Traction control flashing while accelerating

[Justin00LS]

My 2000 LS8 has a problem. Yesterday the traction control light started blinking and the engine reduced power while accelerating on the interstate. This happened about 8 times during a 200 mile drive around 75mph.

I drove it today and this sometimes happens on the interstate when the cruise control is on and the engine is under a slight load, such as going up a hill! At times the car thinks the wheel spin is so severe that it cuts the engine spark and my car looses speed on the interstate! I have no check engine light or service transmission message on the display.

I hope it is a wheel sensor and not the transmission slipping. I have 110k miles and never had any problem with the transmission, but it has never been serviced before. I just had new tires put on(255/45/17 rear, 235/50/17 front) and the car aligned last week and I don't believe that this would cause a problem like this. Maybe a wheel sensor was bumped loose when the tires were installed.

What could the problem be?

 

[HyeLifeLS]

I think it's the difference in tires that makes it act like that. ABS light is not on?

 

[n8bachelor]

:I

They are very close in size. The front tires will read 0.8% slower than the rear (front reads 60mph but rear reads 60.5mph). The greater the speed the greater the difference between the wheels.

Why did you put different size tires on the car?

n8

 

[Justin00LS]

Why did you put different size tires on the car?

n8

I had a blowout on the rear and only replaced the two rear tires. I will eventually replace the front tires with 255's as well when money permits. The traction control light flashed today while accelerating up the interstate on-ramp going around 40-45mph. At 45mph the difference in tire size between the front and rear would be cause a reading difference of rougly .3mph.

If my tires were the reason the light flashes I would think that low tire pressure on stock tires would sometimes cause the light as well, but I may be wrong.

 

[Justin00LS]

The ABS light is not on and the car has no check engine, transmission, or traction control on the dash.

 

[02V8Sport]

my 04 has 255/40/19 on back and 245/35/19 on front. I dont have this type of issue, but maybe the 00-02 are more sensitive to this change??

 

[Justin00LS]

The 00-02 may be more sensitive. I hope that the tires are the problem, but I'm afraid it is not. Does anyone else have the combo I have on the 00-02 LS (235/50/17 front and 255/45/17 rear)?

 

[n8bachelor]

my 04 has 255/40/19 on back and 245/35/19 on front. I dont have this type of issue, but maybe the 00-02 are more sensitive to this change??

WOW that is a pretty big difference (4.7%). I am shocked that you have not had similar issues! Is the tire size visually different? if not why would you use different sizes?

 

[02V8Sport]

WOW that is a pretty big difference (4.7%). I am shocked that you have not had similar issues! Is the tire size visually different? if not why would you use different sizes?

That is as big as I can go in the front and back w/o rubbing.

It is visually different. The back has a meaty tire, while the front looks normal.

I need a 255 in the back for traction and the 40 series fills out the rear fender well nicely.

 

[Jim Henderson]

If this started right after the new tires I would suspect those or some damage(loose sensors).

The manual says not to use different size tires. Don't know how different your two sizes are from each other. Perhaps the sensor is that sensitive?

Otherwise, could be loose sensor or a lot of dust. I have occasionally had the light come on. I blow out the brake area with air and the problems goes away for a long time at least.

Also read on this website that there is a TSB about a resistor that goes bad after awhile. Perhaps yous has coincidentally gone bad after the change?

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

[Justin00LS]

I am going to unplug the battery to reset the computer and take it for a drive this afternoon. Hope all goes well with the transmission...