What does it mean when your abs light and your trac off light come on in your 2000 cavalier Z24?

Answer 1

When these lights come on, it means your car has shut down the Anti-lock brake system and the traction control system. I had this happen to my 99 Z24. According to a mechanic friend of mine, this can be a common problem with a number of Chevy/GM vehicles. One of the most common causes of this is when the wires leading to one of the front ABS wheel sensors gets broken. It seems this is caused by the wires being worked back and forth as the wheel is turned. Eventually the wires break (often right at the plug). When the car can't detect the sensor anymore it shuts off the ABS and traction control. The easy way to tell is to take off the front wheels or put the car on a lift and look behind the brake rotor and see if you can locate the plug and any broken wires. If this is the case, the fix is fairly easy (and cheap!). You just need to stop by a GM / Chevy dealer (I have not yet found an aftermarket parts place that has these) and ask for a ABS sensor pigtail for your car. (Be sure they give you the connector kit and not the actual sensor). I think they're about $20 (give or take a little). You then find your broken wires, cut them down a little, strip the ends, and attach the pigtail. It has crimp connectors so the whole thing is fairly easy to install. When finished, use a lighter or heat gun to heat up the crimps and they will release a gel that waterproofs the connections. While I am no mechanic myself, I have friends that are. If you're not sure about what you are doing or looking for, I would strongly encourage you to visit with a professional mechainc to be safe.