Stabilitrak Defeat Switch!

Inferno1zx · December 2, 2019

Hey everyone,

So I wanted a way to defeat stabilitrak on my 2015 Silverado with a switch, but keep ABS and not light up the dash when you pull fuse #3... Hat tip to Bo Nitzsche on the idea to pull the steering wheel position sensor! See post here: https://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/215830-stabilitrak/#comments

This got me thinking about a switchable solution. I didn't want to repeatedly plug and un-plug a sensor which would be such a PITA to replace if it broke. I also didn't want to cut my factory harness for a defeat switch. So, I instead made my own jumper harness! Behold:

Here it is in action, you can see that stabilitrak is gone while ABS is still functional! The dash isn't lit up at all, and it only shows two warnings. Traction control works just as normal via its switch.

In case you were wondering, here is all that was involved with building the harness...

Parts:

- Harness Connector: https://www.te.com/usa-en/product-1-1241370-3.html

- Sensor Connector: https://www.te.com/usa-en/product-2-969682-1.html

- Receptacle Pin: https://www.te.com/usa-en/product-5-963715-1.html

Specialty Tools:

- Ideal Ratcheting Crimp Tool: https://idealind.com/shop/30-506.html

- Ideal Crimp Die: https://idealind.com/shop/30-586.html

Supplies:

- 22awg wire: https://www.grainger.com/search/electrical/wire-cable/automotive-wire-battery-cable?sst=1&ts_optout=true&searchQuery=22awg

- 22awg 6 conductor wire: https://www.pacergroup.net/unshielded-multi-conductor-cable-22-awg/

- 1/6", 3/32", 1/8" shrink wrap: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073R69KNB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

- Switch: https://www.alliedelec.com/product/zf-electronics/srj22a3bbbnn/70207322/

- Soldering stuff

So the harness side connector has 6 pins, looks like this:

and it plugs into the steering position sensor here:

I got the part number from the connector and found it online, then verified it with the manufacturer that I found the right parts. Once I had the correct parts, I needed to be able to properly crimp the pins. I had to look at the spec sheet for the pin on the manufacturer's website to then find out the correct crimp type (F-type crimp).

Male connector side, the wires are crimped and inserted into the connector (don't judge my crimps, this was my first try):

Even with the correct type of crimp tool this was hard. The manufacturer specific tool was super expensive ($450), and the tool I picked was a little more generic. The crimps weren't always perfect, but I was able to get it to work by tinning the wires with some solder first. They passed the test pull weight spec with this method.

The female side connector was only available as a wire-to-board connector. I had to solder the wires to the exposed pins and shrink wrap over them.

Final product:

I decided to cut the black wire (pin 6) and wire the switch inline there. The circuit turned out to be sensitive to extra resistance. I tried using a switch (pictured above) i had lying around the garage, but it wouldn't work. I had to go with the ZF switch because it had the lowest internal resistance with the style switch I wanted.

Mounting the switch I wanted it to be sleek and unobtrusive, so I mounted it inside the under dash cubby. This is removed with three screws. (one inside on the front face and two below)The switch has a .787" mounting diameter, which is nothing you can find at the local hardware, so I went with a 3/4" hole and just reamed it out a little bit. The switch also has a little notch to prevent rotation that I cut into the plastic hole as well.

Incognito:

This method was definitely a bit more expensive and time consuming than others (~$300), but it is so convenient now to just switch off the fun police whenever I want and then go back to safety if I want to. There are way less drawbacks to this than pulling a fuse, I've had it unplugged for weeks before installing this switch.

I was thinking about making some of these for anyone since I have extra of everything and the tools. Let me know if there is interest!

Enjoy your new truck

davester · December 2, 2019

Nice job.

carkhz316 · December 2, 2019

But why? I'm not trying to sound like a jerk, but even here in MN if I want to "play" on icy roads or parking lots, the fun lasts for about 10 seconds and then I get bored and realize I have crap to do so I go back to driving like normal. Also, do the K2 trucks not allow the stabilitrac to be disabled via the traction control switch? On mine, if I press and hold the TC button for about 5 seconds, it disables both TC and Stabilitrac.

SierraHD17 · December 2, 2019

Some of us drive on roads buried in snow and this stabilicrap makes the truck useless. I did this exact thing to my 2013 6.2 truck a long time ago and it's great... Except I just unplugged the sensor and left it that way forever. I have no use for any of the traction nannies in my trucks.. I still daily my 05 and heaven forbid it didn't come such equipped from the factory lol. I am going to dig around under my 17s dash and see what happens... I will be just permanently disabling it on that one too.

And for the record even on the 07 to 13s it doesn't stay off pressing and holding the button. Sure you get the icon but my 13 used to still cut in at inopportune moments even with it supposedly disabled. Unplugging the angle sensor fixed that permanently. This nanny stuff just makes for a world full of even scarier drivers than they already are.

Edited December 2, 2019 by SierraHD17

SierraHD17 · December 2, 2019

Just like that... stabilitrack is gone forever.

Inferno1zx · December 2, 2019

3 hours ago, carkhz316 said:

But why?

To put in my perspective, I do it for fun. First of all, I am all for Stabilitrak and traction control and all that for daily driving. Sometimes you just can't be fully prepared for an unseen ice patch or that idiot that pulls out in front of you in the snow. Stuff happens. It really is there to keep you safe. But otherwise, I like to have fun in my vehicle too. I've taken the truck to the dunes and I like to just playfully slide corners in the snow on my way home and all that fun stuff. In those situations, (disabling stabilitrak via the switch, which you also have to be stopped to disable) I've had stabilitrak kick back on above 35mph at bad times.. This will get you stuck in the middle of a dune climb, or snap straight in a drift/donut in the the snow. This is not fun. I like to be able to be able to turn off the nagging and just be a degenerate at times.

Mileguru · December 5, 2019

This is awesome and I'm happy to hear that you figured out a way to do it. Keeping ABS on has always been the concern of everyone when they try to disable Stabilitrak. A similar switch as yours exists ($80 http://www.tuningbyshanehinds.com/2014-12-gm-truck-stabilitrak-disabler), but it also disables ABS.

I tried pulling the fuse, but it threw tons of codes and screwed up the steering (I can't remember the message it said on the dash, something like Steering Assist is Reduced). Once I replaced the fuse and cleared the codes, everything was fine though.

Mileguru · December 5, 2019

So I just read the thread the OP referenced and it seems like some people that pull the steering position sensor have the "Steering Assist is Reduced Drive with Care" message. When I pulled my fuse I got this same message and my steering was pretty jacked up. Although, I also got a bunch of codes, so maybe it was something else that got triggered that messed up my steering (but I doubt it). There is a post in the OP referenced thread (by boilers on February 28, 2019) that exactly describes what my steering felt like. See below:

"This is interesting. I had an old 1999 K1500 with this exact same steering position sensor. Basically, the ECU used the sensor, and RPM value to vary your power steering pressure and make turning easier, mainly in low speed applications. At one point, my sensor failed and starting producing erratic signals, and it caused my truck steering to intermittently get super light. In turns it would cause you to "over turn". It really freaked me out the first time it happened. Some people would completely disconnect this sensor when it failed. However this would cause harder steering in low speed turning applications, because obviously, the power steering pump never knew if you where turning, therefore it would never increase pressure at low RPM, making it harder to turn. Most folks said it didn't make much of a difference.

Anyway, Id assume this sensor is used to lighten up your steering when turning at low speeds. Disconnecting it will disable this feature. Thankfully though, you will not get odd functionality like I did when my sensor was going out. "

Mozzer · December 5, 2019

Excellent job, so if someone is a cheap bastard I could just snip the black wire & put a switch inline, hey presto?

Did it affect the slow speed steering feel?

Sent from my SM-A705W using Tapatalk

Inferno1zx · December 5, 2019

6 hours ago, Mileguru said:

So I just read the thread the OP referenced and it seems like some people that pull the steering position sensor have the "Steering Assist is Reduced Drive with Care" message. When I pulled my fuse I got this same message and my steering was pretty jacked up. Although, I also got a bunch of codes, so maybe it was something else that got triggered that messed up my steering (but I doubt it).

Hey, thanks for the feedback! What year truck do you have? Before doing this, I drove around with it unplugged for a while and had no side effects that I noticed. Steering felt normal in all situations. When you say "when I pull my fuse" do you mean you are unplugging the sensor? If there is a fuse for the steering position sensor or something, it likely has a different affect on the system than unplugging the sensor itself.. The video I posted is the only thing that happens unplugging the sensor on my truck. I get the two warning messages for stabilitrak and steering (that I can clear with the steering wheel), and I lose my backup turning lines. Otherwise, I know some guys mentioned having it unplugged at all times with no issues.

5 hours ago, Mozzer said:

Excellent job, so if someone is a cheap bastard I could just snip the black wire & put a switch inline, hey presto?

Did it affect the slow speed steering feel?

Also yes, you could just snip and put a switch in the black wire. But I didn't wanna touch the factory harness. No steering issues here.

Mozzer · December 19, 2019

Also yes, you could just snip and put a switch in the black wire. But I didn't wanna touch the factory harness. No steering issues here.

Got my switch rigged up on the black wire, thank you very, very much. This is so much better in the snow. With the stabilitrak turned off & traction control on it will let the back slip a little without bogging right down & can turn traction control off with the regular button if wanting to tool around [emoji106]

2014, 5.3, 4x4, work truck

Inferno1zx · December 20, 2019

16 hours ago, Mozzer said:

Got my switch rigged up on the black wire

What switch did you use, and what gauge wire? Just out of curiosity. Glad it's working for you! I love having the full defeat on an instantaneous switch too. And yeah, having TC on still makes for a playful truck without full off.

Mozzer · December 20, 2019

What switch did you use, and what gauge wire? Just out of curiosity. Glad it's working for you! I love having the full defeat on an instantaneous switch too. And yeah, having TC on still makes for a playful truck without full off.

I just bought a cheap low profile switch from Canadian Tire & hooked up with some wire I had kicking around, probably about 16 awg & crimped spade connections.

2014, 5.3, 4x4, work truck

Omar Llamas · April 4, 2021

Can anyone press that switch and see what code they get on OBD scanner? I dont have that switch rigged by my das looks just like that with code U0126.