Dealer indicates mine is bad and needs replaced. If I change it myself do they need to calibrate it using the Ford specific computer?
Yes, according to some passages in the service manual, no according to others. You might try the replacement and see if it seems to be okay.
Is this now a constant problem, or did you just get a check advancetrac light that went away after your next restart? I think that the sensor sometimes gets a bit of dust in it and causes this. You might also try cleaning the existing sensor. You can do that with canned air with it still installed (no need to recalibrate then). Or, you could remove it and clean it with optical cleaner.
http://deneau.info/ls/s6x~us~en~file=s6x69006.htm~gen~ref.htm
I finally have some time to replace the sensor. How do I get to it? Is it on the steering column close to the firewall? I've seen the diagrams of where it is located, but I don't know exactly where it is. Anyone changed theirs before and know where it is??
Maybe I'm misreading something, but what does the steering wheel sensor have to do with the Advancetrac? ...
Everything.
The job of the AdvanceTrac is to try to keep the car moving in the direction that you are steering. To do this, it has to know which direction you have the steering wheel turned.
"The stability assist system constantly monitors vehicle motion relative to the driver's intended course. This is done by using sensors to compare the driver's steering input and brake application with that of the actual vehicle motion."
... Otherwise can someone tell me where the ABS module C155 is in step G4?