Traction Control Light Stuck On

[karlz]

2015 Puma. Went in for for its first service last week.
The only thing wrong is that the traction control light illuminates on the dash after some time driving. Sometimes I drive 5kms, sometimes 10km. It comes on at some strange time.

Anyway, bloke At Brighton Landrover diagnosed the problem due to the Steering wheel sensor!! Hows that?

The Service Manager bloke there is really knowledgeable. Quizzed him about a lot of things Ive read here and he knew them all. He's had defenders all his life. He's a POM and comes from Leeds, but I dont hold that against him.

Anyway turns out, no parts in stock (aus) and it will take a week or so before parts in.

He says one of the "new" things they did to the last model deefers was add traction control. So I should have known it would fail. :)

[4wheeler]

I suspect he meant electronic stability control which is new to the last of the Defenders. Traction control in defenders has been around for many years.

Part of the ESC set up (sensor I presume) is housed in the steering wheel cowl area so that is why it is different.

[DazzaTD5]

2015 Puma. Went in for for its first service last week.
The only thing wrong is that the traction control light illuminates on the dash after some time driving. Sometimes I drive 5kms, sometimes 10km. It comes on at some strange time.

Anyway, bloke At Brighton Landrover diagnosed the problem due to the Steering wheel sensor!! Hows that?



Its a reasonably common fault on other vehicles that have stability control.

For future reference, apart from the steering wheel angle sensor, other items that will cause a fault on stability control is the wheel alignment is out or has been done poorly.

There will also be a Yaw rate sensor under the centre console, but they rarely fail.

IMHO...
Adding stability control on a Defender was nothing more than making it comply just long enough to finish production. To believe in any way it will actually be of any benefit is prolly wishful thinking...

Regards
Daz

[Rolly]

I've had the traction control pop up on corners where I was no-where near the edge of the envelope. Having said that it's kind of like having your Father tap you on the shoulder and remark "easy there sunshine"!

[jimr1]

I suspect he meant electronic stability control which is new to the last of the Defenders. Traction control in defenders has been around for many years.

Part of the ESC set up (sensor I presume) is housed in the steering wheel cowl area so that is why it is different.
Hi , I agree it's on my td5 110 , I found what you say informative , What's the go if you change the steering wheel , I was thinking of doing it on my Puma ? Many thanks. Jim

[4wheeler]

Hi , I agree it's on my td5 110 , I found what you say informative , What's the go if you change the steering wheel , I was thinking of doing it on my Puma ? Many thanks. Jim

Hi Jim,
You can get different steering wheel boss units to fit different steering wheel shafts and I don't believe these have an impact on the sensor if it has ESC. There are differences though between the Puma models so early ones might have 36 or 48 spline and the model years with ESC have a different boss again. So you need to know it the Puma has ESC or not (not to be confused with traction control alone) and the number of splines on the wheel shaft - count them if needed.

Also, some boss units are longer than others. So long ones will push the wheel out towards you and make the indicator reach longer. Shorter bosses seem better. Also, wheel bolt centres also differ so make sure the boss fits the wheel bolt pattern.

I purchased a MOMO Tuner steering wheel for my 2013 Defender. It is great when I use it but as technically it is illegal to fit as the Defender is after 1996 (ADR compliance rules), I only use it when well away form the city and carry my OE wheel to refit just in case. The smaller wheel makes all the difference to the drivability although slightly more effort is needed to turn it is tight turns.

There is one wheel available which costs about $800.00 which I think would be compliant as it is padded and looks O.E. It might well be so. One of the site sponsors sells it I think. Looks great.

Is this classified as post drift? Sorry.

[ninetubes]

Does anyone know what the light being on means (apart from the error obviously). I assume that it mean’s i have no DSC. any idea if the TC will still operate?
Heading north for a month and it only just came on, so going to have to live with it for a bit.

[Beery]

Does anyone know what the light being on means (apart from the error obviously). I assume that it mean’s i have no DSC. any idea if the TC will still operate?
Heading north for a month and it only just came on, so going to have to live with it for a bit.Silly question maybe, but have you tried pressing the DSC button?
ETC will still work with stability control off.

[fatnold]

Its a reasonably common fault on other vehicles that have stability control.

For future reference, apart from the steering wheel angle sensor, other items that will cause a fault on stability control is the wheel alignment is out or has been done poorly.

There will also be a Yaw rate sensor under the centre console, but they rarely fail.

IMHO...
Adding stability control on a Defender was nothing more than making it comply just long enough to finish production. To believe in any way it will actually be of any benefit is prolly wishful thinking...

Regards
Daz

<grave dig>

I had the steeering wheel off and dash out over the weekend on my Puma. I now have the Stability Control Light on all the time. Is the steering wheel angle sensor the plastic gadget that 'keys' into the back of the steering wheel boss? I'm one or 2 splines out with my steering wheel position. Any chance that this is the cause of the warning light being on??? Quick fix if so.

[DazzaTD5]

<grave dig>

I had the steeering wheel off and dash out over the weekend on my Puma. I now have the Stability Control Light on all the time. Is the steering wheel angle sensor the plastic gadget that 'keys' into the back of the steering wheel boss? I'm one or 2 splines out with my steering wheel position. Any chance that this is the cause of the warning light being on??? Quick fix if so.

Yes, the fact you had it off and you know its out, correct it and all should be fine