ABS & Trac OFF lights on in Chrysler LHS 1999

Maintenance/Repairs
1

My son just purchased a 1999 LHS last September and he now has a problem where the ABS light and Trac OFF lights come on simultaneously when he starts driving over 10mph.

What should we be looking for and do we need to bring it to a dealer to get it fixed?

2

One thing to check for is debris on the tone rings for the wheel speed sensors. The tone rings are toothed rings that the wheel speed sensors get their signal from. Because of the use of semi-metalic brake pads, metal dust can coat the tone rings and fill in the spaces between the teeth. This then causes the signal to the wheel speed sensors to be erratic which will cause the ABS light to come on. And because the ABS and traction control work hand in hand, the Trac light will also come on.

Purchase a can of sensor safe brake cleaner and clean the tone rings of any debris to see if doing this turns the lights off.

Tester

3

I have found out that the Trac Off light will come on when there is another problem with your brake system. Do as tester suggest. If this takes care of your ABS light then I think it will fix your Trac Off light also.

4

I just wanted to add that the “Trac OFF” light comes on when there is a malfunction in the ABS because the traction control system uses the ABS sensors and other components to apply brakes to the slipping wheel so that the other wheel will get some power. Not as good as a limited-slip diff, but better than nothing. With the ABS reporting a fault, the Traction Control cannot function, and its computer disables it–hence the light. Fixing the ABS should fix the Trac problem.

5

I just wanted to add that the “Trac OFF” light comes on when there is a malfunction in the ABS because the traction control system uses the ABS sensors and other components to apply brakes to the slipping wheel so that the other wheel will get some power. Not as good as a limited-slip diff, but better than nothing. With the ABS reporting a fault, the Traction Control cannot function, and its computer disables it–hence the light. Fixing the ABS should fix the Trac problem.