Traction Control Light: Flashing vs Steady, and Is It Safe?

The traction control light is the yellow lamp that shows a swerving car with two wavy skid lines, or the letters TC, TCS or ESC. Federal rules let that one lamp report on two systems: traction control, which stops the drive wheels spinning, and stability control, which stops the car sliding sideways.

We read the federal rule behind the lamp, 14 owner's manuals from seven carmakers, and the bulletins carmakers send their dealers about it.

So this page starts with what the light is telling you and whether to keep driving. Then it covers the eight causes the documents name, what the parts cost, and how to get the light off.

What does the traction control light mean?

Its meaning depends on what the system is doing. Flashing means it's working right now, holding back a wheel that has started to spin, and a steady light means it's switched off or has found a fault.

The lamp also lights for a moment when you start the car, as a bulb check, and then goes out. If it stays on after that, or comes on while you drive, the system is telling you something.

Here's how the manuals put flashing and steady:

Flashing and steady 5

• 2020 Chevrolet EquinoxThe light flashes when traction control is limiting wheel spin, and stays on when either system isn't working (owner's manual, pages 121 and 210).
• 2021 Toyota AvalonThe slip indicator flashes while the systems work. Steady, it means a fault, and Toyota says to have the car inspected immediately (owner's manual, pages 312 and 439).
• 2016 Honda OdysseyThe VSA light blinks when the system is active. If it stays on, Honda says to have the car checked by a dealer immediately (owner's manual, pages 75 and 427).
• 2023 Hyundai SonataThe ESC light blinks whenever the system is working. If it stays on, the system may have a malfunction (owner's manual, pages 104 and 346).
• 2013 Nissan AltimaThe slip indicator blinks when the stability or traction control system is working (owner's manual, page 87).

What does traction control do?

It stops the drive wheels spinning when you pull away or speed up on a slippery road. When a wheel starts to spin, the system brakes that wheel and cuts engine power until the tire grips again.

Stability control is its partner: it compares where you're steering with where the car is actually going, and brakes single wheels to stop a slide. Every car and light truck built on or after September 1, 2011 must have stability control.

Is it safe to drive with the traction control light on?

Yes, carefully, if it's the only light on, but get it checked soon. With the system off or faulty, nothing will step in to catch a spinning wheel or a slide, so the car depends on how you drive it.

Go gently on the accelerator, slow down earlier for turns, and leave more room on wet or icy roads. The manuals differ on how soon to see a shop, from GM's "safe to drive" to Toyota's and Honda's "immediately".

Some lights with it change the answer. Pull over and have the car checked if the traction light comes with any of these:

• The red brake warning lightTogether with the ABS light it can mean a brake fault. Our brake warning light guide says what to do.
• Heavy steering or a power steering warningThe traction message can ride along with a power steering failure, and the steering needs looking at first.
• Engine Power Reduced or a sudden loss of powerAn engine fault can switch stability control off. Our engine power reduced guide covers the GM message.
• A flashing check engine lightThat's a reason to slow down on its own. See what a flashing check engine light means.

How urgent a steady light is depends on who made the car:

How urgent, by maker 5

• 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500"The vehicle is safe to drive, but driving should be adjusted accordingly." Stop, turn the engine off for 15 seconds and restart; if it stays on, see the dealer (owner's manual, page 246).
• 2012 Chevrolet CruzeThe car is safe to drive, but the system isn't working (owner's manual, pages 235 and 237).
• 2010 Chevrolet MalibuWith a SERVICE ESC message, pull off the road as soon as possible, stop carefully and restart; if it stays, the car needs service (owner's manual, page 202).
• 2016 Honda Odyssey and 2013 AccordIt may not affect normal driving, but have the car checked by a dealer immediately (owner's manuals, Odyssey page 427, Accord page 466).
• 2015 Jeep WranglerIf it stays on after several restarts and several miles above 30 mph, see a dealer as soon as possible (owner's manual, page 484).

Why is my traction control light on?

Because the system has been switched off, or because a reading it depends on has gone missing. It compares each wheel's speed with where you're steering and how the car is turning, and when one of those readings drops out, it switches itself off and lights the lamp.

The rule, the carmakers' documents and the parts makers name these eight, and each one says what to check or ask:

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1. It was switched off

It's the simplest cause: someone pressed the traction button. The lamp then shows OFF, or a separate OFF light comes on, and the system stays off until you press it again or restart, though on some cars part of it comes back on as speed rises.

Press the button once and watch the light. If it goes out, that was all it was, and the on or off section below explains the button on each make.

2. A wheel speed sensor

Each wheel has a sensor that reports how fast it turns, and traction control, stability control and the ABS all read the same four. Delphi, a sensor maker, says a failed sensor, its wiring or the toothed ring it reads can light the traction light as well as the ABS light, and Hella says the same signal feeds traction and stability control.

If the ABS light is on too, start here. Our ABS light guide covers the sensor, its wiring and ring, the recalls, and what the sensor costs car by car.

3. The steering angle sensor or clockspring

A sensor in the steering column tells the system where you're pointing the car. If it reads wrong, the system can't tell a slide from a turn, so it switches off and lights the lamp.

Delphi says the sensor can need a reset after an alignment, steering or suspension work, and on some cars after the battery is disconnected. On some cars it's built into the clockspring, the coiled strip behind the steering wheel that also carries the airbag wiring.

If the light came on after an alignment, steering work or a battery change, ask for the steering angle sensor to be reset before anyone replaces a part. GM gives its dealers the same advice after a voltage drop on one of its cars.

Carmakers have traced the light to this sensor:

Steering angle sensor 5

• 2016 Chevrolet MalibuThe traction light comes on after a brief drop in voltage. GM says not to replace any parts, but to turn the wheel lock to lock and clear the code, 0.3 hours (16-NA-151).
• 2011 to 2016 Jeep WranglerThe airbag light or the traction control light, from the clockspring and its steering angle sensor. Jeep replaces the clockspring in 0.6 hours, under a 15-year warranty extension with no mileage limit (08-005-17).
• 2012 and 2013 Toyota Camry, 2013 Avalon, 2014 CorollaThe VSC warning light with a steering angle stuck at one reading. Toyota tells technicians to inspect the spiral cable, its name for the clockspring (T-TT-0277-13).
• Honda Accord, CR-V, Civic, Odyssey and PilotThe VSA light can come on if the sensor moves while the clockspring is removed and refitted (ServiceNews A19050B, covering models from 2012 to 2019).
• 2013 to 2018 Mazda CX-5The traction and tire pressure lights, when the learned steering angle doesn't match driving straight. Mazda fits a modified control unit (04-003/19).

4. The brake light switch

A switch at the brake pedal tells the system, and your brake lights, when you press the pedal. If it's out of adjustment or its contacts are dirty, the system gets a signal it can't trust and switches off.

A clue can be at the back of the car: brake lights that stay on, or don't come on when you press the pedal. Ask someone to watch them while you press, and mention it to the shop.

Carmakers have traced the light to the switch:

Brake light switch 5

• 2004 to 2012 Chevrolet MalibuRecall 14V252000: a bad connection in the brake apply sensor circuit can make the brake lights misbehave and switch off traction and stability control. The recall repairs the connector and relearns the pedal position, free of charge.
• Subaru Forester, Impreza, Crosstrek, WRX, Legacy and OutbackA switch out of adjustment, or contacts coated by a silicone lubricant, lights the ABS or VDC lamp. Adjusted in 0.5 to 0.8 hours, or a redesigned switch in 0.7 hours (06-46-14, 06-55-16R, 07-131-18R).
• 2007 to 2011 Acura MDXThe VSA light from the brake pedal position switch, replaced in 0.2 hours (11-014).
• 2013 Infiniti JX35, 2014 to 2017 QX60 without Intelligent Cruise ControlThe VDC light with a stop lamp switch code when the switch tests fine. A jumper harness fixes the circuit (ITB18-006B).
• 2019 and 2020 Jeep WranglerThe ESC light with a stop lamp code, sometimes after other service work, from a pinched factory accessory harness (STAR S2008000097).

5. A weak battery or low voltage

The sensors and the module that runs the system need steady voltage. A weak battery, a loose cable or a bad fuse contact can make the light and its messages come and go, and a short dip can leave the steering angle sensor needing a reset.

Ask for the battery and its cables to be tested before anything else is replaced. Our guide to a bad alternator or battery explains how the two are told apart.

Carmakers have traced the light to voltage:

Battery and voltage 4

• 2011 to 2015 Chevrolet CruzeA negative battery cable with high resistance can set Service Traction and Service StabiliTrak messages that come and go. GM covered the cable for 10 years or 120,000 miles from the date the car was first sold, so it has run out for any Cruze first sold more than 10 years ago (special coverage 14311A).
• 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC TerrainA Service Stability message at start-up. GM asks dealers for a battery test while the cause is still under investigation (PIT5739).
• 2021 to 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon, Cadillac EscaladeService StabiliTrak with other brake messages; on 2021 and 2022 models, if normal checks find nothing, GM has dealers test the battery, cables and fuse block (PIT6347B).
• 2018 Honda Accord and CR-VThe VSA and other lights can come on after the battery is reconnected, in amber on the Accord (owner's manuals, Accord page 496, CR-V page 512).

6. Tires that don't match

The system spots a spinning wheel by comparing the speeds of all four. A tire of a different size, or with very different tread, turns at a different speed, which can look like a slip that isn't there.

If the light started after new tires, a flat or the small spare, check that all four match in size and type. Michelin, a tire maker, says traction control can need tires with matching diameters.

The carmakers say the same:

Mismatched tires 5

• GM cars and trucks, 2009 to 2017The traction control light flashes under hard acceleration after a new set of tires that don't match in tread wear, traction or temperature ratings (16-NA-223).
• 2007 to 2013 Chevrolet Silverado and other GM trucksStabiliTrak Off and Traction Control Off messages from an add-on device that recalibrates the speedometer for different wheel or tire sizes, not covered under warranty (PIT5120A).
• 2021 Toyota AvalonThe ABS, TRAC and VSC systems won't work correctly with different tires fitted (owner's manual, page 318).
• 2020 Nissan AltimaWheels or tires other than Nissan's recommended ones can make the light flash or stay on (owner's manual, page 420).
• 2016 Honda OdysseyThe VSA system may not work properly with mixed tire types and sizes (owner's manual, page 427).

7. An engine or steering fault

Stability control works partly by cutting engine power, so the rule requires it to control the engine. When the engine or the power steering has its own fault, the traction light or message can come on alongside it, even though no traction part has failed.

Fix the other fault first, and the traction light may go out with it. On GM cars, the pairing with Engine Power Reduced has its own article on this site.

Documents and owners' complaints show the pairing:

Engine and steering 2

• 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, 2010 to 2013 Cadillac SRX, 2013 XTSReduced Engine Power, a no-start or Service StabiliTrak, one or more of them and on and off, from a poor fuse contact in the fuse block (PI1026).
• Ford Fusion and ExplorerIn owners' federal complaints about these models from the 2010s, a Service AdvanceTrac message comes with a loss of power steering, so the steering is the fault to chase.

8. A module or software fault

The system is run by a computer, which Delphi says is usually part of the ABS module, and its software can fail too. When it does, carmakers have fixed it with recalls and software updates, and on some trucks with new parts.

Before paying for a module, run the VIN for open recalls. Our free VIN decoder shows the car's details, and a dealer can check it for recalls.

Carmakers have recalled cars for this:

Recalls and updates 7

• 2011 and 2012 Hyundai ElantraRecall 15V871000: a sensor fault can brake a wheel and cut power, with the ESC light on. Calibration update, free.
• 2012 Toyota RAV4, 2012 and 2013 Tacoma, Lexus RX 350Recall 14V054000: the VSC, ABS and traction lights, and the systems may stop working. Software update, free.
• 2013 Ram 1500 4x4Recall 13V287000: stability control software may switch the system off at start. Free fix.
• 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge DurangoRecall 14V636000: steering column module software may disable stability control. Free fix.
• 2018 Toyota Tundra and SequoiaRecall 18V122000: interference in the power supply may switch stability control off. Free fix.
• 2025 Ram 1500Recall 24V794000: damaged front hub encoder rings can disable stability control. The hub bearing is replaced, free.
• 2011 to 2015 Honda OdysseySeveral warning lights with VSA codes. Honda updates the VSA unit's software in 0.3 hours (16-005).

What does "Service Traction Control" mean?

It's the written version of a steady light: the car has found a fault and switched traction control off. GM's newer manuals say the car is safe to drive but the system isn't working, so drive with care until it's checked; the 2010 Malibu's says to pull off the road.

What comes with the message tells you where to look. With the ABS light, start with the wheel speed sensors; with Engine Power Reduced, the engine or throttle; with a steering warning, the power steering.

GM's manuals give a reset to try first: stop, turn the engine off, wait 15 seconds and restart. If the message comes back, the fault is still there, and a scan of the brake and stability module is the next step.

The message reads a little differently from car to car:

GM message wording 3

• 2012 Chevrolet CruzeSERVICE TRACTION CONTROL and SERVICE STABILITRAK (owner's manual, page 140).
• 2010 Chevrolet MalibuSERVICE ESC and SERVICE TRACTION, each with a chime (owner's manual, pages 200 to 203).
• 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500A message shows in the driver information display; the manual doesn't print its wording (owner's manual, page 246).

What does the car with squiggly lines mean?

It's the traction and stability control light: a yellow car with two wavy skid marks under it, the symbol federal rules set for stability control. Some cars use the letters TC, TCS or ESC instead, or TC inside a tire outline, the international symbol for traction control.

The same car with OFF under it, or with a line or slash through it, means the system has been switched off. Your owner's manual's warning light page shows which one your car uses, and our dashboard symbols page shows them side by side.

Carmakers also give the system their own names, which is why the letters on the dash vary:

• GM (Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, Cadillac)StabiliTrak for stability control and TCS for traction control.
• FordAdvanceTrac.
• Toyota and LexusVSC and TRAC, shown on a lamp Toyota calls the slip indicator.
• Honda and AcuraVSA, for Vehicle Stability Assist.
• Nissan, Infiniti and SubaruVDC, for Vehicle Dynamic Control.
• Hyundai and JeepESC, the name the federal rule uses.

Should traction control be on or off?

On, for normal driving. The manuals say to switch traction control off only when the car is stuck in snow, mud, ice or sand and needs its wheels to spin to get free.

It also turns itself back on every time you restart, because the federal rule requires it. On GM cars, cruise control cancels while the system is off or working.

So a light staying on after a restart isn't a button someone forgot to press again, it's a fault, unless the car was started in low-range four-wheel drive, which can leave the system off.

Two warnings from the manuals: Hyundai says never to switch it off while the light is flashing, and GM says repeated hard braking or acceleration with it off can damage the driveline, the parts that carry power to the wheels.

The button works differently on each make:

How the button works 6

• 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500Press and release to turn traction control off; press and hold to turn stability control off too. Stability control comes back on above 35 mph (owner's manual, page 247).
• 2023 Hyundai SonataA short press turns traction control off; holding it for over 3 seconds turns stability control off as well (owner's manual, page 346).
• 2021 Toyota AvalonA quick press turns TRAC off; holding it for over 3 seconds while stopped turns TRAC and VSC off. If TRAC OFF comes on without a press, the car has switched it off, and Toyota says to see a dealer if it stays (owner's manual, pages 313 and 314).
• 2016 Honda Odyssey and 2013 AccordPress and hold until it beeps, and VSA stops. With the tire pressure light on, you can't turn it off (owner's manuals, Odyssey page 428, Accord page 467).
• 2015 Jeep WranglerA quick press gives Partial Off; holding it for 5 seconds gives Full Off, for off-road use. It's back on at each start unless the Jeep was started in 4-Low (owner's manual, pages 479 to 484).
• 2013 Nissan AltimaA VDC OFF switch; press it again or restart to turn the system back on (owner's manual, pages 108 and 309).

Why is the traction control light flashing?

Because it's working: a wheel is slipping, and the system is braking it or cutting power to get grip back. Ease off the accelerator, as Jeep's manual says, and drive to suit the road.

Flashing with a loss of power is the same thing on a slippery road, since cutting power is how the system works. If it flashes under hard acceleration after new tires, a mismatched set can be fooling it, as GM found.

If the car also stumbles or jerks, see why a car jerks when accelerating.

How much does it cost to fix the traction control light?

The parts behind a steady traction light cost $5.26 to $347 at the counter, from a brake pedal sensor to a clockspring. The box prices them one car at a time, so you can find yours.

The wheel speed sensor, the part this light shares with the ABS light, is priced car by car in our ABS light guide. On a 2011 to 2016 Wrangler, ask a Jeep dealer about the clockspring warranty extension before paying for one.

Labor isn't in the box, but the carmakers' own warranty times put a number on it. At $120 to $159 an hour, what almost half of shops charge in a 2025 survey:

• Steering angle sensor reset, GM0.3 hours on the 2016 Malibu, $36 to $48 in labor.
• Brake pedal switch, Acura0.2 hours on 2007 to 2011 MDXs, $24 to $32 in labor.
• Brake light switch adjustment, Subaru0.5 hours on the Forester, Legacy and Outback, $60 to $80 in labor.
• Negative battery cable, GM0.3 hours on 2011 to 2015 Cruzes, $36 to $48 in labor.
• Clockspring with the angle sensor, Jeep0.6 hours on 2011 to 2016 Wranglers, $72 to $95, though a warranty extension may cover it.
• Stability control unit, Mazda1.0 to 1.1 hours on 2013 to 2018 CX-5s, $120 to $175 in labor.

A shop's diagnosis time comes on top. That's why a scan of the stability and ABS module, plus a battery test, is worth paying for before any part.

How do you fix or reset the traction control light?

By fixing whatever switched the system off, because the rule makes the light go out on its own at the next start once the fault is gone. To fix the traction control light, work through the 6 steps below, in order:

1. Check it isn't just switched off. Press the traction button once, or restart the car, since the system comes back on at every start.
2. Restart after 15 seconds off. That's the reset GM's manuals give. If the light comes back, the fault is still there.
3. Look at what else is lit. The ABS light points to a wheel speed sensor, Engine Power Reduced to the engine, and a steering warning to the power steering.
4. Check that the tires match. Same size and type on all four. GM's manual notes that the small spare can set the traction system working until the car recognizes it.
5. Have the stability and ABS module scanned, not just the engine. Ask for the codes, a battery test, and a steering angle reset if the car had an alignment or battery work.
6. Run the VIN before paying. A recall or a warranty extension may cover it, like the Wrangler clockspring.

After a repair, the rule allows up to two minutes of driving at about 30 mph for the light to go out. A light that goes off and comes back later means the fault comes and goes, so note when it happens for the shop.

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Common questions

Asked most often

Can I still drive my car if it says Service Traction Control?

Yes, carefully, if nothing else is lit. GM's newer manuals call the car safe to drive with the system not working, so go easy on wet or icy roads and have it scanned soon.

What does TC or TCS mean on a car?

Traction control, the system that stops the drive wheels spinning. TCS is traction control system, and some carmakers use their own names, such as StabiliTrak, VSC, VSA or VDC.

Will the traction control light reset itself?

Yes, once the fault is gone. The federal rule makes it go out at the next start after the repair, and a system switched off with the button comes back on at every start.

Why are my ABS and traction control lights on at the same time?

Both systems read the same wheel speed sensors, so a failed sensor, its wiring or its ring can switch both off. The ABS module is the other shared part.

Does traction control damage the transmission?

We found no document that says it does. GM's manuals warn about the opposite: with traction control off, repeated hard acceleration or braking can damage the driveline.

How much does it cost to fix a traction control light?

The parts we priced run from $5.26 for a brake pedal sensor to $347 for a clockspring, before labor. Some fixes cost little or nothing: a steering angle reset is 0.3 hours on GM's own time, and recalls are free.

Prices are ranges compiled in September 2026 for the US market and vary by region, engine and shop rate. Prices from $10 up are rounded to the nearest dollar, so $14.13 reads as $14 and $14.52 as $15. Below $10 they're exact. This article is general information, not advice about your specific vehicle. See the disclaimer.