I have a 2010 Tahoe Hybrid and have come across a “Service Traction Control” message this past week. Maybe coincidentally, I just had new tires and some brake pads replaced at the dealer. There are no dashboard lights and most of the time, the car runs normally even after the message appears. But a couple times after the message, pressing the accelerator did nothing. Fortunately, both times I was able to pull over and after putting it in park, was able to resume driving. I am very new to trying to get error codes and yesterday bought a Bosch device. So far I am unable to get any type of error log. When I log into OnStar it says everything is fine when it runs diagnostics. And of course it’s Thanksgiving and I’m about 300 miles from home just to complicate matters.

Other than me reading the instruction manual to pull error codes, any other suggestions or has anyone had similar experiences? Thanks!

 

I had those messages and the "pop out of gear" symptoms while driving my 2010 Escalade...just sometimes at the beginning and then almost every day.
Got the Torque Pro app and did the custom setup for Hybrid battery PID monitoring while dricing. Eventually you will get the Hybrid Battery fault codes and the Check engine light will come on.
All these faults are tied with a failing hybrid battery....
Ended up getting 40 new NiMH modules, replaced them in the battery bank and every code and warning went away. Maybe you only have a few bad modules but chances are that when it starts behaving like that, the battery is gone.
The Torque Pro will show the voltage in modules going down to 11 and 12v under load and every time they got that low the Service Traction Control message would come on. Stopped for a while on the side of the road, let the battery recharge a bit in park, put in drive, kept going but it started to happen sever times a day....not ok.
The 60KW electric motors ( 2) inside the transmission suck a lot of amps while driving. If the modules are not able to deliver the amps it needs, and they don't hold charge because they are bad, it will throw codes. The hybrid battery is an integral and needed part of the 2 mode driving system and when it starts to go bad, it goes fast...cold temps do not help either....Sorry, it looks like you have to do what had to do....identical behavior.

 

Thanks for your help. I have a neighbor with a Yukon Hybrid and he had his battery replaced last year and my car is only 1 year newer. So I guess I have to bite the bullet and decide if I'm keeping it or if I should look at something newer.

 

Well I may have an answer that would be a lot cheaper than a new battery. The error code they got was something electrical and they think it was due to a Scosche HUD that I plugged into the OBD port. It did appear after I installed it but I had also had brake and alignment service done at the same time as well. They say hybrids are very sensitive to unexpected electrical issues (the unit is always drawing power), but I never thought it would be much of anything since it is so small. So after two days of unplugging it, so far so good (although I've only driven maybe 15 miles total).

 

The brake controller is the most sensitive of all to any sort of CAN data problems. Plugging and un-plugging into the OBD port can cause short term impedance changes.

A service xxx brake related message without any stored codes is most likely an OBD port plug in anomaly. At worst you could shut the vehicle down while plugging and un-plugging.

 

I didn't know that so I appreciate it. It is still unplugged and will be coming out of the car this weekend.

 

yeah I had a charger in the 120volt outlet in the rear it would cause one of the tire sensors to show a -- it also happens when a newer Mercedes passes or is next to me on the freeway apparently they did not get the FCC memo...

everything comes back after a few key cycles

 

Thank you for this detailed post! Currently having similar issues with my 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 with ~185kms… I’m located in Canada and the dealer quoted me $5500 CAD for a new battery + labour. After reading all these forums that seems a little high? If they keep my old battery should I get the core cost of 1K reimbursed?

 

Load test the battery 12V+
Also check if the posts are crushed (this happens with the quick release ) and it's a serious safety issue...
what is the age of the 12v+?

you can also disable the traction control by pressing the button hold for 15 seconds This will disable both the traction control and stabilink preemptively