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I have a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban (Z71). How do I disable HSA? After $6,000 in transmission and brake repairs due to HSA, I would really like to turn it off.

Here is the problem:

  1. I stop on a hill.
  2. When I press the accelerator, it releases slightly while making a metallic groan, like old farm equipment that hasn't been oiled in decades. The HSA stays engaged indefinitely unless I pull over and shut off the vehicle. By "engaged," I mean flooring it to do 40mph and immediately stopping if I let off the accelerator.

This morning it engaged on a hill and, after the hill, I was flooring it to stay with traffic at 40mph. After a couple of miles, I pulled over, shut the vehicle off, and when I started again it had released.

HSA has also engaged itself while driving on the freeway several times (vehicle starts shuddering, slows way down, and starts smoking). I end up on the shoulder turning the vehicle off and back on to be able to move freely. Sometimes I have to pull over several tries before it releases completely.

I attribute an early transmission replacement and several brake jobs to this malfunctioning HSA.

What I've tried:

  • I tried disabling Stabilitrak by holding down the traction control button for 10 seconds. The HSA still brakes (and breaks). (Perhaps this is because Stabilitrak only stays disabled for a short time.)
  • I've searched in vain for videos, forum posts, anything about either repairing or disabling HSA.
  • I tried the Jeep HSA disabling procedure (with the engine off and steering wheel straight, apply brake and e-brake, turn vehicle on, turn wheel left 180 degrees, press the traction control button 4X, turn wheel right 360 degrees, power off vehicle) but it does not seem to disable HSA on a Suburban.
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  • I had thought there was a way to disable it through the driver's console in the dash. I just looked at my 2018 Silverado and I couldn't find it. I looked in the Owner's manual as well, to no avail. I'll keep looking as I'm pretty sure there's a driver's option to turn it off ... just don't know how to get to it.
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 ♦
    May 6, 2020 at 13:13
  • @Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 Small world, Paul. I also live in Stafford. I added some more details on the issue including the metallic groan it makes when you press the accelerator when starting on a hill.
    – DarkerIvy
    May 6, 2020 at 17:36

1 Answer 1

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I have a Buick. I can not turn it off but on the settings I can choose between normal and extended hill assist. If I put the settings to extended hill assist, the parking brake will engage after a predetermined amount of time. If you have these settings, you might want to be sure the settings are not set to extended. Might help, might not. Another cause for your condition may be an intermittent brake switch failure. If the brake switch is on, the and the car is on an angle it thinks it needs to turn on hill assist. But I would think the speedometer would also have to read 0 for it to activate. Is your speedometer working?

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  • Yes, the speedometer works fine. I see nothing in the menus or settings for normal or extended hill assist. This would be really, really extended since it continues indefinitely unless I pull over and turn off the vehicle.
    – DarkerIvy
    May 6, 2020 at 17:39
  • I don't have answers, just thoughts. Hill assist is only supposed to activate when the brakes are applied. The next time it happens. Stop the car and don't turn it off and go back and see if your brake lights are on. If they are you probably have a defective brake switch.
    – Jupiter
    May 6, 2020 at 21:14
  • And one more thought. The hill assist is supposed to deactivate when the gas pedal is pressed. A faulty throttle position sensor may prevent the hill assist to deactivate.
    – Jupiter
    May 6, 2020 at 21:25

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