Ok, so driving to KC last night (BTW we made it fine) at about 2am in a driving rain storm somewhere around Terre Haute indiana my trac control button starts ticking (audible tick) then my anti-lock light comes on on the dash and the traction control goes dead with a DIC warning of Service Stabilitrak System. Not good I think to myself as the rain is pouring down at 80mph about 35 degrees outside wondering if its going to turn to snow. We stopped a few times and each time I turned off and restarted the car the diagnostic ran fine and as soon as i drove forward about 10 feet or so I get the warning and the trac control goes dead.

Here is the kicker. This morning after letting it sit for about 5 hours I go out to check fuses and what not, play with the wheel speed sensors etc...and dont find anything wrong. I called a local pontiac dealer to get it looked at but he is booked until Monday. So I decuded ti drive to a gas station and get some food items when low and behold no warning, no errors, car is working fine. i turned off the traction, did a short tire squak, turn the trac back on, laid into it, the stabilitrak kicked in just fine. I am at a total loss here. When i needed it most it konks out and now that we are here its working fine.

Any ideas?

#1 most likely culprit is some debris stuck in a wheel speed sensor. Probably just worked it'* way out.

Will'* probably right. Maybe when you were wiggling the wheel speed sensors something dislodged or made electrical connection.
It is disappointing that it failed when you needed it most.....but at least you didn't lose control and wipe out.

Even without all the extra gizmo'*, these cars handle themselves surprisingly well in bad conditions. As long as you KNOW the system is out, you can adapt for it.

That sounds like a very odd problem. I would have to agree with will thoughl. It was probably some dirt or water or something in the sensors, and you cleaned it out when messing around with them. I don't think I would worry about it unless it happens again.

Is that SSEi still under warranty?

Shawn

Didn't you just unplug these awile back for your dyno test? Perhaps when you reconnected them, one wasn't properly seated and/or debris got in there and the condition was intensified by all the rain. Maybe the tech tip for "dyno/racing traction-control disconnection" should be revised to include taping up the plug and connector when not in use.

Ok, first off, i still have the problem. It seems that once the car has warmed up and driven for a bit the error will light and the trac system will go down. i think it may be a heat issue on a relay somewhere. When its cold I can drive it for about 5 min or so and then it happens. If I turn it off hot and then back on it will immediately warn me and turn the trac off.

As for the dyno test I did not disconnect the wheel speed sensors. The car automatically disengages the trac system if the car slips for an extended amount of time (15 seconds or so) as it thinks it does on the dyno.

I have an apointment on monday to have it looked at.

ok, apparantlly its the right front wheel hub that is causing the problem. I guess the wheel speed sensor is located in there and they have to change the hub. They say its a 400.00 part + 80.00 for diag plus whatever labor costs. Thankfully we have an extended warranty. i'll let you know if this fixes it or not.

One of the last things I got on warrenty was new front wheel bearings, had a bit of shake at highway speed. No problems since. Hope everything works out ok.