Is your traction control light on, and your car won’t accelerate as expected? While this is a scary and frustrating phenomenon, it indicates your vehicle needs attention. Understanding the causes of this issue will help you address it once and for all.
The traction control light on and car won’t accelerate may result from a faulty wheel speed sensor, bad steering angle sensor, defective traction control module, and damaged steering rack.
Herein, I detail why the traction control light is on, but your vehicle won’t speed up. You’ll also understand what to do when you encounter this problem.
Question: What’s the Traction Control?
The traction control system is an innovative technology in many modern cars designed to improve traction while driving. It comes in handy when your tires lose grip on wet or icy roads.
The system applies brakes or minimizes power to the slipping wheel. It redistributes power to other tires with traction, helping your car maintain optimal traction and stability. The traction control system ensures you maintain control over the vehicle to mitigate slippery roads.
This system also works with several safety features, including stability control and anti-lock braking systems, to enhance overall stability and control. It relies on several sensors to detect wheel speed and slipping.
So, what happens when the traction control light pops up and your car fails to accelerate properly? The traction control light will flash when the system detects the wheel slipping in wet or icy conditions. This flashing is normal as it indicates the system is correcting the problem.
However, there are times when the light stays on in normal operations, and your vehicle doesn’t accelerate.
Answer: Causes of Traction Control Light On and No Acceleration
The traction control system may have several issues if this light stays on and there is no acceleration.
Before inspecting the car for defective components, try to restart your vehicle. Pull over in a place and stop the car. Then restart the engine and check if the light will turn off.
You should also test-drive to see if the car is accelerating as expected.
If restarting doesn’t solve this problem, examining the vehicle for defects is necessary. Below are the common causes of the traction control light on and car won’t accelerate.
Faulty Wheel Speed Sensors
Wheel speed sensors monitor the speed of your car’s wheel rotation. They communicate with the traction control module and the ECU about how fast the wheels spin.
If the wheel speed changes unexpectedly, the sensors will detect this change and inform the traction control system. Then, the system adjusts the affected wheel’s speed to prevent loss of traction.
But the traction control system won’t receive this information if you have bad wheel speed sensors. A defective wheel speed sensor may also send inaccurate data, causing your car to lose traction and stability. When this happens, you’ll see a traction control light on the dash, and your vehicle won’t accelerate.
Note: Faulty wheel speed sensors can also trigger the ABS light to appear on the dash.
Wheel speed sensors will malfunction over time due to corrosion, dirt, loose connections, and unfavorable weather. These factors will affect signal quality or cause complete sensor failure.
Locate the sensors on the hub of your car wheels. In this case, you’ll need to remove the wheels, locate the sensors, and remove them. Clean the sensors with a file, wire brush, or rag to remove corrosion or stuck debris.
If the cleaning doesn’t work, test for faulty sensors with your multimeter. Replace any broken or defective sensors and tighten the cable.
Bad Steering Angle Sensor
The traction control module and ECU need to know the angle of the steering wheel for good stability and traction. Thankfully, this is where the steering angle sensor comes in. It calculates the steering wheel’s angle and rate of rotation.
This sensor will determine where you want to steer and match the steering wheel’s angle with the car wheels. The traction control system uses the information from this sensor to maintain traction in the case of a slipping tire.
If the steering angle sensor is defective, it won’t send information to the traction control system. As a result, the traction control system won’t mitigate slipping during acceleration, triggering a traction light. Your car will also experience acceleration problems in normal driving conditions.
This sensor can malfunction due to faulty wiring, a broken sensor, or failure to reset after tire alignment. If you suspect that this sensor is to blame, it’s advisable to contact an authorized mechanic for help.
If you’re a skilled DIYer, locate this sensor in the steering column. Examine the wiring and repair or replace worn or broken wires. Unbolt the sensor if it looks damaged and replace it with a new one.
Defective Traction Control Module
If none of the sensors are to blame, a faulty traction control module (TCM) can trigger this warning light and no acceleration.
This module is the brain of your car’s traction control system. It receives information from the wheel speed and steering angle sensors and determines what to do. If the TCM is faulty, it won’t read or take action after receiving information from the sensors.
As a result, the whole system will malfunction, causing traction, stability, and acceleration problems. A faulty TCM can also trigger erratic behaviors like unnecessary braking or wheel spins. These issues will cause the traction light to appear on the dash.
A faulty TCM requires advanced diagnosis methods, so leave this task to a professional mechanic. Fixing it may involve removing the old module and installing a new one.
Bad Steering Rack
A bad steering rack is another cause of the traction control light on and car won’t accelerate. The steering rack is part of your car’s rack-and-pinion power steering system. It’s parallel to the front axle, moving right and left when you turn the steering wheel. This component receives pressurized power steering fluid to allow easy turning of the steering wheel.
The steering rack is directly correlated with the traction control system. Your car must have a functional steering rack to allow smooth steering, particularly on slippery roads. If the steering rack is defective, it’ll be hard to steer the car in wet or icy conditions.
Consequently, your car will lose traction and fail to accelerate as expected. This issue will also trigger a traction light on the dash.
The steering rack may fail due to low or contaminated power steering fluid. Check the fluid level and add more if necessary. If the fluid appears contaminated, change it.
You may also check for defects in the power steering pump and hoses restricting fluid flow. If the shortcomings with the steering rack feel intimidating, tow the car to a repair shop to get the problem fixed.
Defective Throttle Body
The throttle body controls the amount of air flowing into the engine. Pressing the accelerator pedal opens the throttle body, allowing more air to enter the engine. The throttle position sensor sends this information to the ECM to allow more fuel flow into the engine.
Thus, this component has a significant impact on your car’s acceleration. Enough air won’t enter the engine if you have a clogged or damaged throttle body. This issue will cause less fuel to enter the combustion chamber and no acceleration.
When you try to accelerate, the traction control will detect a mismatch between the engine power and the throttle body input. As a result, the traction control light, electronic throttle control, and check engine lights will appear on the dash.
Inspect the throttle body and clean it if stuck with dirt. A throttle body cleaner and brush will help clean the clogged throttle body. If you have a broken or corroded throttle, replacing it will help.
Wrapping Up
The traction control light on and car won’t accelerate is a serious issue that requires immediate attention. This light usually turns on in slippery conditions to indicate that your traction control system is working. Something is wrong if the light stays on in normal driving conditions and you experience no acceleration.
Examine your car and fix the underlying problem to resolve this issue. It’s worth noting that traction control is a complex system that requires expertise. If you find this problem intimidating, contact an authorized mechanic for help.