What Does TC with a Slash Through It Mean? Traction Control Warning

If you come across the TC with a slash warning, you are probably wondering what TC with a slash through means. If that is the case, you are in the right place because in this article there will be a lot to cover.

Traction control warning light highlights

• Common reasons:any problem with traction control
• How to fix:read the codes, check the obvious possible issues
• Possible consequences:traction control may not work
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Carefully
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$150-$450

What Is Traction Control?

First and foremost, let's learn what TC stands for. If you didn't know TC stands for Traction Control. This is a special system on modern cars that prevents the car from losing traction.

Traction is key if you want to keep the car on the road. If you don't have traction, ending up sideways is a very probable scenario. Especially if you drive over mud, snow, gravel, or through the water.

This system works with the help of different sensors and systems in your car. These sensors can detect whenever the car starts to lose traction. These are the wheel speed sensors, as well as the ABS system. In addition to this, this traction control system also reduces the throttle response in order to reduce the chance of wheel spin.

Whenever loss of traction occurs, the system will make sure that this action is stopped and the car wheels rotate without much of a wheel spin.

Cars since the 90s have had traction control systems as standard, especially vehicles that tend to push more power to the wheels. Because the chance of getting wheel spin, in other words, loss of traction is quite bigger on these high-performance cars.

What Does TC With A Slash Through Mean?

So, what does it mean when you have a TC warning light with a slash in between the letters?

Well, this means that the traction control system was manually switched off, or the system has a fault. And at the moment is inactive because of this problem.

Whenever this light is on, it means that your traction control is inoperable. In other words, the system is broken and it has to be fixed before you resume driving.

Driving like this with the warning light is not something that is recommended because the car can become very unpredictable.

For example, you can get a wheel spin while driving over gravel and end up in a ditch. So, making sure that you fix the problem before you resume driving is really important.

Or you can drive with care and make sure that you don't push the throttle too hard because you will get wheel spin.

Causes For TC Light On?

Why would the traction control light appear on your cluster? There could be multiple things. So, let's cover them in the following chapters in-depth.

1) You Turned Off The Traction Control Manually

The first and most common cause for the TC light and a slash is a driver's action. Sometimes these buttons are placed on the center console and it can happen that you press this button unknowingly.

This is why you should make sure that you press the button again and this will hopefully sort out the problem.

By pressing the button, you will turn on the traction control system again and the light will disappear from the cluster.

If you can't locate the button. It is worth noting that this button has a car with two skid lines beneath it. Sometimes it says "TC" or "Traction Control". Sometimes this button is named "SPORT". It really depends on the car model.

2) Faulty Wheel Speed Sensor

The second most common cause of this problem is a faulty wheel speed sensor. Every car has four of these sensors.

Each of these sensors is mounted on each wheel. They are mounted and get a reading from a component known as a tone ring.

This is basically a ring with a lot of grooves. So, as the wheel rotates, the sensor gets a reading from this tone ring.

Sometimes, the wheel speed sensor can become faulty and stop collecting these readings. Or possibly, the tone ring will become dirty and will give bad readings to the sensor. And problems such as these can occur.

The solution is the replacement of this sensor with a new unit or replace the tone ring if this component is faulty.

3) Faulty Vehicle Speed Sensor

The next common cause of the TC light is the vehicle speed sensor. This sensor is much different compared to the wheel speed sensor.

Mainly because the vehicle speed sensor is mounted on the transmission itself. This sensor is really important and regulates a lot of processes.

Luckily, it is really easy to diagnose. So, if you have the TC light on and you also have problems recording the mileage of the car, there is a big chance that this is the sensor that is causing the problem.

Replacing it can be difficult because it is mounted on the transmission itself and replacing these sensors on rear-wheel drive cars can be somewhat expensive.

4) Faulty Steering Angle Sensor

Another failure point is the steering angle sensor. Each car has a steering angle sensor that is mounted on the steering column.

This sensor records the position of the steering column. And whenever the sensor cannot get a reading, you will get problems such as this.

Sometimes this sensor has to be calibrated and you can do this by rotating the steering wheel to the left and to the right a couple of times.

But in most cases, you will have to replace the sensor with a new one. For this to happen, you will have to remove the steering wheel and then you will be able to remove the sensor.

If you own a Dodge or a Chrysler from the older models, this sensor is very likely causing you these issues.

5) Faulty ABS Control Module

A faulty ABS control module can also cause a problem like this. So, what is the ABS control module?

Well, this is the computer that regulates the ABS pump. The control module gets the reading from the steering column sensor and the wheel speed sensors.

What is unfortunate is that this module is really expensive and can cost a lot of money to get replaced. You will pay anywhere between $500 and $1,200 to get this module replaced. Which is unfortunate. Luckily, these ABS modules do not go out that frequently.

6) Faulty ABS Pump

The ABS pump is another failure point that can trigger a problem such as this TC light on the cluster.

This is a hydraulic pump that is basically connected to the control module. When this pump is engaged, it sends hydraulic pressure to the brakes and activates the ABS.

These hydraulic pumps also do not tend to fail very often. But there are some models that have more sensitive ABS pumps which can fail at a higher rate than others.

Unfortunately, this pump is also very expensive and can cost thousands of dollars in some cases. What many people do is get a used one for a cheaper price.

7) Faulty Yaw Sensor

A faulty yaw sensor can also be a cause for the TC light to appear on the cluster. So, what is a yaw sensor?

A yaw sensor is a sensor specifically designed for the traction control system. This yaw sensor records the center of gravity of the vehicle.

This sensor is mounted under the driver or passenger seat, or it is mounted on the floorboard.

Whenever this sensor is faulty, you will get the TC light and the traction system can malfunction.

How To Fix The Problem?

Fixing this problem is not something straightforward. Mainly because this is mainly a sensor-related problem and there can be a variety of different sensors and modules at play.

So, in order to fix this problem, you need to get the car diagnosed by an experienced technician. Or possibly by yourself if you have an OBD2 code reader.

Then you can move on from there and troubleshoot the faulty sensor with a multimeter to see if the sensor is any good.

This can be a tedious process for the inexperienced. This is why if you are not into troubleshooting, it is a much better idea to take your car and get it fixed at the dealership. Or visit an independent shop if the car is out of warranty.

Cost To Fix The Problem

The cost to fix this problem can vary from $100 to $1,500. It really depends on what is causing the problem.

If the problem is caused by a sensor, you will not be going to pay a ton of money to get the issue sorted. But if the problem is caused by a faulty ABS pump or ABS control module, the repairs are going to be very pricey.

We recommend fixing the problem as soon as possible because you don't want to drive a car that is unsafe. You are risking your own life, as well as the life of your passengers.