Advance Trac

[Amish Electrician]

Ok so im sitting idling talking on the phone and then a message pops up saying check advance trac and the light with the car and the little tires marks comes on on the dash and they wont go off and I cant turn it off by the button by the console. I can clear the message by pushing reset but but it wont turn off the dash light...and everytime i start it up it comes back on......PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rainjacks]

HAHAHAHA. Sounds like you need a new AdvanceTrac module! The problem could be caused by a wheel speed sensor. But, in my case I have the same issue. The Ford diagnostics showed that I have a faulty module. The replacement isn't cheap. Luckily FALECF4 is hooking me up.

 

[TDUB]

HAHAHAHA. Sounds like you need a new AdvanceTrac module! The problem could be caused by a wheel speed sensor. But, in my case I have the same issue. The Ford diagnostics showed that I have a faulty module. The replacement isn't cheap. Luckily FALECF4 is hooking me up.

So you already have advance trac? I thought you were retrofitting it to a car without it.

 

[rainjacks]

No, Sorry, I thought I was clear about that. Yes, I do currently have advancetrac. It just gives me the error described above. So, I am getting a replacement computer simply to fix what is already there.

 

[Amish Electrician]

what if any water got down in the traction control button?

 

[XtcmeLS]

Ok so im sitting idling talking on the phone and then a message pops up saying check advance trac and the light with the car and the little tires marks comes on on the dash and they wont go off and I cant turn it off by the button by the console. I can clear the message by pushing reset but but it wont turn off the dash light...and everytime i start it up it comes back on......PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your name is funny on a lot of Suprisingly deep levels.

 

[joegr]

what if any water got down in the traction control button?

If water got in the button, you might get an "advancetrac off" message. You would not get a "check advancetrac" message. That message means that a fault has been detected with the advancetrac system. Since you did not also get an ABS message, the fault won't be a wheel sensor. It will either be the advancetrac module (with the motion sensors in it), or the steering angle sensor. Someone with a Ford specific code reader could read out the code to tell you which it is.

 

[Eric0508]

It was my understanding that the advancetrac module was separate form the sensors. There are like 6 different sensors in different positions on the car that relay information to the module, that's why I decided that it was too much work to try and retrofit one on my LS.

 

[joegr]

I guess it depends on what you want to call the advancetrac module. There is a yaw rate sensor (what I was calling the module) that mounts in the center floor console, a steering angle sensor (on the column, I think), and the ABS module.
I don't know if the wiring would be in place to retrofit into a non-advancetrac car. I do know that the system has to be calibrated to the car that it is in, using Ford's scan tool.

 

[rainjacks]

The AdvanceTrac Module is the computer that handles all the input and controls the system. It is located here:

The module is the black plastic part on the left side which I'm pointing at. I believe that cars with just ABS have a similar looking part, only theirs have less features and are called ABS Modules instead.

I would also assume that the cars without AdvanceTrac wouldn't have any of the unecessary sensors.

 

[Amish Electrician]

WOW thanks a lot....Do you think i could just find a parts car with one and switch them out?

 

[joegr]

Well, unless something has changed, you don't know if it's the ABS module, the Yaw sensor module, or the steering angle sensor. Also, when swapping the ABS or the Yaw, the ABS module has to be recalibrated to your car using the dealer scan tool. (This is true only if you want it to work correctly when controlling skids.)

 

[Jim Henderson]

Another common problem is the sensor at each wheel. When these get real dirty or fail, they can set the message you have.

Had mine replaced under warranty so don't know what it costs, but they are a little sensor thingie on each wheel that reads the teeth on the cogged wheel that you will see inboard of the rotor if I recall.

Also have heard there is a sensor under the driver seat that can fail and set the code.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

[rainjacks]

+1 on joegr's comment. You can get one from a parts car assuming it is the same type. As in ABS if you have ABS or AdvanceTrac if you have that. Also, there could be a difference between Gen1 and Gen2 that would make them non-interchangeable I'm not positive about that. And finally, you will need the Ford Diagnostics computer to get the new module to work with your car.

I will hopefully get my new module put in in the next week or two. It just showed up in the mail. Thanks Falecf4! I'll post if it solved the problem or not when I get it done.