How To Fix Stabilitrak Chevy Equinox

How to Ready Chevy "Service StabiliTrak" & "Service Traction Command"

Early on to mid 2000's Chevy trucks and suburbans take a common problem with the stabilitrak and traction command service lights appearing on the nuance. For about truck owners, the warning lights occur ofttimes when the truck is idling and then disappears and reappears while driving. The "Service Stabilitrak" lite will commonly announced start and and then the car will plow traction control off. Once traction control is turned off, the transmission beings to shift very difficult and rough.

Additionally, the warning light most normally appears in common cold temperatures. Loss of engine power and or limp fashion are as well symptoms in addition to very hard shifting. While not isolated to these engines, the problem is almost mutual in 2007-2013 trucks with the 5.3 Vortec and AFM.

What is Stabilitrak?

Traction command obviously help you proceeds traction on depression-traction surfaces, such as snow and ice. Stabilitrak is another "electronic stability control" system, but information technology serves a different purpose than traction command. Traction command will limit power to various wheels to help your Chevy go from finish to first when there is low traction on the road.

Stabilitrak helps your machine go in a direct line one time information technology is already moving. The system uses sensors to determine the position of the steering wheel and tires compared to the direction the car is moving. If y'all are on a glace road and begin to fishtail, Stabilitrak will kick-in to help correct your path. If your automobile is fish tailing to the correct, but you have your tires and steering bike pointed towards the left, Stabilitrak volition apply the restriction on the outside front tire to straighten the car out.

Stabilitrak is connected to your Chevy'southward stability control system, your wheels and steering cycle via sensors, and to your brakes. Considering its a continued system, multiple issues can cause the "Service Stabilitrak" light to appear in your Chevy.

What Causes the Service Stabilitrak Light?

Despite the system beingness steering, braking, and traction related, a number of engine and other issues tin can cause this warning light. Overall, we have seen Service Stabilitrak acquired past a handful of issues. And the correct fix here seems to vary widely by vehicle. Here are the most probable causes, in my best attempt to rank them in gild of frequency:

E85 Fuel: many people report their service stabilitrak light disappearing afterwards running their tank dry on E85 fuel and irresolute back to traditional gasoline
- Changing the fuel filters might fix it as well
Active Fuel Management: try turning off AFM (view our guide here on how to turn off AFM)
Failed Throttle Position Sensor or lacking Throttle Body Assembly
Bad Steering Bike Position Sensor
Throttle Position Sensor
Tire Pressure Monitor Sensors
ABS Sensors
Brake Switch
Body Control Module
Engines Misfires / Old Ignition Coils and Spark Plugs
Bad Fuel Pump: doesn't announced to be very mutual
Lifter Failure: also less common

Unfortunately, the dealers are relatively unhelpful when information technology comes to diagnosing the issue. Codes generally do not appear for this issue and the problem is very intermittent making it hard to diagnose. Additionally, equally shown above, a number of things accept been know to crusade this issue and the fix tends to vary.

It appears nearly problems are caused past fuel, AFM, or something around the throttle body. All the same, years subsequently there however isn't really 1 known crusade or fix for this issue unfortunately. E85 fuel appears to be the nigh mutual culprit so my kickoff recommendation is to endeavour using regular gasoline for a tank or two and then plow AFM off it keeps appearing afterwards that.

There are thousands of forum threads on this. I did my all-time to synthesize all of the information. Considering this problem is nonetheless a mystery today, there could be a number of other issues causing service stabilitrak but I did my best to include all the common culprits I could find.

Symptoms of Stabilitrak and Traction Control Issues

Hard shifting
Warning lights appearing
Loss of ability / limp fashion
Problem codes that accept appeared aslope the upshot:
- C0561: ABS Disabled
- P0011: Camshaft Positioning A
- P0521: Engine Oil Pressure Sensor
- P0121: Pedal Position Sensor
- *Getting no engine codes is mutual*

Can I Keep Driving with the Stabilitrak Light On?

Your Chevy truck is withal drivable with both the stabilitrak and traction command lights on. However, yous may notice a lack of power and 90% of the time the problem is accompanied with hard shifts. While all the same drivable, difficult shifts are non practiced for a manual.

Hard shifting ordinarily occurs from low transmission fluid, which means the metal components inside the transmission are rubbing on each other with a lot of friction. Withal, in the service stabilitrak state of affairs, it generally has nothing to do with low fluid levels. Withal, the internal manual components are rubbing hard confronting each other which is what causes the "difficult shift" feeling.

Why the transmission hard shifts with stabilitrak issues is still unknown. With that being said, driving while hard shifting can crusade serious habiliment and tear on your transmission and is not recommended.

Jake is an automotive enthusiast who has been blogging about Chevy's and European cars for years. With technical knowledge on performance modifications and engine problems, Jake has a passion for helping car enthusiasts fix problems and attain their functioning goals.