on my 2011 LTZ 1500 Silverado. Class action for sure!!
Same problem here 09 1500 z71 Silverado wow hard shifting scary
I’m a single mom, have a 2013 Chevy Express 3500 15 passenger van. A few years ago the ABS light would come on going around mountain curves, power would be cut and I could not control the steering wheel for 2-10 seconds, last time it was about 15 seconds. Braking did nothing, I eventually would lift my foot off the gas and wait it out. I’ve become paranoid about it and take curves super slow now (people behind me hate it, but it’s better than driving into the mountain or off a cliff). Numerous mechanics can’t figure it out, shrug, and tell me to come back if it happens again (costly for a single mom).
Today I had new tires put on my van, they are Cooper and have a 50K life warranty on them. I haven’t had these before, the tire store went into depth to research tires that would last longer and help with dirt road traction and this was it.
A mile away from the store, I went over a bridge and I had my first “service stabilitrak’ light come on. It turns off after the engine is turned of and doesn’t come back on. Going back over the same bridge in the same direction sets it off again.
I’m about to go on an 18 hour one way trip and I’m nervous there is something wrong? I routinely change oil, change the other fluids before they are due, and try hard to keep everything working well.
Any ideas? Is the ABS and the stabilitrak lights connecting now because of tire/brake issues?
Can I turn both off – and tow a trailer – without problems happening? No one locally (mechanics and brake people) can find a single thing wrong, have replaced sensors, but lights keep coming on…sigh.
Just looking for a little reassurance or a ‘this needs to be fixed before you go’ I guess.
Thanks for your time.
2011 Chevy Silverado with 4.8L v8. Been dealing with check engine light and service stabilitrack/ traction control for about 6 months now. Check engine light and traction control light will come and go regularly. One day it’s there and shifts really rough and power to the truck is noticeably low. Come back a few hours later or the next day and lights will be gone. Super frustrating. No clue where to start but thankfully I found this thread and maybe start down the list and try a few of the items listed to see if it helps. Truck is E85 friendly but have never put E85 in the tank since I’ve owned it. Roughly 4 years. At first I thought I could bypass the traction control light by turning off the traction control before I started the truck. Seemed to have worked for a bit but as time goes on doesn’t seem to really help the issue as sometimes the traction control light will come on while driving but does not shift rough and will tend to go away. Only time my truck will shift rough is when the traction control light comes on when I first start the truck. Also I know when the traction control light will come on upon starting the truck. It won’t turn over nearly as quick and seems to struggle a bit to start, that’s when the issues start. When I started having this issue I had it taken to shop to see if I could get anything to come up on a scanner to help narrow down the problem. This issue was so hit and miss at first, the mechanic kept the truck for 4 days and couldn’t get the traction control light to appear, a day later after getting it back from the shop she was back on her bullshit. As time goes on it seems to happen more and more, the part that really works me is I can turn off the truck when it’s acting up at times, wait 5 minutes and start it again and it drives likes there was never an issue. Gahhhhh!!!
I own a 2017 Chevy Colorado 2WD with a 2.8L diesel and a 6sp automatic transmission. After some extended “twisty turny” mountain driving, My Stabilitrak warning light and Service Stabilitrak message prompt came on. The final straw for the Stabilitrak system seemed to come after some “Darwin” candidate crossed into my lane to get to a vista/view point overlooking a large valley several hundred feet below. While negotiating the banked curve, a small passenger vehicle entered and proceeded through my lane to the vista point while I was literally standing on the break pedal and gripping the steering wheel trying to stay on the curve and to avoid the cliff. While I avoided the accident, the Stabilitrak warning light came on, stayed on, and my steering wheel was from that point forward off by approximately the same degree of turn where I held it while steering and then braking through the curve. It’s at the Anderson Chevrolet dealership in Lake Elsinore, California right now. I am waiting to hear back from them as to their diagnosis.
I am in agreement Yukon. I have a 2012 Chevrolet Traverse! I am out of 4,ooo in maintenance trying to get the situation resolved and 3600 in rental car fees! Guess what? It’s at a different shop now and they say it is not duplicating the problem! With my vehicle, when the Stabilitrac and traction light is on. It completely Power down.
Change your alternator. Worked for me. You can thank me later
2007 Chev Tahoe, since I purchased in 2014, same issues but mine does not power down it shifts hard from 1 st gear into 2nd. gear. Dealer can’t fix it, three different shops can’t fix it. I’m trying to sell it but no one wants to purchase it with the problem . I’m telling you we need to have a class action legal challenge with GM! I’m out over 3,000 trying to fix it! Do not purchase GM products!!
I have a 2010 chevy Silverado with only 53000 miles and I’m having the same issues accept when I put the scanner on it the code came up saying that my crank shaft position sensor was malfunctioning, and the sad thing about this, and I know about other chevy dealerships but the All American chevy in Killeen, Tx will not work on a vehicle that’s 11years or older.
My traction control indicated msg came on turned off the car a2016 suburban 2500 it went out then came back on after reading all of the above sounds like I need to replace everything or better still get a new car not made by Chevy very disappointed
2017 Chevy Silverado traction control service light when its cold and I hit a bump
I have a 2012 Equinox I see a comment to change the alternator. I had a new , new alternator – new battery-and oil change done first week of December 2021. On January 8th 2022. Stabilitrak light back on with check engine light. What next?
I had my oil changed today and light came on for stabitrac and traction control after…so I’m like WTH did they do…but sounds like it could be a bunch of issues. To get it diagnosed at the dealer it’s $160 plus repairs. But he did say it should show a code. I have a code reader when I get home I’m gonna see what happens.
This happens with my 2011 Chevy Suburban ONLY after going through a car wash, it will then stop after about a half hour or so but it’s rather frustrating and I don’t know if I’m damaging something further.
On my 2010 Silverado most commonly this happens right after i’ve lost traction when starting on ice. My feeling is that the Limited Slip is not releasing afterwards quick enough.
It has done this a few times every winter since it was new.
Just traded a cherished and perfectly operating vehicle for a 2011 Silverado LTZ. Replaced the oil pump twice, Now tps and the intermittent StabiliTrak comes and goes. I don’t know how CHEVY is getting away with this not being a recall… So disappointed 😞 Many have the same issues and they don’t know how to fix it until you’re bought new parts for the entire vehicle!!
I have a 2011 Sierra my traction control stability track just started acting up ! It runs real Rough then the oil pressure gauge shows no oil pressure ! Then of course computer says shut truck off immediately !! $1500 at the dealership and they did absolutely nothing to fix my issue. Champion Buick in Brighton I’ve got nothing good to say about those guys if a dealership doesn’t have the latest and greatest techniques for fixing anything then who the hell does ?? Keith. S. Howell Ps Yes on class-action all the way
2011 silverado. 4.3. 120xxx Km.
Stab and ABS lights came on after a freezing and wet spell.
Sometimes after driving for a few minutes.
Sometimes not at all.
Went off when the weather warmed up.
My gut feeling after reading everyone’s comments is a combo of wheel sensors, fuel and throttle body. Pick any two but definitely seems like an info conflict from multiple sources. Thats my guess. I am not a mechanic or a scientist but I see random stuff happen all the time and it is usually not just one simple solution.
Looks like this is a nice little cash cow for the shops so I doubt there is any remedy in sight.
I have a 2009 Chevy Traverse with 232K miles. My StabiliTrak light comes on with the brake light after driving a few minutes. The brake light goes out but the StabiliTrak light stays on and I can tell that there is a difference in how the car feels when I am driving it. Any suggestions on what I need to do? Will the throttle body cleaner solution work for me?
Good article. In the list of possible faults I did not see anything about the steering angle sensor. Since this is part of the system shouldn’t it be a fault cause?
2014 GMC Terrain. A year ago, I had exhaust fumes coming into the vehicle with my gears knocking out of place and a “service Stabili Track” and “power steering” code on dash with engine light. I took to muffler place and had the entire cadil conver. replaced and my manifold was completely busted. It’s been a year and the same codes are coming up with exhaust fumes. My car has 180k miles. Code read replace o2 sensor. Has not fixed it yet but no check engine light on. When I put in reverse, in jerks through the gears. Some days it runs fine. Others not so much….I will be driving down the road and it starts slipping out of gears and jerking. I have to pull over and turn of car and wait and then restart it and it’s fine for a little while longer.
Well if we don’t file a class action maybe one day I or we, someone will actually solve the issue and then sell the fix info to Chevy. I have a 2013 Silverado LT 5.3 flex fuel. Up until 2020 Covid job loss I had a company vehicle and rarely drove my truck. In may of 2020 I had just 36,000 miles on it. Since I had to start driving it daily I just turned 90,000 miles on it. Btw for those who haven’t found out the hard way yet Chevy 6sp overdrive transmissions are junk and fail around 80,000 miles. That was the start of my issues I replaced the TCM first in October 21 because transmission was overheating and TCM failed before I sorted out the entire transmission was about to grenade. I replaced the transmission in January 22. Replaced it myself so it only cost me the $3,000 for the reman transmission not purchased from Chevy. The truck never put the torque to the ground that is does now even when it was new. Since the my engine fans stopped working. Fan control is inside the engine ecm / pcm. Replaced pcm because even though I had wired the engine fans temporarily to a toggle switch the fan control issue turned my engine light on for a P0481 fan control 2 current low. Well in Arizona they won’t even test your vehicle for emissions if the engine light is on. Automatic fail so in order to renew my tags I had to get the engine light off. New PCM bought online, programmed to my vin it was plug and play. I wish I could say that was it. Now I have service traction control and stabililink going haywire. I have noticed it will make transmission shift hard occasionally but not always. When I look up the issue in a manual it says troubleshoot codes associated with the lights. Have not had a single DTC when those service lights come on. I read that the AFM can cause it and I should shut it off. I went one step further and spent $300 on a plug in chip disabler for the AFM. The truck will smoke the tires off it with the device plugged in I’m very impressed with the power difference but with AFM disabled the traction control and stabilizer service lights still come on and have gotten to the point they never go out anymore. Occasionally my tire pressure sensor system will go haywire also but usually goes out after shutting truck off and will remain off until it randomly triggers again. I’m a mechanic by trade and granted I’m a caterpillar mechanic not a Chevy mechanic but they’re all nuts and bolts just different colors and the ones I work on are much larger but the last thing I want to do is come home and work on my truck. If I didn’t need to drive it daily I would have already followed the advice that someone gave of setting fire to it and go by another. The month the transmission went out is the same month I made the last payment and officially owned it and I would like to enjoy a little bit of time not paying for it or paying for something on it. If I get it figured out I will pass the info along. There’s a lot of different fixes so I am slowly researching and trying each one until I find the cure. I usually do my homework before purchasing something and I’ve always been a Chevy fan but they sure screwed the pooch with the 2010-2016 models from what I’ve seen and I definitely slacked off on doing my homework when I purchased this one back in 2013 but I learn from my mistakes and won’t be making that mistake again. I was most disappointed to learn that their next gen overdrive transmissions were only good for around 80k miles that was a big chunk of change spent that I’m still trying to find peace over. Good luck fellow and lady chevy owners.
Did you figure it out? You’re my last hope!😀
Same here? Own a Chevrolet Silverado 2013, 43000 miles on it, dealership hasn’t found the problem, it’s under extended warranty, every time I take it to them they just change something without knowing what’s the actual problem, taking it back on Monday.
I have a 2008 Chevy Equinox and I’ve been dealing with problems since I got it in March 2021. This pos causes me so much anxiety, it’s taken an enjoyable past time (driving) and made it something that feels like a big scary chore. The difference between my issue and the above issues seems to be that when my stabilitrak light comes ON, I finally get to feel a sense of relief! Every time I turn on my vehicle, my first message says “Service All Wheel Drive” and a weird little picture of a wrench and a vehicle. That stays on constantly… Sometimes when I’m driving, my vehicle will suddenly slow down (I guess this is limp mode?) and the worst is when my brakes suddenly decide to stop working properly and I have to either tap to brake or force my foot down through a “crunching” brake. Usually after a certain turn or a bump, finally I’ll get the “Service Stabilitrak/Service Traction Control/SomethingSomething Disabled” and THEN my vehicle runs normally, despite having the Stabilitrak light on and the ABS light on. I had a road trip to Ontario in the fall and it was relatively fine the whole trip, but I did have a wheel bearing replaced while out there and the lights all went away until I was on my way home about 3 weeks after that, and going through Kenora it did the limp mode/crunchy brakes thing and now has been aggravating me again ever since. The brake thing is so off and on so my mechanic hasn’t had it to that to him yet, and he’s gone through and can’t figure out what the problem is. I wish I could just sell it but I’d feel way too guilty passing off this massive stress on to someone else. I wanted to get myself another late 90’s Buick Lesabre (my first car) but nooo I was turning 30 so I had to get myself “an adult vehicle.” 🙄
New update on my crazy terrain! Sooo none of my check engine lights were coming up…the car would start locking and unlocking the doors on its own…when put into reverse or into drive it felt like it jerked through gears….when driving down the road, it would automatically start jerking and slowing itself down where I’d have to pull over, turn the car off and restart it to get it working properly. The service stabilie track would come on and also the service power steering. Took the car to shop. I had a bad O2 sensor. Also, they were able to read all codes and everything wrong with the vehicle WITHOUT my check engine lights on.. these are the codes….fuel trim system rich, lost communication with transmission control module, reverse gear signal circuit, invalid data received from transmission control module. With that said, I am told that my vehicle needs a new transmission computer installed! My computer has gone bad! They are close to $200. However, a gmc dealer has to install them. Hope this can solve someone else’s problems. Apparently, if the computer goes bad…all kinds of weird things will result from it! Good luck!
I have a 2011 chevy cruze LT. and my problem is the stability track control ,it comes on almost every day i drive it. Its irritating. we change the spark plug and we thought it fix the problem, A month later it went back.. sigh
Yes, many of the same issues I have with my Chev Tahoe , 2007. can’t fix the issue. put thousands of dollars into it without success. Time for a class action suit!
2008 chevy silverado. I just had to replace heads $3100. Let me know about any lawsuits…..Im in.
I am so frustrated with Stabilitrak system. I have a 2018 Tahoe and have had this issue with the Service Stabilitrak come on than it is like a cascade of service lights, than I lose power steering, the cars power surges up and down, I have take it into the shop, it only ever reads communication errors and they can never find anything wrong, so in a year now 3 times they have cleared the codes, and now it just did it again.
It is so dangerous every time it happens the system takes over the car and you can’t steer it, it shuts down the oil pressure gauge, temp and everything stops working, the cars power surges on and off. This system should not be allowed to error like his it is dangerous.
Now I took it back in the shop, they once again found it was a communication issue, cleaned the sensor, cleared them all and drove it decided it was fixed again, over $400 dollars plus I had it towed in because it was too dangerous to drive. I got back in the car didn’t even make it home and it started all over again, like it is possessed.
So back in the shop and I am beyond frustrated, I am lucky I didn’t end up in an accident cause of this thing shutting off he steering, surging the power, and everything else. No electronic system like this should be able to do such a thing I am just lucky I wasn’t in a crazy amount of traffic when it happened or it would of for sure caused an accident.
These cars are expensive and this should not be happening.
Absolutely!! 2007 Tahoe, almost same issues. its been happening on and off for years! no one can fix it, now just giving it to a mechanic cheap as i can’t even sell it to a private party. class action suit should be next!
I agree, I have had this car for a year and this is the fifth time it is in the shop for this, it is barely a 5 year old vehicle.