C1278 code F150 & traction control light flashing

Ford’s bulletin on the cause of a C1278 code on the F150 and the traction control light flashing

Ford has issued a service bulletin #12-11-18 to address a C1278 code on an F150 and a traction control light flashing condition along with trouble codes C1278, C1280, C1282 or C1963 on the vehicles listed below. Ford states that the electronic stability control may activate during low-speed turning maneuvers when towing a trailer.

The code definitions:

C1278 Code – Steering Wheel Angle 1 And 2 Signal Faulted
C1280 Ford Code – Yaw Rate Sensor Signal Fault
C1282 Ford Code – Lateral Accelerometer Signal Fault
C1963 Ford Code – Stability Control Inhibit Warning

Vehicles affected by service bulletin #12-11-18

2009-12 Ford F150 built before 6.10.2012

The fix for F150 traction control light flashing is new software.

Contact your shop to see if they offer ECM reprogramming. Software updates are not free. They generally take about 45 minutes so be prepared to pay for about ¾ of an hour for shop time.

How is an ECM update performed?

The vehicle communication interface is free-standing and does not connect to the scan tool

An ECM (Engine Control Module) update is performed to update the software in the engine computer. It’s much like the periodic updates you receive on your home computer. It starts with the technician downloading most current software from the carmaker’s website. It’s stored on a laptop.

The technician then connects a backup power source to the vehicle battery to maintain power all through the update.

The technician then connects a vehicle communication interface (VCI) to the laptop and the OBDII port using a special cable from the laptop to the VCI and a cable from the VCI to the OBDII port.

The reprogramming is done from inside the vehicle.

©, 2020 Rick Muscoplat