Traction Control noise

Had snow & ice here in Oklahoma about a month ago, the traction control would come on and work normally with no noise. Had another sleet storm with 2 inches of pellet ice on road, traction control worked perfect until I got stuck, after rocking back and forth about 7 times got free, the next day when traction control would try to engage it would make a noise under hood (sounds like pass side) that sounds similuar to roulette wheel mainly when I accellerate hard, if rear tires slip a little and it engages there is no noise. Took it to dealer (LS is 2005 38K miles still under warranty) and the work order service guy not the actual mechanic, got in and we drove out in the snow and showed him what it was doing and that there was no noise previously. After hearing noise he told mechanic about it came back out and said the mechanic said that was normal that it was the solinoid kicking off and on and if I didnt hear it there would be a problem. I don't buy it. I think that since its under warranty they just don't want to deal with it. Just doesn't make since that it didn't make any noise before and now it does. :screwy:

Are you talking about traction control, or AdvanceTrac? There are differences between the two.

I'm not sure about the traction control on the 2005. In earlier years, it only had the ABS to work with. However, with the 2003 and newer, Lincoln incorporated "throttle by wire" and AdvanceTrac also incorporates throttle control. I don't know if traction control also incorporates the throttle on your 2005. If so, spinning from a stop or in a straight line may only cause the car to back off on throttle, and you probably won't hear this. However, if the car starts to fish tail or push through a turn, AdvanceTrac will also engage the ABS, and you likely will hear the ABS pump.

I have to agree with the technician on this one, the rapid clicking noise is normal, assuming it sounds similar to the noise it makes when the ABS kicks in.

-Rod

It just has traction contol as far as I can tell , it has the emblem of tire spinning where if it had both its suppose to have like a swerving tire tracks. Manual says nothing about any normal noise with traction contol but rumble or grinding noise with advance trac is normal. traction control does have throttle control and braking system but I don't think it uses the regular part of brakes, it says "activated excessively in a short period of time, the brake portion of the system will shut down to allow the brakes to cool down. Anti-lock braking is not affected by this condition and will function normally during the cool-down period." Oh I forgot to mention earlier the service guy not the mechanic said before he spoke with mechanic " I think it makes a noise when your tires start spinning and the All wheel drive kicks in" , I told him it don't have AWD. That right there made my eye brows lower. I don't know maybe nothings wrong, just don't get why the first 25 times TC came on there was no noise, and now there is.

On my wife's 2002 with traction control (spinning tire icon) it makes the same noise as the ABS when the traction control is active. Since her's has a mechanical throttle, only the ABS is used to avoid spinning, and the noise is normal.

Maybe since yours has the electronic throttle, it starts with the throttle, and if excessive slipping is detected, the ABS is then activated as well. Maybe the first 25 times, the TC did not need to activate the ABS.

-Rod