Traction System Failure

[NickX]

A couple of months ago in the middle of driving on a busy street my display read "Service Traction System", and then "powering down".. Suddenly I was left with absolutely NO power to continue driving. Luckily I just happened to be going downhill, so I had to turn on my hazard lights and proceeded to the bottom of the hill and turn in to a parking lot. From there I was finally able to get power back just by pressing the traction control button to turn OFF the traction control, after which the Check Engine light remained on. The next day I simply pressed the traction button again to re-activate and oddly enough this has never happened again. However this would easily have caused a serious accident if it had happed in the middle of the freeway, where here in CA people tend to drive as if they ALL have vettes. The "power down" feature left me with no acceleration, as if I was suddenly in neutral. Anyone else ever have this problem? What is the cause and or fix? I have a 1998 coupe. Thanks!

 

[c4c5specialist]

Hi there,
There must have been some condition with the electronic throttle control for this to happen. A code would have been stored to assist in the diagnosis of the condition.
This would be the only way to correctly diagnose the condition. There are different reasons for this to occur.
Allthebest, c4c5

 

[pvtpilot]

A couple of months ago in the middle of driving on a busy street my display read "Service Traction System", and then "powering down".. Suddenly I was left with absolutely NO power to continue driving. Luckily I just happened to be going downhill, so I had to turn on my hazard lights and proceeded to the bottom of the hill and turn in to a parking lot. From there I was finally able to get power back just by pressing the traction control button to turn OFF the traction control, after which the Check Engine light remained on. The next day I simply pressed the traction button again to re-activate and oddly enough this has never happened again. However this would easily have caused a serious accident if it had happed in the middle of the freeway, where here in CA people tend to drive as if they ALL have vettes. The "power down" feature left me with no acceleration, as if I was suddenly in neutral. Anyone else ever have this problem? What is the cause and or fix? I have a 1998 coupe. Thanks!

In your post you said you had no power....like car was in neutral. Were you able to rev up the engine or no throttle response at all? Is your car an auto or 6-speed? The reason I ask, I am trying to diagnose an event with my 99 6-speed. A while back, at initial startup car would not move when put in gear and clutch was let out. I did notice the engine stumbled when it started, and the DIC display was showing odometer mileage when I normally leave it blank. I shut down the car and restarted and everything was fine but this single event (so far) has me a little spooked and I am trying to avoid getting stranded somewhere.

 

[NickX]

I was able to rev up the engine and I could hear if rev up but no response to give the car any gas.. It was pretty much the same thing as being in neutral while the DIC read powering down. It was pretty strange how this happened right in the middle of driving though. But mine is an automatic

 

[Tony1Leo]

My service traction system comes on about every 3 months or so. I hit reset and never see it again for a few more months. I have never experience lost of power however. (97 automatic)