ESC Module Fault

I own a 2009 Prostar with a isx cummings engine. I want to relay the problem I was having and what I found out it to be so that if others come across the same thing they will have an easy time finding the cause.

Friday after getting loaded I had ESC Module fault. It was showing DTC code 5018 11 1(I use scan gauge). I was able to clear that fault so it appeared to it was inactive, but when I did clear the fault it still was saying ESC module fault but no codes were showing. Thinking this was an abnormity and not to worry as the truck was running great I figured I would get on down the road and check it later.

What happened about 100 miles down the road I would get another fault 712 00 68 and this one cleared as well. About another 100 miles got –ea73 00 68. This seem to be random numbers I ended up with 8 total numbers not going to list them all as I believe that they were random and had nothing to do with the route of the problem and each one could be cleared. Saturday night when I had stopped for the evening I figured I would disconnect the battery’s and see if the ESC module would reset. After connecting them back up I still had the fault but with no codes. Truck still was running great. Sunday it was getting to me as to why this was happening. So I stopped to take a break and figured since I knew what the first code was I would get some carburetor cleaner and clean the injector as maybe this was the problem. ( TA does not sell carburetor cleaner when I asked the techs in the shop if they would sell me some they said they do not use it, they use break cleaner, and just some food for thought if you have to have TA do anything that you do not want soot or carbon to cling to).

So this is where it gets interesting as I cannot clean the injector I went in to get some food and was coming to terms that I was probably going to have to take this to the dealer and get a new ESC module as it was not showing any code and the ones it did show were random. This got me to start to think outside the box.

Well if it wasn’t the ESC module then what else could it be. You have ESC module wiring and dash. So since I could do nothing about the ESC module I figured I would pull the dash apart and check the wiring to the display as well as the display. Finding nothing wrong I had remembered a little while back that I lost the engine break display as the bulb went out and I used the one from the cargo door. Since I had stopped at the dealer about a week ago and go some new spare bulbs (6.75 each at the dealer) I would go ahead and replace the cargo door open lamp. While I was in there I figured since I replaced that one I should just replace them all and not have to worry about them down the road. When I took out the regen lamp I noticed it was blown as well. At this point a light bulb went off in my head could it be as simple as a regen lamp being out causing the ESC module to fault.

After I replaced the regen lamp I rooked everything back up and sure enough as soon as I turned the key on the fault disappeared. I took the bad lamp and put it back in and turned on the key and fault came back.

So in conclusion if you have a ESC fault and no codes check to make sure that the lamp on the dash for the regen is good.