Weird start up

[Soopa009]

The past two days when I start my car up (from the dead cold night) it starts fine and soon as I start to go into drive or reverse the ebrake light, abs lights go on, then it says check advanced traction. So I parked the car made sure the Ebrake was down and all, still was on. So I shut the car off and turned it back on and its fine..
Anyone have any idea what's going on? must be some kinda short cause of the cold? I dunno any suggestions/tips appreciated!
Drive safe err body!

 

[joegr]

The past two days when I start my car up (from the dead cold night) it starts fine and soon as I start to go into drive or reverse the ebrake light, abs lights go on, then it says check advanced traction. So I parked the car made sure the Ebrake was down and all, still was on. So I shut the car off and turned it back on and its fine..
Anyone have any idea what's going on? must be some kinda short cause of the cold? I dunno any suggestions/tips appreciated!
Drive safe err body!

You know, that light isn't just for the emergency (parking) brake. It also indicates low brake fluid level. Check your brake fluid level. If it is low, then fill it. Be aware that if it is low it will either be because your pads are worn thin and should be replaced, or you have a brake fluid leak. Neither is good.

 

[Silver_LS]

All winter long my Check Advance Track warning is on. When I had a warranty I took it in for this and they replaced a ABS sensor on the front. It solved the problem for the rest of the winter. The issue came back the following winter. After I drive a while and use the brakes, then shut the car off, as long as it doesn't have time to completely cool and freeze, the warning doesn't come on when I restart the car.

I know that doesn't answer your question, but the ABS sensor being replaced did stop that symptom for the first winter.

Also, my advancetrac still works fine even though it says check it, and the traction control light is always iluminated in the cluster while the warning is on.

 

[smdandb2]

My car was pretty much doing the same thing, and it turned out to be a failing battery.

 

[Silver_LS]

That could be my issue as well.. My battery is the original, and has had a hard life. It was completely drained 3 times while I was deployed.

 

[joegr]

I don't think that low battery problems will turn the brake warning light on. (Low battery can turn the ABS/traction/advancetrac lights on, and on gen II, the service parking brake warning.)
If the brake warning light is turned on due to low brake fluid level, then the ABS and traction or advancetrac may be shutdown, resulting in those warnings.
If the fluid level is marginal, then it is more likely to trigger a warning when cold, and when the car moves and sloshes the fluid around.

The OP should check for low brake fluid level, and for battery condition.

 

[Hawk03]

I don't think that low battery problems will turn the brake warning light on. (Low battery can turn the ABS/traction/advancetrac lights on, and on gen II, the service parking brake warning.)
If the brake warning light is turned on due to low brake fluid level, then the ABS and traction or advancetrac may be shutdown, resulting in those warnings.
If the fluid level is marginal, then it is more likely to trigger a warning when cold, and when the car moves and sloshes the fluid around.

The OP should check for low brake fluid level, and for battery condition.

Wow, am I glad this subject came up. I have been having issues with my traction control for a while. I replaced a sensor, ABS light was on, took care of that and then had to have my ABS/ATC control module recalibrated but the AdvanceTrac warnings still existed. The past couple of days I have had to jump the car to get it started. The battery is about 4 1/2 years old and has had a tough life. Starting issue with the loose junction (unnecessary jumping for 5 months and I left the lights a couple times in the last few months that drained the battery, whoops). I'm hoping its a new battery and not something more major. I checked the voltage while the car was running and it was between 14.6 and 14.7.

 

[joegr]

Wow, am I glad this subject came up. I have been having issues with my traction control for a while. I replaced a sensor, ABS light was on, took care of that and then had to have my ABS/ATC control module recalibrated but the AdvanceTrac warnings still existed. The past couple of days I have had to jump the car to get it started. The battery is about 4 1/2 years old and has had a tough life. Starting issue with the loose junction (unnecessary jumping for 5 months and I left the lights a couple times in the last few months that drained the battery, whoops). I'm hoping its a new battery and not something more major. I checked the voltage while the car was running and it was between 14.6 and 14.7.

For that issue, I would definitely start by replacing the battery. BTW, leaving the headlights, or any other light on should not result in a dead battery. Anything that you leave on should be shut down about thirty minutes after you turn the key off. A loose junction would run the battery down.
If after replacing the battery you still keep getting Advancetrac warnings without ABS warnings, then the most likely suspect would be the steering angle sensor. A Ford specific code scanner can be used to find out for sure.

 

[Hawk03]

For that issue, I would definitely start by replacing the battery. BTW, leaving the headlights, or any other light on should not result in a dead battery. Anything that you leave on should be shut down about thirty minutes after you turn the key off. A loose junction would run the battery down.
If after replacing the battery you still keep getting Advancetrac warnings without ABS warnings, then the most likely suspect would be the steering angle sensor. A Ford specific code scanner can be used to find out for sure.

Thanks for the info, much appreciated as always.
I left my fog lights on, which are run on a separate switch since I still haven't found the cause of the failure from the headlight switch. Its in the ground some where. The switch we hooked up is a ground switch ran to the relay.

I went to the dealer after I replaced a wheel sensor since the code reader we were using said to have the ATS/ABS module recalibrated. They claimed they couldn't recalibrate it since there was a fault in the electrical not allowing them to recalibrate the module and they would need to look further. They said they may have found a loose pin that may be causing the fault and if my Advancetrac light came on again they would need to replace the AdvanceTrac module. I didn't go back.