Stabilitrak is an active vehicle safety system that prevents the wheels from losing control or grip when the driver makes a dangerous maneuver or simply accelerates the vehicle more than it’s needed even if the ground is slippery.
The Stabilitrak is safe for vehicles.
The only reason why you should be considering turning off your Stabilitrak is only if you are stuck in mud or snow.
When you get stuck in mud or snow and you leave the Stabilitrak on, it will gradually reduce power.
How to Turn off Stabilitrak
Stabilitrak ensures and keeps a driver from danger while on the road and in very precarious situations.
On the downside, it might get to hinder your movement if it is turned off, and if that is why you want it turned off, then you are at the right place.
Turning off the stabilitrak has to do with the make of your vehicle, the model, and your understanding of it before you can successfully have it turned off.
It varies from one vehicle to the other but in most cases, there is a button you will need to press and hold to have it deactivated.
While other vehicles may require pressing several buttons and navigating different modules before you can turn off such a feature.
Listed below are some of the ways you can turn off stabilitrak in some other popular vehicles.
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Volkswagen
To turn off the stabilitrak in a Volkswagen, it is important to locate and identify the button with the traction control icon or the stabilitrak.
It is located in the passenger compartment of your Volkswagen Passat and placed at the level of the consul.
The button has a symbol of a car with two winding lines, press and holds the button down for at least three seconds, this will help in turning off the stabilitrak.
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Chevrolet
Press the center button and then switch to the motherboard, to activate the traction control button, press and hold the button for a few seconds.
To turn off the stabilitrak in Chevrolet, start by pressing and releasing the traction control button located on the steering wheel immediately.
To turn the control off, press and hold the control button for a short period
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Jeep
For Jeep, locate the ESC button, for about six seconds, press and hold the ESC buttons until you hear the sound of the whistle, the whistle sound lets you know the stabilitrak has been turned off
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Toyota
For Toyota vehicles, it is a lot easier to find and disable the stabilitrak since Toyota has the VSC button.
Locate, press, and hold the VSC button for a few seconds. Doing this will disable both the VSC and traction. A pop-up message saying VSC off and Trac off will appear when the process is duly completed.
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Chrysler
for Chrysler, locate, press, and hold for about six seconds only the ESC buttons, this will turn off the stabilitrak, and you will see a message in the instrument group saying ESC off after hearing a buzzer of course.
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Ford
In the case of ford, turning off the stabilitrak depends on the vehicle model first off, you will have to find the button responsible for the stabilitrak feature.
To turn it off, start by pressing the traction control button on the steering wheel and releasing it immediately.
Press and then hold down the button for a few seconds, it will turn off the traction control.
For other car models that we’re not mentioned, you can start by finding the stabilitrak button by making use of the car menu, under the instrument panel you can check the steering wheel control.
Consider pressing the black arrow located on the left side of the steering wheel, a row down to manage the settings.
Click the ok button to select the driver-assist option, check the steering wheel and you are ready to ride.
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What Is Stabilitrak?
Stabilitrak is a safety feature put in a vehicle to aid and protect the driver from dangerous situations like taking a sharp bend on a slippery road.
The stabilitrak is also known as the traction control, also called the ASR, It is a secondary function of a vehicle’s electronic stability control, designed to prevent loss of traction of the wheels.
To help maintain optimal control of your vehicle at all times, the stabilitrak monitors the driver’s inputs as well as the condition of the road.
Ultimately, the stabilitrak can help you stay safer and still maintain better control of your vehicle under any driving conditions that under normal circumstances would have resulted in the loss of control, collision with other vehicles or objects, or even death as well.
It applies the brake to alter the vehicle’s trajectory and not only to apply brakes to stop the wheels.
Most especially in GM Cars, the stabilitrak is most considered a standard safety measure.
It makes use of sensor or sensors to notify the car that a wheel is slipping and the case will activate the anti-slipping feature on the said wheels.
Doing this will divert the power to the wheel that is not slipping on the other side to keep you moving.
The stabilitrak can further identify if the person driving the vehicle has lost control of the wheels. If identified, the system will apply both engine power and brake pressure to avoid an accident.
Cars made these days are getting clever as science and technology advances, making using them safer and comfortable.
What Does Service Stabilitrak Mean?
Service Stabilitrak message means there is a malfunction and it needs to be fixed.
It indicates an error in the Stabilitrak system.
Some possible causes of this error message might include input sensors, a bad connection, or a faulty controller.
The underlying issues that may prompt this error message vary from one vehicle to another and model to model as well.
The messages are there to tell you the problems detected with the Stabilitrak. The messages are general and can either mean the system is malfunctioning, the system is receiving a bad signal or it has been turned off
Even with these messages, it is absolutely fine to continue driving the vehicle as it should not impede your driving.
The best option however to solve the issue is to have a technician take a look at it.
You can also scan the system for diagnostic codes to help you in having a distinct idea of what the issue is generally.
If everything is working as it should you will most likely not see that service Stabilitrak message, however, GM sends an alert to the driver to notify him/her that the Stabilitrak is not working as it should.
This occurs generally maybe when a sensor detects a problem with the wheel location or the reaction to the steering.
Although this is not a dangerous situation when you receive the message, it will still be better to have the error fixed as soon as possible.
Why Does StabiliTrak Light Come On?
The Stabilitrak light will come on for a diverse number of reasons starting from faulty wheel sensors, problems with the steering rack, faulty rotational speed sensors or faulty steering angle sensors, etc.
The Stabilitrak system is a very vital system that helps in ensuring your safety as you drive especially on slippery roads.
The stabilitrak light comes on as a safety measure so it is proper to have it checked out and not ignored.
Ignoring the warning light from Stabilitrak may likely put your life in danger. While traction control helps to limit the power distributed to the different wheels of your car to stop the car from spinning, Stabilitrak will help your car stay in a straight line irrespective of the driving conditions.
Although the Stabilitrak system encompasses areas like the traction system, the brake system, and the steering wheels, other factors are not relative to this but will still cause the service Stabilitrak to come on, and they are:
- When the throttle position sensor is faulty
- Defective fuel pumps
- Failed connection
- Active fuel management
- Brake switch
- Body control module
- ABS sensors
- Defective steering wheel position sensors etc.
- Failing alternator
- Input Sensors
Those and any number of reasons can make the Stabilitrak light sensor come on.
There will always be symptoms to project the problem when there is a stabilitrak issue on your vehicle.
It is imperative to pay keen attention to the Stabilitrak service notifications and traction control.
How to Turn off Stabilitrak in Different Vehicles
Cars these days are equipped with Stabilitrak that helps your vehicle stay in a straight line irrespective of the driving conditions.
The Stabilitrak system allows the driver to avoid dangers, speeding, and slippery roads.
However, sometimes it is important to turn off the Stabilitrak system to preserve power and stop it from hindering your movement
In complex situations, If you fail to deactivate the Stabilitrak, the vehicle will lose power.
Especially if you are stuck in snow or mud.
Turning off the Stabilitrak system differs with cars and their specific models, listed below are the ways you can turn off Stabilitrak in different vehicles.
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Volkswagen
To turn off the stabilitrak in a Volkswagen, it is important to locate and identify the button with the traction control icon or the stabilitrak.
It is located in the passenger compartment of your Volkswagen Passat and placed at the level of the consul.
The button has a symbol of a car with two winding lines, press and holds the button down for at least three seconds, this will help in turning off the stabilitrak.
-
Chevrolet
Press the center button and then switch to the motherboard, to activate the traction control button, press and hold the button for a few seconds.
To turn off the stabilitrak in Chevrolet, start by pressing and releasing the traction control button located on the steering wheel immediately.
To turn the control off, press and hold the control button for a short period
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Jeep
For Jeep, locate the ESC button, for about six seconds, press and hold the ESC buttons until you hear the sound of the whistle, the whistle sound lets you know the stabilitrak has been turned off
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Toyota
Getting to turn off Stabilitrak for Toyota is quite handy in the event of troubleshooting situations.
Find the VSC button, it is located in the front of the Toyota’s vehicle, place your hand on the switch and press it while holding it down for a few seconds.
When it is successful a message will show that the Trac and VSC are off and you will know the job has been completed.
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Chrysler
for Chrysler, locate, press, and hold for about six seconds only the ESC buttons, this will turn off the stabilitrak, and you will see a message in the instrument group saying ESC off after hearing a buzzer of course.
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Ford
In the case of ford, turning off the stabilitrak depends on the vehicle model first off, you will have to find the button responsible for the stabilitrak feature.
To turn it off, start by pressing the traction control button on the steering wheel and releasing it immediately.
Press and then hold down the button for a few seconds, it will turn off the traction control.
The turning off process of the Ford vehicles also relies on the version of the Ford vehicle.
How To Reset Service Stabilitrak Light
When the service Stabilitrak light comes on it means you need to have the Stabilitrak control module reset. You can do the reset by disconnecting the battery or performing a force reset as well.
If you need help performing the reset function on Stabilitrak, you can talk to a professional mechanic to have it done for you, it should not be done by an amateur since if not done right, it may lead to additional damage and that will make matters worse.
If you, however, want to perform this task yourself, below is a step-by-step guide on how you can do it.
- Turn on and turn off your car and let sit for about 15 to 20 minutes
- After that period, start the ignition but do not start the engine
- Use the clutch if your vehicle uses manual transmission, but if it is automatic, press the gas pedal down five times
- Doing this should turn off the light, but if it does not, wait for 10 minutes before repeating the whole process all over again.
What Would Cause The Stabilitrak Light To Come On?
The Stabilitrak light will come on for a diverse number of reasons starting from faulty wheel sensors, problems with the steering rack, faulty rotational speed sensors or faulty steering angle sensors, etc.
The Stabilitrak system is a very vital system that helps in ensuring your safety as you drive especially on slippery roads.
The stabilitrak light comes on as a safety measure so it is proper to have it checked out and not ignored.
Ignoring the warning light from Stabilitrak may likely put your life in danger. While traction control helps to limit the power distributed to the different wheels of your car to stop the car from spinning, Stabilitrak will help your car stay in a straight line irrespective of the driving conditions.
Although the Stabilitrak system encompasses areas like the traction system, the brake system, and the steering wheels, other factors are not relative to this but will still cause the service Stabilitrak to come on, and they are:
- When the throttle position sensor is faulty
- Defective fuel pumps
- Failed connection
- Active fuel management
- Brake switch
- Body control module
- ABS sensors
- Defective steering wheel position sensors etc.
- Failing alternator
- Input Sensors
Those and any number of reasons can make the Stabilitrak light sensor come on.
There will always be symptoms to project the problem when there is a stabilitrak issue on your vehicle.
It is imperative to pay keen attention to the Stabilitrak service notifications and traction control.
How to fix StabiliTrak?
A quick fix to Stabilitrak is to pull your car over, turn it off, and let it sit for at least 10 to 20 seconds.
After 20 seconds, you should start the standby vehicle, the notifications should go off, if it doesn’t, get assistance from a mechanic.
Stabilitrak And Traction Control Disabling Itself
The Stabilitrak and Traction Control was programmed to shut itself off in the event of engine misfiring for safety reasons. If you fix the engine misfire problems the issue of Stabilitrak and Traction control disabling itself will get solved.
How Much Does It Cost to Fix the StabiliTrak?
The cost range to have the Stabilitrak system fixed is around $80 to $190 with a labor cost of $30 to $50.
If the issue results from a destroyed sensor, the solution to that is to have a new sensor installed. This will cost anywhere between $250 to $500. However, if you are unable to find out what the problem with the Stabilitrak is, you can seek assistance from the local mechanic around you to help you find and solve the issue.
The cost of repairing your Stabilitrak depends on the dealer or the repair shop and it will be based on the type of vehicle you use, the problem with your vehicle’s Stabilitrak, and the amount of time required to have it diagnosed and fixed.
Can I Drive With a Stabilitrak Light On?
Yes, you can drive with a Stabilitrak light on. The light might come on for various reasons ranging from mild to serious issues.
The warning light is general, it means the system is malfunctioning or the system. has been turned or any other number of reasons.
If the light appears when you are driving, it is safe to continue driving, since there are no safety concerns you can still get to drive your car with the Stabilitrak light on. What it simply means is that you will not be able to use that particular feature of your car at that moment.
Additionally, you will need to drive more cautiously as you might not be able to maintain control over your steering or braking.
What causes traction control to malfunction?
What causes traction control to malfunction most times include dirt, faulty electrical connections between the sensors and the vehicle’s computer, the control module, wheel speed sensors, and wires can all suffer intermittent problems.
The traction control and ABS are both foundational elements for a car to maintain its stability control system.
In some cases, the traction control will malfunctions when the wheel-speed sensors are covered with road grime and debris, wires, and other components are located at each wheel making it susceptible to failure.
Why are my StabiliTrak and ABS lights on?
The Stabilitrak and ABS light come on as a result of the system not engaging.
Whenever the vehicle’s computer detects a system malfunction or other form of mechanical error. The light coming on however themselves do not imply that something is gravely wrong, but when paired with the main brake light going off then it points to a graver problem.
The light staying as well as the fact that it might be sensing the low level of brake fluid that is abnormal, the traction control is turned off or the wheel speed sensor s is broken.
Irrespective of the symptoms you are currently experiencing, it is better to have it inspected by a professional mechanic as soon as possible. Doing this will not only ensure your safety but that of other people around you.
The brake and traction control of your vehicle are some of the important components of your vehicle’s operations and they should not be taken lightly.
An OBDII scanner can be used to read the fault codes stored in the ECU. But you won’t be able to do it yourself, you will require the help of a mechanic to test them out to figure out the problem and have it sorted out.
Where is the StabiliTrak button?
The Stabilitrak button locations differ from one vehicle to another, for some vehicles it is automatic and has no buttons, for others you may need to open the car menu, check the steering wheel control under the instrument panels, look at the led side of the wheel, find a small black arrow button and have it pressed.
Additionally, you can find the button on the ESC button, etc.
Stabilitrak Vs. Traction Control
The traction control will limit the power that goes to various wheels to stop the wheel from spinning when there is low traction on the road while Stabilitrak will keep your vehicle moving in a straight line.
The traction control is designed so that vehicles can make optimal use of the traction accelerating function available on any given surface.
It measures the wheel spin and then controls it by making use of the anti-lock braking system.
The Stabilitrak leverages the hardware required by both the traction control and anti-lock braking system. It works by adding a brake function to one part of the car to enable it to gently steer in that direction.
Is There A Fuse For The Stabilitrak Feature?
Yes, but this varies from one manufacturer to the other.
It is not recommended to have the fuse removed.
The Stabilitrak system is integrated with the ABS and the removal of the fuse might likely interfere with the removal of the fuse.
You should have it disabled so you do not mess with the vehicle’s other primary functions than to have the fuse removed.
Sensor Replacement Cost
Most sensors cost around $20 to $300, depending on the type of sensors, how difficult it is to access the sensor, depends also on the make and model of your vehicle as well.
Do not forget to add the mechanic fee of labor as well.
Why Would You Turn Off StabiliTrak?
It is important to turn off the Stabilitrak system to preserve power and stop it from hindering your movement
In complex situations, If you fail to deactivate the Stabilitrak, the vehicle will lose power.
Especially if you are stuck in snow or mud, it is best to have the Stabilitrak turned off.
The car gas mileage will additionally improve when driving.
Additionally, when the Stabilitrak is turned off you will notice a slight slow down in the tire wear and you can also enjoy the thrill of some stunts like drifting when you are driving.
Do note that if you do not have Stabilitrak, it does not affect the safety standard of your vehicle unless, of course, you are either turning corners at very high speeds or you are driving on slippery grounds.
And again, the best way to reap the full potential of a Stabilitrak is to practice safe driving, and avoid aggressive driving like overspeeding, tailgating or accelerating around highway curves.
On the other hand, the Stabilitrak features are needed only in certain conditions, most especially when you are driving on a slippery road.
When driving on a slippery road, you will need to have a stronger grip surface and what this means is that there will be no need to activate the Stabilitrak in other driving conditions.
