car question not valk related

[Oss]

We are here in a small hyatt off painters mill rd in baltimore (Owings Mills) where there was just under 20inches of snow so far  while going up a hill in the grand caravan in low gear from a red light  with the traction control off the brake and abs lights went on.  i wasnt on the brake at the time so i am confused why the idiot lights would go on.  
    i stopped at the only open gas station which of course had no mechanic on duty and eyeballed the fluid level on the brakes and it looks ok but bought some brake fluid just in case

anyone have any ideas  did the wheels turning at high rpm as i fought to get up the hill knock out a sensor  the brakes seem fine

we head back to ossining at 10 when hopefully the roads are passable
I will check the board before leaving

[Lyn-Del]

Wizard said you should have traction control on.  ABS computer kicks in to balance braking, if one tire is turning much faster than the others, ABS interprets it as skid, and tries to slow the "fast" wheel.

He said all lights should have been out when you stopped at fuel station.  If ABS was still on at that point you may have damaged a wheel sensor.

The only time you should turn traction control off is if you're trying to rock the car to get it unstuck (if you're stuck, that is).

This info comes from many years as sales manager of a car dealership -- he's seen 'em all!

[Oss]

thanks lyn and wiz  I have been reading mr fix and chrysler sites and that seems to be a likely answer   Since I was starting from a stop and so many cars around were stuck on the hill I turned off the traction control and then the car started moving better  I will see if it resets when I go to start it tomorrow

A wheel sensor will be less than a hundred bucks  much less than abs repairs

I think that was the 1st time I ever turned off the traction control as the  triple tred tires were no match for the blizzard  Next time I will know as soon as I am moving turn the traction control back on

[Lyn-Del]

Sounds like you should leave the traction control on.  On my car with traction control, it's on automatically, and I'd have to turn it off if I wanted it off.

Drive carefully.  I have limited experience driving in "normal" snow, and I learned quickly that there are idiots out there who don't realize it's slippery!

[3W-lonerider]

that ABS light will come on also if there is snow or ice that build up on the toothed gear that the sensor has to read. my work van does that in the winter time.

[Oss]

thanks    the briake light went off this morning and the other lites went off on the ride home


damn that was one snowy ride yesterday