ABS

[guyc]

My ABS light has started to make an appearance.

Sometimes when I set off and test the brakes, I can feel the ABS pulsing. It will do it a couple of times and then the brakes return to normal along with the ABS light coming on although not necessarily immediately.

Other times, the brakes work normally and the ABS light doesn't light up at all.

From searching the forum, I'm intending on approaching it in the following order:

Ask for help on the forum
Check for damaged wiring
Remove sensors and clean them
Remove shims if fitted
Ask for more help on forum

I keep reading about FSM's and the diagnostics box under the bonnet.

How do I get access to the FSM's - Factory Service Manual??

I've found the diagnostics box and from a previous post I've found the instructions on what to do:

"Connect Tc and E1 together and remove the short link. With the ign on check the flashes."

Does the FSM explain the flashes?

Cheers

Guy

 

[Scott]

Remove the sensors and clean them would be my advice based on previous experience. I'd start with the front. Easy job.

 

[chapel gate]

My ABS light has started to make an appearance.

Sometimes when I set off and test the brakes, I can feel the ABS pulsing. It will do it a couple of times and then the brakes return to normal along with the ABS light coming on although not necessarily immediately.

Other times, the brakes work normally and the ABS light doesn't light up at all.

From searching the forum, I'm intending on approaching it in the following order:

Ask for help on the forum
Check for damaged wiring
Remove sensors and clean them
Remove shims if fitted
Ask for more help on forum

I keep reading about FSM's and the diagnostics box under the bonnet.

How do I get access to the FSM's - Factory Service Manual??

I've found the diagnostics box and from a previous post I've found the instructions on what to do:

"Connect Tc and E1 together and remove the short link. With the ign on check the flashes."

Does the FSM explain the flashes?

Cheers

Guy

Yes they are flash codes. It will tell you which sensor is down, break in the wire etc.

On reading mine it told me to put the whole lot in the bin.

So i did.

 

[Lorin]

Yes they are flash codes. It will tell you which sensor is down, break in the wire etc.

On reading mine it told me to put the whole lot in the bin.

So i did.

Yep, me too. Worth trying to see if it's a simple fix but if not, removing it is a viable option.

 

[Chris]

+ 1 on wipe the front sensors first. Costs nothing, takes 10 mins and might cure it. Then start the other diagnostic stuff

 

[karl webster]

+ 1 on wipe the front sensors first. Costs nothing, takes 10 mins and might cure it. Then start the other diagnostic stuff

+2
Before you clean them just check to see if they are still magnetic. Simple check and that should tell you if they are dud.

 

[Chris]

Yes, if they'll pick up a bunch of keys, they're good

 

[guyc]

Update on my partially non-functioning ABS. It is now fully non-functioning.

I took my sensors out and cleaned them. They were sufficiently magnetic to pick up a reasonably sized socket. Unfortunately it was to no avail.

I then followed the instructions for reading the flash codes.

I got the following codes:

32 - Front left wheel speed sensor malfunction
35 - Open circuit in front left or rear right wheel speed sensor
36 - Open circuit in front right or rear left wheel speed sensor
48 - Open or short circuit in centre diff lock indicator

What I failed to do was to clear the fault codes to see if they reappeared immediately and I probably need to spend a bit of time trying to track down where the open circuit is but with MoT time looming, I'm considering cheating and disabling the light and trusting the MoT chap doesn't pick it up.

Is there a way of disabling the light without going behind the dashboard or what is the best way of getting behind the dashboard?

Other than this, I'm thoroughly enjoying ownership.

For info I'm getting 21.2 mpg based on a mixture of 65% motorway and 35% town driving (commuting). This is with standard size BFG AT KO2's at 32psi all round.

Cheers

Guy

 

[Josh Tagg]

Seems a bit odd to me that according to codes all sensors have gone down? You can check the resistance of them to make sure they're ok. I believe the rears should read around 750 ohms and the front a little hire. Look on this pdf around page 120 shows the abs wiring and what to check

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...gg5MAs&usg=AFQjCNH-hDRrjidyLVaU9I3qJ-jjvCwLUg

 

[guyc]

Thank you very much for that.

 

[chapel gate]

I removed the bulb, its not to difficult.any mot tester on the ball will look for the abs test light when he first turns on the ignition.

 

[Chris]

As I said earlier Guy, pull all the grey plugs and give them a proper clean. There was no hint of early failure when I had it. If it's come on quite suddenly then it's more likely a wiring loom issue. I've had this before on another 80. Open circuit means just that. The circuit is open. The fact that it says left or right would indicate that it's a common part of the loom. I'd suspect the joint across either the front or rear axle. I used to get this in the Phoenix occasionally after off roading. I cured it once by simply tapping the junction with the handle of a screwdriver. It was full of dust and muck.