Traction control fault message?

[Steve McF]

So, hot off the press. I have just driven to work - about half a mile from home I stopped at a roundabout, there was a bingbong, and the car stalled with a message on the SiD about a traction control system problem.

I only saw it momentarily as I restarted the car, and the message disappeared. I then carried on my journey without incident.

Later I'll try and see if there are any fault codes stored, but in the meantime, should I be worried?

[Audax]

The only answer is to pull the fault codes, it could be a lot of things ranging from a transient stray cosmic ray (yes, really!) to a fault with the P bus or a module on it or the start of ECU failure.

[sgould]

I see a transient “Traction Control Failure” message almost every time I use my Tech 2 on the car.  I clear it and everything is fine again.  But I don’t get a stall.  As said, read a code and see if it’s relevant.  Sometimes random codes indicate a battery problem.

[Steve McF]

I think the battery is now around 5 - 6 years old......so into the danger zone

[Steve McF]

The message came up again when I started the car to come home from work, but restarting seemed to reset it.

Just done a scan using the Torque app, and there are no faults stored!

[Steve McF]

But I managed to get a photo of the error message when it did it in the car park at work!

[Audax]

What's the voltage of the battery before starting the car?

[Steve McF]

I will need to check.....

[Steve McF]

What's the voltage of the battery before starting the car?

Just checked, and showing 12V before I start the car.

[Audax]

Twelve point what though? If it's 12.6-12.7 it's very healthy, it's it's just 12.0 then it is getting to replacement time. The split battery on mine was reporting 12.1V with the engine off but was obviously toast at that point.

[TomPaine]

I think the battery is now around 5 - 6 years old......so into the danger zone

Aye. I always replace at 5 years, had so many failures pushing it beyond that point.

[Steve McF]

It showed as 12.0V, so probably on the way out.....

Any recommendations on a good replacement?

And could this voltage cause spurious fault messages like this one?

Twelve point what though? If it's 12.6-12.7 it's very healthy, it's it's just 12.0 then it is getting to replacement time. The split battery on mine was reporting 12.1V with the engine off but was obviously toast at that point.

[aerojon]

Yes it can..https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/varta/e44/ , https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/bosch/s5008/

[Steve McF]

Ah ok.....had a quick look and as I read before, 027 batteries come up on a search, so are the 097 batteries heavy duty?

[Audax]

Sounds like the battery is failing so I would replace it first 027 were fitted to some cars and 096 to others, measure the battery you have before buying as removing the battery box and refitting the captive nut for the larger battery can be a pain or just get the 096 and get on with the job. The Tayna links from aerojon are good but I got a Varta blue a bit cheaper from amazon which is one range down compared to the one from Tayna and it was £84 with delivery.