12 Boss with Service StabilTrac message and steering angle sensor error in ABS PCM

[Pitt Stang]

I’ve been getting Service StabilTrac errors on my dash along with Steering Wheel Angle errors in the ABS PCM in my 012 Boss. Car has 8000 miles with about 15 track days on it.

With the scope function of my FORscan PC tool, I can see the Steering Wheel Angle feedback signal spike during high RPM conditions that correlates to the error message. I had the FORscan scope tool active and wiggled and prodded all the wiring harnesses and connectors and could not reproduce the signal spike.

I also visually checked all of the wiring harnesses especially ABS wires by the exhaust and couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

i also get less frequent random messages like Fuel Low and a few other dash lights randomly going on and off like the dash brake light.

Twice, this summer (not sure if this is related) I had to the jump the battery when I got home after driving it. I had the drivers door open for about 5 or 10 minutes scanning the PCM. After the first jump, I bought a brand new battery to replace the 3 year old battery.

Even with the brand new battery, I had to charge the new battery again since the car wouldn’t start after a 1/2 hr test drive and then the drivers door being open for 5 - 10 minutes scanning the PCM.

Will the car idling, battery voltage is 14.2 volts.

Has anyone had any similar issues with the Service StabilTrac? The steering wheel angle sensor for the 2012’s is in the electric steering rack, not on the steering column. With only 8000 miles on it, is it likely the Steering Wheel Sensor in the rack is bad? Is the sensor replaceable or do you have to replace the whole electric steering rack (big bucks I’m sure). After some googling and review the service manual, the sensor does t apprar

Are the dead battery events just due to the small ish FoMoCo battery not being able to handle a door being open for 10 minutes or could this be indicative of a bad alternator? Again, the battery voltage at idle measured at the battery terminals is approx 14.2v

Could a bad alternator give me the Service Stabiltrac error message? I haven’t measured the battery voltage at high RPM’s yet.

I haven’t had the car go into limp mode yet, but with the track about 1 hr from my house and no trailer, I’ve been hesitant to track it this summer since the dash lights up like the Vegas strip at night.

Any help or advice would be appreciated!

 

[Mad Hatter]

Yes!! I had similar problem. My car would loose power steering in the middle of a race. NOT a great experience, Changed the battery out and it went away, thought it was solved, till the next race when it went out again. Later we changed the alternator and all was fine.. Thought it was a isolated event, but it came back the following season. So the alternator is now considered a consumable....

Even the Boss alternator setup is not too fond of high rpm over prolonged periods.

 

[mwjscn]

If you're getting 14 volts or more while the engine is on, the alternator is 'working'. Not sure if the smart functions are happy, though. Might be worth having AutoZone or another store test the condition of the battery. If you're having a bunch of unrelated issues happening around the car, I always suggest people check the integrity of their ground wire connections. The bolts securing them could rattle in a way during road use that may not be easily duplicated by poking the harness in the garage or there could be corrosion under the ring terminal you can't normally see.

 

[2012-Boss]

If you're getting 14 volts or more while the engine is on, the alternator is 'working'. Not sure if the smart functions are happy, though. Might be worth having AutoZone or another store test the condition of the battery. If you're having a bunch of unrelated issues happening around the car, I always suggest people check the integrity of their ground wire connections. The bolts securing them could rattle in a way during road use that may not be easily duplicated by poking the harness in the garage or there could be corrosion under the ring terminal you can't normally see.

Its pretty common for a Boss alternator to show 14 volts at idle and need replacement. They usually start acting up on track at higher RPM and seem fine in the paddock. Loss of electric power steering on track is one of the indicators.

 

[Pitt Stang]

Thanks everyone for their comments and advice.

I’ll check all the grounds and then order a new alternator if I don’t find a smoking gun. Actually, I think I’ll order a new alternator regardless since it sounds like alternators are a consumable.

Thanks, again.

 

[2012-Boss]

Don't order the alternator from a dealer. Get the Ford Performance kit. It costs less and has the alternator, belt, hardware, and idler pulley. Capaldi Racing usually has a good price on the kit.

 

[TMSBOSS]

+1 on the ford kit. I swapped out mine and carry the original as a track spare. I keep it in the trailer for what ifs.

 

[Pitt Stang]

Well…my new Boss alternator from Ford Performance didn’t fix the problem. $@&%! Still getting Service StabilTrac errors when I exceed 3000 rpm.

Has anyone had issues with loose grounds and can you advise the location of the bad ground?

I’m going to go through the wiring diagrams, but was curious if anyone has experienced a bad ground.

Thanks!

 

[Mad Hatter]

Thats a bummer... electrical gremlins are a pain.

 

[Swiss Boss]

Check the 3 wires plug that connect on the alternator.

I had a bad wire make bad connection, middle one if I remember correctly and I would loose power to the gauge cluster and loosing the power steering for a second before coming back on.
Engine was running fine during that time.

I had to cut the factory plug and splice a new one in.

 

[Pitt Stang]

Check the 3 wires plug that connect on the alternator.

I had a bad wire make bad connection, middle one if I remember correctly and I would loose power to the gauge cluster and loosing the power steering for a second before coming back on.
Engine was running fine during that time.

I had to cut the factory plug and splice a new one in.

Thanks!

I’ll check it out.

 

[Pitt Stang]

Thanks!

I’ll check it out.

Check the 3 wires plug that connect on the alternator.

I had a bad wire make bad connection, middle one if I remember correctly and I would loose power to the gauge cluster and loosing the power steering for a second before coming back on.
Engine was running fine during that time.

I had to cut the factory plug and splice a new one in.

Swiss Boss:

Can you advise where you got the new factory plug? Sumbich, my middle wire has some copper exposed and could be shorting to the aluminum heat shield to engine ground.

Did you just splice a new plug at the factory location (pretty tight down there) or did you run a new 3 wire harness from wherever the 3 wires originate? I’ll be looking at the wiring diagrams tonight.

Not a smoking gun but pretty damn warm. Thanks for talking me off the ledge!

 

[mwjscn]

WPT-118 aka 1U2Z-14S411-TA
The wire looks intact, just with some insulation missing. Perhaps it may be an easier procedure to try applying some liquid electrical tape to the issue area before committing to cutting the harness?

 

[Pitt Stang]

I’m going to temporarily tape up the exposed copper and see if that fixes the problem.

Fingers crossed.

Replacement connectors with pigtails are easy to find and all 3 wires come from Connector C110 on the passenger strut tower.
If my temp fix works, I’ll document the permanent fix.

 

[Pitt Stang]

WPT-118 aka 1U2Z-14S411-TA
The wire looks intact, just with some insulation missing. Perhaps it may be an easier procedure to try applying some liquid electrical tape to the issue area before committing to cutting the harness?

Thanks for the part numbers!

 

[Swiss Boss]

Swiss Boss:

Can you advise where you got the new factory plug? Sumbich, my middle wire has some copper exposed and could be shorting to the aluminum heat shield to engine ground.

Did you just splice a new plug at the factory location (pretty tight down there) or did you run a new 3 wire harness from wherever the 3 wires originate? I’ll be looking at the wiring diagrams tonight.

Not a smoking gun but pretty damn warm. Thanks for talking me off the ledge!

Rockauto has some too.

More Information for MOTORCRAFT WPT118

I cut about 2 inch away from the connector then cut the pigtail to the desired length. If you remove the alternator and cut a few zip tie that will give you some extra space
Then I soldered the new one in respecting the location of each wire and covered the solder with raychem
And finished by wrapping everything in that aluminum tape.
You can find raychem and that heat tape off Amazon

 

[Pitt Stang]

I temporarily individually taped/insulated the three wires at the alternator connector and did not get a Service StabilTrac warning on my test loop. To be sure, I did my test loop twice and no Service StabilTrac warning! I got a few traction control lights but I think that was due to me hammering on the car at high rpm’s and the traction control was trying to do its job with my street tires

Also, no new steering wheel angle sensor error logs in the PCM. I have a new connector on order and will be replacing it shortly.

Thank you everyone for all of your help and advice. I would never have thought to look at that connector.

The knowledge base in this forum is awesome. Thanks, again.

 

[Pitt Stang]

Photo of original alternator connector with exposed copper on center Blue Orange wire.

Instead of trying to splice a new connector in the bowels of the alternator area, I ended up running an entirely new set of 3 wires from Connector 110.

Fingers crossed for this Wednesday’s TNiA!

 

[bls72]

DEF Curious to know if this made the difference?