?? Whoa ?? My LS-V8 won't go past 45 mph + Traction Control Light Blinking ? Anyone ?

Dino'sLSdeuce

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I got the "HIPPY HIPPY SHAKES"....

I got on the freeway one afternoon and drove for about 30 miles, exited the freeway and stopped
at a burger joint (for about 7 minutes). When I got back on the freeway and tried accelerating
around past +40mph my car was like "hyper-ventilating" + the Traction Control Light was blinking ??

I pulled over and the blinking stopped. It seemed normal again. But as soon as I noticed that when
I rev'd the RPM's higher than +2,000 I'd start geting that "jerky" engine feedback w/ the blinking Traction light.

Any ideas ??

Also, it may be related but I did have a P0420 - Catalyst system efficiency below Threshold (Bank 1)
light up 2 weeks prior. But, the CEL cancelled itself out about 4-5 days later. Other than that...drives
like normal whether it's in the city (stop and go traffic), at start up, or at idle...no problem what-so-ever.

Only if I try to take it past +40mph, I notice the Jerky feedback.
No Codes popping up in my INNOVA 3130 scanner...??
Thought I'd run it by "THE WISE ONE'S" here at LVC.com before I take somewhere for some news
that "may" or "may not" be the problem...

Thanks fellas for your time (reading) and your input...
 
More likely a marginal wheel speed sensor on one of the rear wheels.
 
I have had to replace a rear wheel speed sensor on mine but it didn't cause any drivability issues. It completely failed though rather than failing gradually.
 
NOTE: UPDATE...WHEEL SIZE DIFFERENCE "FACTOR ??"

I JUST RECENTLY PUT A DIFFERENT SIZE TIRE (AS A TEMP) ON THE FRONT DUE TO A FLAT.

Since I got a flat I put on a used Michelin Pilot XGT Z4 (P235/50/17) on the Front Left side.
This Michelin has a huge sidewall compared to the Goodyears, even though there both 50 series.

So I have...Michellin P235/50/17 w/ huge side wall (Front Left)
Goodyear Eagle LS 1 P235/50/17 (Front Right)
Goodyear Eagle LS 2 P235/45/17 (Both Rears)

Would this cause the Blinking Traction Control at +40mph ?? Due to different speeds ?? @ +40mph ?? maybe ??
The Traction Control also blinks if I rev up passed +2,200 RPM's ?? These are the only two times it becomes a problem.

Starts up perfectly and back to idle. Driving in the City (anything under -40mph) it drives perfectly...all day long...all night long.
So would the speed sensor "factor-in" to my problem if I sit in Park and rev the engine above +2000 RPM's, If not ??
Then it couldn't be a speed sensor.
 
Last edited:
NOTE: UPDATE...WHEEL SIZE DIFFERENCE "FACTOR ??"

I JUST RECENTLY PUT A DIFFERENT SIZE TIRE (AS A TEMP) ON THE FRONT DUE TO A FLAT.

Since I got a flat I put on a used Michelin Pilot XGT Z4 (P235/50/17) on the Front Left side.
This Michelin has a huge sidewall compared to the Goodyears, even though there both 50 series.

So I have...Michellin P235/50/17 w/ huge side wall (Front Left)
Goodyear Eagle LS 1 P235/50/17 (Front Right)
Goodyear Eagle LS 2 P235/45/17 (Both Rears)

Would this cause the Blinking Traction Control at +40mph ?? Due to different speeds ?? @ +40mph ?? maybe ??
The Traction Control also blinks if I rev up passed +2,200 RPM's ?? These are the only two times it becomes a problem.

Starts up perfectly and back to idle. Driving in the City (anything under -40mph) it drives perfectly...all day long...all night long.
So would the speed sensor "factor-in" to my problem if I sit in Park and rev the engine above +2000 RPM's, If not ??
Then it couldn't be a speed sensor.

Those two sizes could cause the T/C to get confused. There is a 3.5% difference in tire size..... http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
 
LS4me... (or anyone else who wants to jump in) but, correct me if I'm wrong...

so are you saying that because of the "differences" in tire sizes... That the speed sensors are detecting difference speed rotations (front to rear) and it's telling the Engine to "throttle" down and to not exceed beyond +40mph ?? plus cause the Traction control Light to blink ???

If at least 3 people here agree with that...then I'll buy matching tires now. Let me get a few more opinions.... The last thing I wanna do is take it somewhere... Let them tell me it's the COP's, or Both Cat's, or something way out there $$money wise,... when I have LS owners who's probably had this same issue at one time...
 
I'm running a matched set on the rear, up front I do have 2 different brands and tread life as well.....mine might be a bit more similar but I'll tell you what...you just try to keep my LS under 40.
 
Have you tried turning the traction control off?

Most likely the problem is in the tire size.
 
Also, do you have traction control or AdvanceTrac? I don't think (but don't know) that traction control would care about the different front speed. However, I do think that AdvanceTrac would care.
 
Did this start with the installation of the different sizes? I know traction control systems don't like tire sizes with large rotational speed differences. You have a 1" and almost 30 revs per mile difference. Even Tire Rack says to not exceed a 3% difference from stock. There's nothing wrong with running a staggered setup (you could induce oversteer), as long as the overall diameters aren't too different. If you want to stick with the stock wheels, you could do a 235/50 up front and a 255/45 in back. That is only an .8% difference.
 
UPDATE...:confused:

I have "no idea" what's going on now... (as of 28 Aug. 2013).:mad:
About six days ago my car wouldn't go past 40mph. Now for the past few days .... No problem. What the Heck.
Do I have Gremlins in my electronics or what ?? Just a few hours ago I was on the freeway doing +65mph effortless.
No hiccups, not stall, not even a slight notice of my first symtom just six days prior. Got off the freeway and from a
dead stop, floored on the gas, rear wheels peeled on the asphalt, and cruised for about 10minutes at about +85mph...

And no hiccup, no hestation...it's like there was no problem. What the Heck is up with this issure ?? Now...there is one
thing different though... Usually when the Traction Control Switch is engaged or disengaged ...an Audible beep can be
heard, am I right ? Then the Dash informs this to you whether the Traction Conrol is On or OFF....right ??

Now, I get nothing...No audible beep, no display notification (telling me if it's ON or OFF). Only the light on the actual
switch itself is ON (lit up) OFF MODE. So while it's in OFF mode (w/ the switch light is on) I scan the computers systems...
When I get to the Traction Control...it tells me it's OK -or- ON.

Shouldn't it be telling me it's Disengaged or OFF ?? If not, what happened to the audio beep, anybody wanna chime in??
When the Switch is (pressed), the audible beep is gone ?? Gremilin ate it ??

LS4ME...about the tire differential (history)... prior to my recent flat tire (1 week ago).
I've had those Goodyear Eagle LS P235/50/R17's on the Front
and had those Goodyear Eagle LS2 P235/45/R17's on the Rear ...for a good 6 months (Freeway and City) about 3,000 miles.
So far these are the facts... and all I know is 1-day I'll have some "weird" problem where I'm about far from home and have to
get it towed then a couple of days later it's like ...where'd it go ?? I'm lost...

I'm about to take it to Goodyear and let them give it a good once over. Which I'm regretting already because of the "B.S" there
gonna tell me I'm gonna need something soon,... rather then tell me the real problem or something in that ballpark.

All you folks who "chimed-in" ....Big THANKS... any last comments couldn't hurt.
For example: :eek: ...maybe it's my Johnson rod, hasn't seen any lubrication since it left the factory (lol).
 
Cat fail code, followed by intermittent power losses? I would have to wonder if you don't have a damaged muffler or a cracked element causing an intermittent blockage. It won't necessarily change the tone, but would plug off the exhaust on an irregular basis causing the engine to bog down. An exhaust shop should be able to check the for you for not too much cash, just to rule it out.

That's not to say that you don't have a traction control issue or a tire size issue, just want to point out that occasionally two things will fail at the same time and not recognizing that possibility can drive you nuts.
 
I would take it to the dealer before I would go to Goodyear. They are familiar with the LS, the Goodyear "techs" aren't.
 
Cat fail code, followed by intermittent power losses? I would have to wonder if you don't have a damaged muffler or a cracked element causing an intermittent blockage. It won't necessarily change the tone, but would plug off the exhaust on an irregular basis causing the engine to bog down. An exhaust shop should be able to check the for you for not too much cash, just to rule it out.

That's not to say that you don't have a traction control issue or a tire size issue, just want to point out that occasionally two things will fail at the same time and not recognizing that possibility can drive you nuts.


Telco...
Somewhat a "definitive" reply by cautiously providing a hypothetical possibility for determination;
ultimately to eliminate the possibility of another underlying issue. himm?? :confused:

:) SOUNDS GOOD Dude !!! - I concur. It does sound plausible (the intermittent blockage) resulting in my power losses (those gremlins).
I was actually thinking the same thing... Although curious as how would an exhaust shop "actually verify" a Catalytic/Emissions issue with nothing to go by?
Especially if they Live Data the pre and post conditions of both banks and find "no" spikes or shortcomings. Unless....?? My gremlins could be originating from
a sudden lack of power caused by an audio system w/o the proper Big 3 criteria ?? Sounds "stupidly ridiculous" but I did have similar gremlins occuring when
my Alternator was on the brink of failing...(ie...the abs, traction control would intermittent turn off an on, or other LS systems) because of irregular power.

OK ... my brain just "farted", took me awhile to smell my own "full of $hizzz" ....Paralysis By Analysis.
...at the sign post up ahead (you've just witnessed) my Twilight Zone. It's a conspiracy, I tell you !!
...where'd I leave my tin-foil hat last ?? hmm? :p - Money is just leaving my pocket along w/ my sanity...
 
They can usually tell through a physical examination. When you work with something day in and day out you learn how to find failures. If nothing else you can remove the cat and shake it hard. A broken element will make noise but a cat with no problems won't. I don't work with exhaust every day, but can tell by how the car acts when driving it when an exhaust is plugged as I've had this problem in the past. Your problem description sounds a lot like my experiences with a plugged exhaust, and the cat code says that the computer was seeing a problem with the catalyst when the problem started.

I also don't like to say anything definitive when offering advice over the internet on a car I've never laid eyes on. The beauty of a board like this is when one has a problem with your car you can access the life experiences of many but the disadvantage is none of those people have direct experience with your specific car and its problem. Thus, we can only offer advice based off what we've seen but you must evaluate that advice against your specific problem. Good luck with it.
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