Traction Control Actuator - Rover 75 KV6

Mike Allfrey · 16th August 2010, 08:03

My Rover 75, with 2.5 litre KV6, and automatic transmission, has a reported failure of the traction control actuator (from my selling dealer). The Traction Control Disabled warning lamp is now illuminated at all times. This has set me to thinking, and reading about these units in this Forum.

My reasoning takes me along this line of thought -- the unit appears to have a set of plastic gears and, surely, this system must have been designed to operate in a durable manner. Reading about broken gears has led me to ponder on just what controls the gear train? I firmly believe that the gear train is strong enough to carry out the tasks it was designed for.

My questions are these -- does the gear train rotate in one direction (say, motor turning clockwise) to actuate the secondary throttle cable in one direction? And then, once the task has been carried out, does the motor rotate in the opposite direction (anti-clockwise) to return the cable to the normal (home) position? Such a set up would be controlled by travel limiting switches.

If this is the case, then the problem could be caused by the position of the cable-travel control switches. There could be a switch to control clockwise rotation, and there could be another switch to control the anti-clockwise rotation. If one, or both, of these switches is either loose, or slightly out of position, then the situation could arise where the actuator mechanism is trying to move the secondary throttle control cable too far (or further than its design specification travel). This condition is thus overloading the gear train and causing gear damage due to mechanical components not being able to travel further than they ordinarily should.

The above theory is based purely on assumption, due to me not being familiar with just how the traction control actuator controls the movement of the secondary throttle cable.

Can someone more knowledgeable than me please confirm my assumption, or, if I am incorrect, please point me in the right direction. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Mike Allfrey, Melbourne, Australia.

McMasters · 20th August 2010, 10:04

I would like to know that too.
I have had the pleasure of sorting 3 units that failed. Bit expensive. The last unit I replaced with an old unit I had reconditioned with parts from the two other stuffed units. Broken gear cog teeth. Luckily one had the small cog broken and the other the big one. Lucky swap an a bit of fiddling resetting the spring and it worked straight away.
I have previously asked what could cause the teeth failure and didn't get any clear answer. Your cable switch theory could be on the right path. The construction of the unit seems quite solid so why so many failures. .
Hope some genius can sort it for you.

Another Aussie currently cruising in a 75 in Hamburg.

16th August 2010, 08:03	#1
Mike Allfrey Newbie Rover 75 Club Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Posts: 15 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Traction Control Actuator - Rover 75 KV6 My Rover 75, with 2.5 litre KV6, and automatic transmission, has a reported failure of the traction control actuator (from my selling dealer). The Traction Control Disabled warning lamp is now illuminated at all times. This has set me to thinking, and reading about these units in this Forum. My reasoning takes me along this line of thought -- the unit appears to have a set of plastic gears and, surely, this system must have been designed to operate in a durable manner. Reading about broken gears has led me to ponder on just what controls the gear train? I firmly believe that the gear train is strong enough to carry out the tasks it was designed for. My questions are these -- does the gear train rotate in one direction (say, motor turning clockwise) to actuate the secondary throttle cable in one direction? And then, once the task has been carried out, does the motor rotate in the opposite direction (anti-clockwise) to return the cable to the normal (home) position? Such a set up would be controlled by travel limiting switches. If this is the case, then the problem could be caused by the position of the cable-travel control switches. There could be a switch to control clockwise rotation, and there could be another switch to control the anti-clockwise rotation. If one, or both, of these switches is either loose, or slightly out of position, then the situation could arise where the actuator mechanism is trying to move the secondary throttle control cable too far (or further than its design specification travel). This condition is thus overloading the gear train and causing gear damage due to mechanical components not being able to travel further than they ordinarily should. The above theory is based purely on assumption, due to me not being familiar with just how the traction control actuator controls the movement of the secondary throttle cable. Can someone more knowledgeable than me please confirm my assumption, or, if I am incorrect, please point me in the right direction. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Mike Allfrey, Melbourne, Australia.

20th August 2010, 10:04	#2
McMasters Avid contributor Rover 75 V6 2.5 Celeste LHD Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hamburg Posts: 207 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Good question. I would like to know that too. I have had the pleasure of sorting 3 units that failed. Bit expensive. The last unit I replaced with an old unit I had reconditioned with parts from the two other stuffed units. Broken gear cog teeth. Luckily one had the small cog broken and the other the big one. Lucky swap an a bit of fiddling resetting the spring and it worked straight away. I have previously asked what could cause the teeth failure and didn't get any clear answer. Your cable switch theory could be on the right path. The construction of the unit seems quite solid so why so many failures. . Hope some genius can sort it for you. Another Aussie currently cruising in a 75 in Hamburg. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]