Traction control sensor CHev. Venture

Maintenance/Repairs
1

Back when I lived in a house with a dirt driveway, my traction control system would sometimes go off, a very nice person at AutoZone told me to just spray around the wheels with a house, cleaning off the dirty sensor. It always worked. Now I live in an apt. without access to a hose. I have no idea where the sensor is, just “back of the wheel somewhere”. Does anyone know where it is or what it looks like?

2

The sensor used for traction control is the same one as the ABS wheel spreed sensor IF you have ABS brakes. On this vehicle the ABS sensors is completely sealed. (so the Auto Zone guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about) IF it does not have ABS, the sensor is the engine RPM sensor and software that resides in the engine computer, also completely sealed.

Washing it will have NO effect at all since it is not exposed. If you think it had some effect, it is purely placebo.

3

The sensor you’re taking about is the wheel speed sensor.

And I really can’t see how spraying water on the wheel can clean the sensor. If you look at the image below the sensor is located inside the wheel bearing assembly.

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=4287561&cc=1431167

Tester

4

The Venture has another problem that can cause TCS to shut off at times. Believe it or not part of the system signal comes from the brake light circuit. If the taillight connectors are making intermittent contact it will turn off TCS and a dash light will come on. This vehicle had some history of the taillight connector failing that would cause that. You might want to check the connectors at the taillights and look for a burned or over heated pin. I’m not sure what the repair is, maybe just a new connector. I put a jumper wire around the damaged pin myself.

5

All 3 brake lights working or just the third brake light up top. If so, could also have the infamous rear taillight short from water getting in and shorting the ground wire in the connector. Need to unscrew the rear assembly with a T30 head and check it out. Let us know and we can provide the few paths to fixing it.