Although Tesla cars are much more modern and technological than an average vehicle on the road, they still may surprise you with some failures, error messages, spontaneous problems, and expensive-to-solve breakdowns. Of course, this mainly applies to older and high-mileage EVs, but when it comes to the “Stability Control Disabled” message, it may affect almost any Tesla, even the freshly delivered one.
In short, your Tesla may say “Stability Control Disabled” because it has problems with wheel speed sensors, ABS module, brakes, wiring, or software. Sometimes, the issue is extremely hard to locate and even dealers spend days digging deep into the car and finding nothing that can trigger the message.
In this article, I will tell you the following:
- What happens when you see “Stability Control Disabled”?
- What may cause this error message to pop up?
- Can you drive when your stability control isn’t working in the Tesla?
- How much is it to repair this problem in a dealership?
Explaining the “Stability Control Disabled” message
When you see this message in your Tesla (any model), it may mean two things: you have manually deactivated the stability control and now need to activate it, or your Tesla is experiencing problems with some of the components of the stability control system.
This may sound really alarming because the stability control system won’t allow your wheels to spin and slip on the road. You may want to turn it off when you want to take the car into a skid, but at all other times, it’s recommended to keep this feature on. Given Tesla is a very powerful car with huge torque, driving it with the stability control feature disabled is not really safe.
There are no OEM ways to completely deactivate traction control and stability control in your vehicle. But there are aftermarket ways and programming that can unlock these features. If you manage to turn stability control off, it will immediately be displayed on the screen as a warning.
Of course, in most cases, it’s displayed not because you turned off the traction control by chance but because something is wrong with the car.
To understand what exactly causes this problem, you need to understand how traction control works and what it uses to keep the traction of your Tesla perfect.
Here’s what you should know:
- the stability control system relies fully on wheel speed sensors’ readings to prevent wheel slipping;
- it uses ABS to apply brakes when needed and stop the wheels from slipping;
- the system is controlled by several electronic control units;
- all the equipment is powered by the 12V battery, not by the main EV battery.
After you learn this, it’s not hard for you to understand what can go wrong and trigger the “Stability Control Disabled” error message on the screen in your Tesla. Let’s see what it can be.
What are the common reasons for this message to pop up?
There are many reasons why the stability control may turn off and trigger a specific message on the screen of your Tesla. All these reasons are connected with the units that the traction control system uses to operate. Even if you know these reasons, you aren’t likely to have all the needed tools and experience to test the units and see if they are actually faulty. So, you may need professional help.
So, here are the reasons for the “Stability Control Disabled” error message in your Tesla:
1. Wheel speed sensor problems
The first thing you should check is if the wheel speed sensors are OK. First of all, make sure that they are fitted in place. Secondly, look at them and try to make sure that they are not damaged and connected to the system.
If you notice any serious damages or even minor problems, this may be your problem – just replace the faulty wheel speed sensor. The stability control system unit doesn’t get the readings of the sensor that measures the speed of the certain wheel. So how can the system know when and how hard it should brake?
2. Wiring issues
It’s not uncommon for cars that spend some time on ranches to be attacked by rodents. Ironically, rodents love chewing wires. And for your electric vehicle this is the weakest thing. If some rat ate the wire that connected wheel speed sensors to the control unit, you should thank that rat. Because there are much bigger wires that it could have eaten.
Actually, wiring problems can also develop because of mechanical damage, water damage, poor connection after servicing, etc. So, checking the wires is important. And Tesla sells harnesses, so it’s not that hard to solve the issue if you know what exactly part of the wiring system is malfunctioning.
3. ABS module
I wouldn’t say that ABS modules in Telsa cars fail that often. But they obviously can fail and lead to all kinds of different issues with brakes, stability control system, traction control, etc. Your car may actually show you a long range of error messages if the ABS module is dead or disconnected.
Again, it may be damaged by water after the car is flooded. Or it can be damaged by a hit. Other than that, the ABS module should be fine in the Tesla.
4. Bad brakes
If your brake pads or rotors are worn out, it’s not uncommon for the ABS module to notice the problem first. But then, it goes further and affects the traction control and stability control in your vehicle.
You will not see only the “Stability Control Disabled” error message, there will be other problems and codes on the screen. If this is the case, check the brakes or ask a mechanic to do this first. Worn pads are easier and cheaper to replace than a piece of wiring harness.
5. Software failure
Although Tesla cars are not prone to a lot of software problems, some of them can actually trigger the “Stability Control Disabled” message. Fortunately, you can just reset the system by disconnecting the 12V battery that controls almost all electronic modules. After resetting these modules, you should not see this warning light. But if it reappears, then the problem is not in the software glitch.
6. 12V battery
One last thing you should check if everything else is OK is the small battery. It may go bad because it has a certain number of discharge-charge cycles and may just die after that. The lifespan of small 12V batteries in Tesla cars depends on your driving style. But usually, it’s about 3-4 years.
If the battery has low voltage and is not taking charge, your control units will go crazy in the Tesla car and will trigger all kinds of error messages.
Can you drive the Tesla if the stability control isn’t working?
If your Tesla says “Stability Control Disables”, it’s not recommended to drive the vehicle. This is a powerful car and driving it with the malfunctioning stability control is not a good idea. Your car may go to the skid, lose traction, the wheels may spin without any control. This may not only lead to car damage but will also catalyze the risks of getting into a car accident on the road.
To avoid problems, call a Tesla dealership, report the problem, and ask them to organize the towing of your car. They will do this and then diagnose the vehicle. Inspection will show the actual problem and after several hours you will be able to take the car back unless something big and expensive was affected.
How much is it to repair the Tesla with the stability control problems?
The price of repair highly depends on what exactly is broken in the car. If this is just a wheel speed sensor, this will cost you up to $200 including labor to replace the broken part.
But if the issue is with the wiring, the price may be seriously higher. The first problem is that the parts may not be available in the dealership and you may need to wait several weeks till they arrive. The second issue is the inspection – it can take quite a lot of time and cost you some money unless the car is under warranty.
The good thing is that if your car is in the dealership for more than four hours, Tesla will provide you with a loaner vehicle. Unfortunately, not all loaner cars are in good condition in Tesla service centers, so be careful when agreeing to some of them.
Final thoughts
So, whenever you see the “Stability Control Disabled” error message in your Tesla, don’t panic. You may try looking at the wheel speed sensors, checking the small battery’s health, or resetting the control units. But the best choice is always to call a Tesla dealership and have the car inspected by a professional.
Usually, the problem is not that serious and will be covered by the warranty. If your car is not under warranty, make sure you know the price of any repairs before you agree for the dealership to repair the car.
If you still have questions or want to add something, just write in the comments below!
