Intermittent Slip Control Issue

I bought a used '17 access cab, pretty happy with it so far except the slip control/abs seems to be malfunctioning every now and again. 2" leveling kit and 245/74/16 stock tires

Symptoms: I'd be casually driving and slip light would come, vehicle starts to make a weird grinding noise and brakes get stiff, almost won't allow me to press on them.

Actions Taken: Pull over, shut the car off completely and restart in about 5 secs. Problem goes away until next time.

Steps taken to resolve:

1. Changed Steering angle sensor (Scan tool said it was uninitialized) Live data shows angles are correct.
2. Reset slip control via ODB2 port method
3. Changed all ABS sensors
4. Checked abs cables
5. Serviced brakes, and changed rear right (passenger) drum as mechanic said it was warped.

 

Are there any other codes? Any codes about anything not being calibrated?

How did you check the ABS cables? When you replaced the sensors, did you look in the hole and see if any debris was in there or issues with the tone wheel?

 

There was another code, i believe it was related to the ambient temperature.

Forgot to mention I changed the hub and bearing. Just did a physical inspection on the cables, and drove the vehicle while running livestream.

 

Speaking in general terms from years of working for another OEM, the challenge with service tool livestream data is the update rate. It is possible there are some bad or extra reads in there that you cannot see plotting the livestream data. I do not know what you are using, but I can tell you if it is a generic scan tool, the data update rate is slow - in terms of the milliseconds that the ABS, SRS, Traction Control modules react to these signals.

If ABS is engaging it thinks a wheel is slipping (you already knew this, I am just thinking out loud).

Was this issue present before you changed the hub? What changed when this issue started happening? It is possible the ABS sensor wires were damaged with the lift if mounting points were not moved. I cannot remember where they run. You could always replace one of them and see if the problem goes away, if not, move the new one to another wheel and put the one you took off back on. ABA swapping. Front and rear are probably not the same cable.

 

okay i'll try inspecting the cables better. And yes the issues was there before the hub change.

 

Are you running on dirt/gravel roads when this happens? Dry pavement?

 

Dry pave, no water.

 

It is also possible one of them has a broken or not completely properly working tone wheel. But I'd start with the cables as they are easier to get to. You can use a multimeter to ohm them out, but intermittent issues can test fine like that so if you go this route, wiggle on them a lot as you are testing. This won't find any pin retention or corrosion issues on its own.

 

Does the problem usually happen at fairly low speeds? Like in a parking lot? If yes I suspect a cracked or damaged tone ring. Like, bad enough to cause an intermittent symptom but not bad enough the computer will notice and set a code.

Has the calibration code stayed away? I might try another one just to be sure. Or perhaps you're not doing the procedure correctly?

 

sounds like the symptoms of when people say a "zero point calibration" will fix. (yaw rate & acceleration sensor)

depending on the year of 3rd gens you should be able to do it with a paper clip and not need techstream.

a search will yield lots of threads on this topic, not sure if it will fix it, but worth a shot

 

Yes normally at low speeds, never happened when driving at high speed, fortunately.

There are no constant warning lights on the dash but I'm not against trying calibration process again.

 

I've done the 0 point calibration process twice, before and after i changed the angle sensor. No warnings on the dash.

 

Try the calibration again but it kinda sounds like a cracked tone ring.
The thinking is, at higher speeds the "crack" (or some type of damage) isn't noticeable because the frequency of the sine wave is high enough to mask an imperfection in the signal. But at low speeds the frequency slows down and a small hiccup in signal can affect the behavior of the trac system.
You'll still need to find which sensor is the problem. At work I would hook up a scope and spin each wheel while watching the signal, looking for a drop-out or spike

 

i'll have this checked as well

 

I agree with the tone wheel theory. Speed sensors are much more sensitive at low speeds, likewise the signal in the wire to the ECU. It certainly gets easier if you can narrow down the wheel the issue is coming from.

 

So question, do all 2016-2023 have a tone ring and where is it located. I did a quick check and pulled out the rear abs sensor but didn't notice a gear like ring. Maybe it's not visible where i was looking Saw a shiny clear surface instead, appears to be the wheel bearing.

Does anyone know the part number for the tone ring

Saw one one rockauto but i'm not quite sure it's correct

 

Sounds similar to an ABS pump/control module issue. That’s a spendy one.

 

The tone ring is integrated into the rear axle bearing, its not the one you have pictured.


What I would be looking at is stretched ABS harness on the front upper control arms, corrosion in the rear axle abs harness, check connector near evap system, and lastly, check inside the abs tone ring for oil from a slow leaking axle seal.

Lastly, if you data log the wheel speed sensors at slow speeds it usually shows which one is causing the issue. Slow speeds are actually more difficult for ABS sensors to generate signals.

 

my backing plate is bent/warped a bit, would that contribute to the abs error? Sometime my rear passenger brakes would lock up as well. Usually after it gets wet but lately it's been happening randomly.