What does it mean?
C1431 is a Chassis (ABS, traction control, steering) fault code. It indicates: Yaw Rate Sensor Malfunction . This is a standardised OBD-II code. The technical definition is the same regardless of the make or model of vehicle, although specific causes and symptoms can vary between vehicles.
Symptoms
- Stability and traction control lamps on with both systems switched off
- ABS lamp may light at the same time
- Car feels normal until a slippery corner, where no stability intervention takes place
- On some vehicles the opposite happens: brief unwanted brake intervention on a straight road
- Hill start assist and trailer stability functions unavailable
Likely causes
- Internal failure of the yaw rate sensor, often a combined yaw and lateral acceleration unit
- Loose or missing mounting bolt; the sensor must be rigidly fixed to the body to read correctly
- Water intrusion or corrosion at the sensor connector, which often sits under the console or a seat
- Missing supply voltage or a poor ground at the sensor
- Communication fault on the bus between the sensor and the stability module
- Sensor never calibrated after replacement, accident repair or suspension work
- Body damage or a bent mounting bracket changing the sensor orientation
How to fix it
- Read the yaw rate value at standstill; it should sit close to zero and change smoothly during a slow turn
- Verify the sensor is tight on its bracket and in the correct orientation
- Inspect the connector for water, corrosion and pushed back pins
- Measure supply voltage and ground at the sensor with the ignition on
- Scan all modules for network codes and repair any bus fault first
- Carry out the sensor zero point calibration on level ground with the vehicle stationary
- Replace the sensor and calibrate it if the value stays stuck or implausible