Normal Operation

Hopefully everyone has recovered from Christmas, both physically and financially, the financially part tends to take a little while longer.  Though we did not have a white Christmas, this week has brought some typical winter weather to our area, save for large amounts of snow.  With extreme cold and icy, slick road conditions come some perceived vehicle service issues. 


Traction Control Warning Lamp














Anti lock brake system lights and traction control system lights (like the one pictured above) are common occurrences during slippery road conditions.  The important thing to keep in mind is that often times these lights illuminate to indicate the system is active and to make the driver aware that there are possibly hazardous road conditions, the lights coming on or flashing does not always indicate a mechanical concern is present.

If these types of lights come on and stay lit or flash constantly over a few drive cycles, then that may indicate there is an issue.  It is true that most warning lamps coming on causes a trouble code to be stored in the respective vehicle module; however, if the lights do not stay lit, there may not be any reason to schedule a service visit.  The traction control and ABS systems share many of the same sensor arrays, often times the 4x4 or All Wheel Drive systems also share these sensors.  This is just another example of the ever more complex way that our new vehicles' safety and powertrain systems communicate with each other, much like computers on the same network at a workplace, or how the Howell Home Depot can see that you had a work order set-up at the Brighton facility.

Another popular cold weather warning light that comes on is the Tire Pressure Warning System (TPMS) light.  These lights often illuminate on very cold mornings as the sensors read the correct tire pressure as a low pressure situation.  I am sure there are several high school physics teachers out there who can explain it to us in greater detail but the simple description is that it boils down to air pressure, cold air is denser so the system reads the pressure as lower.  These tire lights are an annoyance to a lot of customers, but keep in mind the underlying reason for them is for driver safety.  If your tire light comes on and does not turn off after driving, a trained facility such as a dealership can retrain the sensors or diagnose which sensors may be faulty.


TPMS Warning Lamp











As with most vehicle repair issues, knowledge is power.  Before taking time out of your schedule, consult your vehicle owner's manual or put a phone call in to your dealer. Often you will find that your concern may just be normal operation for the conditions or something that can be quickly addressed that day.