Ford Fusion 2010: Service Advancetrac came on, in addition to ABS and Traction Control warning lights

[MichelleBeth]

Hi. I have a 2010 Ford Fusion. A few days ago the panel that indicates info/stats displayed SERVICE ADVANCETRAC. The ABS and Traction/Stability Control warning lights came on at the same time.

 

This only happened in the mornings, when I start the car and am going under 20mph. It seems like turning sharply would trigger it. Sometimes not though. Sometimes it would pop on randomly.. and then would pop off again. I haven't seen it come on after turning the car on in the afternoon to go home though.

 

I looked around and found someone on reddit posting about the same thing and it scared me. It looks like if I don't get this fixed ASAP I could cause serious financial issues down the road. It's not regarding a Fusion.. but it seems like it would still be applicable. Here is the reddit thread: (please note I just copied part of their reply, this is a discussion between them and another poster) https://www.reddit.com/r/MustangTech/comments/m1nrez/service_advancetrac_i_need_help_this_appeared/

I’ve got that. It’s a traction control or an ABS sensor out. Traction Control I think if I recall correctly. Expensive to fix but please please do it immediately. My girl is a 2010 V6 Convertible and a hand-me-down from my brother who refused to fix her. Two transmissions later and we’re 4k down on a 800 dollar repair if you have someone else do it. I’m unaware of how to fix the sensor, I’m not great at electronics, but it’ll save your transmission and differential. Please jump on that as soon as fucking possible okay? Learn from my pained pony

 

Basically, without that sensor the car no longer has any idea what that wheel is doing. If that wheel slips, the car doesn’t know, but the differential can only handle so much slippage which sends shock up the entire system, because if one wheel slipping causes the other to spin, traction control kicks in on the opposite tyre and the car is no longer proactive with the TCS, it’s reactive and it causes all sorts of issues

 

The vehicle is now in a pseudo-safe-mode that really doesn’t want you toying around anymore until it’s fixed. Again, it’s been so long I cannot 100% confirm if it was TCS or ABS but do it as soon as possible, it’ll save your frankly fragile transmission and a couple grand in repair costs.

This all happened when I'm about to take a trip and leave Sunday. The trip is 90 miles one way, mostly freeway. Would it be a horrible mistake to put this off for a week until my trip is over? I do have it lined up to have Tuffy look at it tomorrow morning (my dealership and my local places are all booked a month out).

 

Thanks for any advice and for answer my questions! Sorry I don't know more about this. I tried looking into it but it just confused me more. And I'm stressed and worried now. Thank you again for any help!

[bbf2530]

1 hour ago, MichelleBeth said:

Hi. I have a 2010 Ford Fusion. A few days ago the panel that indicates info/stats displayed SERVICE ADVANCETRAC. The ABS and Traction/Stability Control warning lights came on at the same time.

 

This only happened in the mornings, when I start the car and am going under 20mph. It seems like turning sharply would trigger it. Sometimes not though. Sometimes it would pop on randomly.. and then would pop off again. I haven't seen it come on after turning the car on in the afternoon to go home though.

 

I looked around and found someone on reddit posting about the same thing and it scared me. It looks like if I don't get this fixed ASAP I could cause serious financial issues down the road. It's not regarding a Fusion.. but it seems like it would still be applicable. Here is the reddit thread: (please note I just copied part of their reply, this is a discussion between them and another poster) https://www.reddit.com/r/MustangTech/comments/m1nrez/service_advancetrac_i_need_help_this_appeared/

I’ve got that. It’s a traction control or an ABS sensor out. Traction Control I think if I recall correctly. Expensive to fix but please please do it immediately. My girl is a 2010 V6 Convertible and a hand-me-down from my brother who refused to fix her. Two transmissions later and we’re 4k down on a 800 dollar repair if you have someone else do it. I’m unaware of how to fix the sensor, I’m not great at electronics, but it’ll save your transmission and differential. Please jump on that as soon as fucking possible okay? Learn from my pained pony

 

Basically, without that sensor the car no longer has any idea what that wheel is doing. If that wheel slips, the car doesn’t know, but the differential can only handle so much slippage which sends shock up the entire system, because if one wheel slipping causes the other to spin, traction control kicks in on the opposite tyre and the car is no longer proactive with the TCS, it’s reactive and it causes all sorts of issues

 

The vehicle is now in a pseudo-safe-mode that really doesn’t want you toying around anymore until it’s fixed. Again, it’s been so long I cannot 100% confirm if it was TCS or ABS but do it as soon as possible, it’ll save your frankly fragile transmission and a couple grand in repair costs.

This all happened when I'm about to take a trip and leave Sunday. The trip is 90 miles one way, mostly freeway. Would it be a horrible mistake to put this off for a week until my trip is over? I do have it lined up to have Tuffy look at it tomorrow morning (my dealership and my local places are all booked a month out).

 

Thanks for any advice and for answer my questions! Sorry I don't know more about this. I tried looking into it but it just confused me more. And I'm stressed and worried now. Thank you again for any help!

 

 

Hi Michelle. Welcome to the Ford Fusion Forum.

 

Internet diagnosis is iffy, at best. It could be something as simple as a weak/failing battery. How old is your battery? Modern vehicles are very computer/electronic/electrically intensive, so a weak or failing battery can lead to all sorts of electrical gremlins.

 

Or, it could be an actual problem with any of the systems you're getting a warning light for, or their sensors, the wiring, connectors etc.

 

It is good you are having it professionally checked. Ask them to also check the battery first, to see if it may be the culprit.

 

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

[MichelleBeth]

Hi everyone. It turned out to be a bad ABS speed sensor in the left back tire. Tuffy replaced it for $143. I'm really grateful it was the speed sensor because they initially thought it was a bad wheel bearing. Of course - this was just my car and those symbols that came  on could have been a myriad of different things. (Disclaimer for anyone else that finds this through Google).

 

So I'm all set! Things are okay!

[drolds1]

Great!  Thanks for updating us.  It could help someone else out.

[Key00]

I had the same issue in my 2010 Fusion Hybrid last Friday along with a brake pedal that went almost to the floor and a couple of brake warning lights.  I ran the FORScan OBDII software and got a bunch of issues, but one stood out to me.  Brake Fluid low.   I checked and yes, the brake fluid reservoir had no fluid in the top reservoir.  I filled it up and it didn't fix anything at the time, but the next morning I exercised the brake pedal before starting the car and the entire problem went away.  In retrospect, I can see where the antilock brake system can be affected, it's not apparent but I guess the traction control system incorporates the brakes somehow also.  FWIW...

[akirby]

13 hours ago, Key00 said:

I had the same issue in my 2010 Fusion Hybrid last Friday along with a brake pedal that went almost to the floor and a couple of brake warning lights.  I ran the FORScan OBDII software and got a bunch of issues, but one stood out to me.  Brake Fluid low.   I checked and yes, the brake fluid reservoir had no fluid in the top reservoir.  I filled it up and it didn't fix anything at the time, but the next morning I exercised the brake pedal before starting the car and the entire problem went away.  In retrospect, I can see where the antilock brake system can be affected, it's not apparent but I guess the traction control system incorporates the brakes somehow also.  FWIW...

Somehow?  Traction control uses the brakes to stop the spinning wheel.  It does the same thing for stability control.  That’s why you have 4 channel ABS - so the computer can brake each wheel individually.

[md40022]

On 7/17/2022 at 6:56 PM, Key00 said:

I had the same issue in my 2010 Fusion Hybrid last Friday along with a brake pedal that went almost to the floor and a couple of brake warning lights.  I ran the FORScan OBDII software and got a bunch of issues, but one stood out to me.  Brake Fluid low.   I checked and yes, the brake fluid reservoir had no fluid in the top reservoir.  I filled it up and it didn't fix anything at the time, but the next morning I exercised the brake pedal before starting the car and the entire problem went away.  In retrospect, I can see where the antilock brake system can be affected, it's not apparent but I guess the traction control system incorporates the brakes somehow also.  FWIW...

 

EXACT SAME scenario for me. Like 100% identical, to the T.

 

I know diagnosing via a Google search is recipe for disaster, but everything I've seen online with the 3 warning lights coming on seemed to point to sensors --- and the original poster on this thread had a sensor issue. But the fact that I found myself very low on brake fluid makes me think I'm totally overthinking this and I just need to get some brake work done ASAP. The only difference with my situation is mine is still acting up even after adding fluid - but knowing that I probably got air in the lines at this point, I'm not all that surprised..... Hopefully I can get through a few more days that will probably total about 50 miles of driving before I get in to the mechanic.

[WKelley]

Losing brake fluid is never good and needs to be addressed ASAP.