Traction Control Light Flashing

[jeffrosie]

Hi all, wonder if this has happened to anybody else.

Was on the motorway today and the Traction Control light started to flash continously and the ECU light came on and stayed on. Switching off the engine and restarting did not make a difference, both lights still stayed on. Did not make a difference to the way the car ran, which is faultless.

Any ideas as I just don't know where to begin.

Car is a 2001 IS200 Sport.

[aido]

You just need to pop to a local garage with an OBD-II reader to get the error code(s) read so that you can see exactly what caused it to light up in the first place.

The other option is reset the ECU which will get rid of the light - but it also clears the codes and if it's something bad you don't want to be doing that!

Just pop in a local garage and see if they can help, most will have the readers they can just plug straight in :)

[ColinBarber]

If the fault has cleared the light will go out after 4 ignition/engine start cycles. If the fault still remains resetting the ECU won't make a difference, the light will just come straight back on again.

[jeffrosie]

Think its the traction control ECU, where is that hidden within the car??

[Rob]

u think? have u had the fault code read??

[ColinBarber]

The TC light will come on for errors that have nothing to do with the traction control. You need to obtain the error codes to start to diagnose the problem.

[DJ Wozza]

You can buy an OBDII rader from E-Bay, (either as a standalone or as a laptop interface) for £30 or so.

You need the code read to find out the fault. Once you have the code check what it means HERE

[Gord]

Hi all, wonder if this has happened to anybody else.

Was on the motorway today and the Traction Control light started to flash continously and the ECU light came on and stayed on. Switching off the engine and restarting did not make a difference, both lights still stayed on. Did not make a difference to the way the car ran, which is faultless.

Any ideas as I just don't know where to begin.

Car is a 2001 IS200 Sport.

Sounds like a coilpack gone :o

[jeffrosie]

Sounds like a coilpack gone

What coilpack are you talkin about Gord??

[jeffrosie]

And also I havn't checked for any error codes.

Will buy a OBD reader off fleabay.

[jeffrosie]

Think I will buy this 290286200710 fleabay item

yay or nay

[sparkystav]

should do the job, yay

[sparkystav]

Hi all, wonder if this has happened to anybody else.

Was on the motorway today and the Traction Control light started to flash continously and the ECU light came on and stayed on. Switching off the engine and restarting did not make a difference, both lights still stayed on. Did not make a difference to the way the car ran, which is faultless.

Any ideas as I just don't know where to begin.

Car is a 2001 IS200 Sport.

Sounds like a coilpack gone :o

Surely not a coil pack it the car runs fine?

[Gord]

Sounds like a coilpack gone

What coilpack are you talkin about Gord??

You have six coil packs, one for each cylinder :D that sit on top of the spark plug. Had the same problem with mine, sometime ago now.

@ Stav, its hard to tell if your car running right, if only one coil pack is down, being 6 cylinder and very smooth.

[sparkystav]

hmm you have a point.

[tomo1981]

Exact same thing happened to me last week, Turned out to be three faulty coils, Is the car misfiring? I was advised to not drive it....

Colls are about £130 pound fitted.

[reganlives]

Help!!! Just read this thread and its got me worried now. I went to see my car yesterday and the rad needs changing as its got a leak but we tried some radweld in the engine and it didnt work but I noticed the TRC light flashing and also the ABS light was on as well. I told the garage they werent on to start with but havent brought it up properly with them as had to sort out the rad issue first. Will someone tell me why this has happened as the car aint been getting driven as its in the bodyshop at the moment.

[Steviewevie]

Help!!! Just read this thread and its got me worried now. I went to see my car yesterday and the rad needs changing as its got a leak but we tried some radweld in the engine and it didnt work but I noticed the TRC light flashing and also the ABS light was on as well. I told the garage they werent on to start with but havent brought it up properly with them as had to sort out the rad issue first. Will someone tell me why this has happened as the car aint been getting driven as its in the bodyshop at the moment.

I could be wrong about this, but I *think* that the TRC system uses the ABS sensors, i.e. to detect the speed at which the wheels are turning. It's possible that an ABS sensor might have been damaged during the repair work.

[reganlives]

oh ffs....I see what you mean mate. From what I remember when I was sifting thru the car before it went to the garage I found a card in it from lexus with a quote for an ABS sensor on the back. I'll be having a stern word with the garage regarding this issue. Where abouts are the ABS sensors? The car was jacked up at the time when I saw the lights on but it was lowered in front of me and the lights were still on but the car was not turned off then on again so I didnt see if any lights were to reset.

[Steviewevie]

Front sensor location

Rear sensor location

Get the garage to check the ABS is all working ok, e.g. see the procedures here

[reganlives]

The procedures you've linked to there mention a hand held tester, does this mean an OBD II scanner? By looking at the diagrams I think its the ABS sensor that they've probably moved or disconnected as the front end of the car was stripped and one of the arch liners removed so somewhere along the line they've messed up I think.

[Steviewevie]

The procedures you've linked to there mention a hand held tester, does this mean an ODB II scanner?

Yes, I think so.

By looking at the diagrams I think its the ABS sensor that they've probably moved or disconnected as the front end of the car was stripped and one of the arch liners removed so somewhere along the line they've messed up I think.

Yes, it sounds like it !

[Rob]

The procedures you've linked to there mention a hand held tester, does this mean an ODB II scanner? By looking at the diagrams I think its the ABS sensor that they've probably moved or disconnected as the front end of the car was stripped and one of the arch liners removed so somewhere along the line they've messed up I think.

it is an obdII scanner but very advanced, it can read the pulse signals off the sensors etc. all depends what software u have loaded on the laptop.

the ABS cables are easily damaged but firstly I would check if the sensors have been correctly installed as its easy to fit them incorrectly aligned/properly inserted.

[reganlives]

Cool, I'll be going to the see the car tomorrow and drop off the new radiator so will bring this up with them and let them know what to look for. Hopefully they sort the problem.

[jeffrosie]

All error codes have suddenly cleared up - looks like the faries fixed it overnight :D

Have already ordered an OBDII reader/scanner.

Will post up any errors when its done.