# "Traction Control Off" message and Brake Light Goes on **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [October 10, 2019, 6:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/traction-control-off-message-and-brake-light-goes-on/150453 "2019-10-10T18:14:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TonyCone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@TonyCone](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TonyCone)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2019, 6:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/traction-control-off-message-and-brake-light-goes-on/150453/1 "2019-10-10T18:14:42Z")
Hello, On our 2011 Chevy Traverse the Traction Control Off message is coming up on the dash. Comes up, “pings” for less than a minute, and then the message goes off. When the message does come up the Brake light is lit up. This all started about a week ago. I’ve read some other threads but they all mentioned stabiltrack and powerloss. We’ve had no loss of power when this message pops up. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2019, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/traction-control-off-message-and-brake-light-goes-on/150453/2 "2019-10-10T18:27:06Z")
> [@TonyCone](#): > > This all started about a week ago. I’ve read some other threads but they all mentioned stabiltrack and powerloss When ever the ECU detects an error then traction control and anti-lock brakes are automatically turned off. Sounds like some intermittent problem. The brake light is a dual use light. It’ll light up it if detects a problem with the anit-lock brakes and also light up when fluid is low. First check fluid. If low then add some. It that’s OK, then it could just be a sensor problem. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/traction-control-off-message-and-brake-light-goes-on/150453/3 "2019-10-11T02:31:42Z")
Have the ECU’s diagnostic codes been read yet? If not, that’s where I’d start. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 8:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/traction-control-off-message-and-brake-light-goes-on/150453/4 "2019-10-11T08:57:42Z")
> [@MikeInNH](#): > > First check fluid. If low then add some. And check for leaks and brake pad thickness. ---
**Author:** ![Honda-Blackbird](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/honda-blackbird/32/3159_2.png) [@Honda-Blackbird](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Honda-Blackbird)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 9:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/traction-control-off-message-and-brake-light-goes-on/150453/5 "2019-10-11T09:29:02Z")
The traction control system is extremely sensitive to reported wheel speed… Lets say you did indeed have actual wheel spin. The “ping” you heard could have been the computers (Traction Control) attempt at cutting engine power (by inducing misfires on purpose) regardless of throttle input because it correctly determined there was actual wheel spin. It was attempting to prevent you from being able to continue to spin your wheels (and thus get further out of control). In this instance the system is working just fine…it just needs to be reset. Sometimes a faulty ABS sensor will incorrectly report one of the wheels current rpm’s…the traction control system will then see this as wheel slippage (as the other wheels seem to be outpacing the one with the faulty ABS sensor)… So the Traction control Nanny kicks in again…cutting engine power…needing to be res…you get the idea. These are both viable and real scenarios.