Traction control light: flickering, or staying on?

What the warning actually means

The symbol usually shows a car with wavy lines behind it. It covers both traction control and stability control, depending on the make. A light that flickers while you drive is the system working right now. A light that stays on steadily means the system is either switched off or out of service.

Common causes

• The system has been switched off with a button, often by accident
• A wheel speed sensor fault, which often lights the ABS warning too
• A fault in the steering angle or yaw sensor

What to do now

1. Look for an ESP, ESC or TCS button and switch the system back on.
2. If it stays on, drive carefully on slippery surfaces.
3. Book an inspection, especially if the ABS light is on as well.

What people often get wrong

That flickering means a fault. A light that flickers on ice or wet roads is the system doing exactly what it is designed to do. The one worth paying attention to is a light that stays on in normal, dry conditions.

When the car must go to a workshop

If stability control and ABS are lit together, it is usually the same underlying fault, and both systems are out.

Read next

• ABS light on: do the brakes still work?
• Tire pressure light: a puncture, or just the cold?
• Airbag light on: what happens in a collision

This page is general information and does not replace a professional assessment. Symbols, codes and behaviour vary between makes. Always check the handbook for your own car.