Thread: Traction control issue?

Hey everyone, nice forum!!

I picked up a 2007 Grand Prix GXP a few days ago with 53,000 miles... Yesterday I was leaving for work and got few blocks over to a stop light. When it turned green... I pressed the gas, started going, then around 7MPH felt a shudder/jolt and then rapidly picked up speed.

This again occurred going to lunch.

I read around about the dreaded transmission issues affecting the GXP's (I really hope they're not as frequent as I've seen, anyone have a GXP with high mileage and original transmisison?)... but the take off rev clunk/jolt isn't exactly what I'm experiencing.... I accelerate and am not just revving sitting there, the car feels more like traction control is turning on for some reason and then then turns off causing a more rapid take off when regular power is restored. Aside from this I don't have any shift problems, grinds, flares, slips... etc...

I pulled the fuse for the ABS system last night which also effectively turned off TCS and Stabilitrack. I drove around 25 miles today and it has yet to jolt/shudder while starting from a stop. I also noticed the ABS sound I've been hearing and feel in the pedals when I first turn the car on, backout, and then start in drive isn't occurring either anymore.

Has anyone had issues with traction control like this? Usually when the sensors flake out the ABS/Trac Off lights will turn on.

Thanks!

Seems more or less normal. I'll cycle through P - R - N - D and up again and it'll move somewhat, but it's not jumping out of the engine bay.

Wondering if the MAP sensor is an issue... then again that too would also throw a code.

Maybe I'm just in denial... The rev/clunk issue I've read about for the transmission... there is no movement when this is occurring, correct? The driver will basically press the pedal down and until they get to a higher RPM the car just sits there until it clunks into gear, right?

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

yeah, thats more of the slip bang into second gear type deal that a shift kit helps fix.

OK, that's a bit of a relief! Looks like a trip to the dealer is in order.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

has the car had a tune up at all? could be just the engine stumbling. misfires dont turn on the light unless theres quite a few of them. and then it should flash. not stay on.

It might be time for one, the car is almost 7 years old now. Dealer give me the routine line about them checking/fixing anything before putting it on the lot, but that might have just been sales talk.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

being you dont have a 100,000 miles on it, no way it got a tune up from a dealer.

hows your fluid look, nice and red? full when hot?

it could be a clogged filter as well, if the tranny never got serviced. 30 to 50 thousand is when you want to do a first service. pan drop and filter. do that every 50,000 miles from then on, and your tanny should be happier. as long as you dont beat the tar out of it, v8's eat these trannys up if abused.

Fluid looks good... red and full. I'll have a service setup to do a pan drop/filter first thing on Monday when I take it in.

Just an update, took it to the dealer, seems my emergency brake was sticky and getting slightly stuck on. When the rotors hadn't warmed up they would stick on a bit causing the jolt when I first took off. Seems to be good to go for the time being.

Another update, not that anyone probably cares, but maybe the google searchers that have a similar issue. My transmission flaked out today... reverse quit on me then started working again. The jolts have also become significantly worse... warm or cold and happen 1 out of 4 times I accelerate from a stop. It gradually got worse, then went away, then came back much worse than before the last few days to the point where you're thrown back into the seat and the tires chirp.

Getting it diagnosed at the dealer but it's looking like a rebuild, glad I got the warranty.