ABS light
 

I've heard this is a pretty common problem, but my ABS light comes one occasionally, not predictably. It will come on most often if i start it warm, usually not when its cold. They're is no issue with the brakes, abs works fine whether the light is on or off. Any ideas?

Your abs works fine even with the light on? are you sure?

thats odd...

What year is your teg? You can check to see if the ECU stored a code; its the same procedure for a check engine light, but you watch the ABS light for blinks.

The abs works fine when the light is on, although from time to time i will notice it "working" when it is not needed. If i am moving slowly into a parking space or something i am able to hear the ABS working. I've heard that wheel speed sensor might be the culprit.

sometimes the wheel speed sensors get dirt inbetween the magnet and the teeth that give you a pulse just try and clean them or read you abs codes. And when the light is on solid you shouldnt get abs at all next time its on test it out by locking the brakes up somehwere safe to do this test and see of you feel your abs brake pedel pulsations to see if it's really still working with that light on.

Mine is doing the exact same thing. The ABS light comes on when it feels like it..... and when its NOT on, I'll be stopping and just before I'm at a complete stop the ABS pulses for like 1-2 seconds.

What are wheel sensors worth?

I would love to get rid of the ABS.......
Can I just take out the fuse for the ABS motor?
Will that make the ABS light on the dash come on?

you can unhook the power source comming off your batery and take out the fuse that willl turn it off then see if you can take the bulb out ofthe back of the cluster or if not then you will have the light on solid but no more abs.

It's the sensors most likely, fuzzy has a DIY article on how to clean them up.

I don't care about the abs, i'd rather have no abs anyway. I'll try and disconnect it.

Why do you not like abs? It's better then conventional brake systems in every way.

^ Yeah but abs is a pain in the ass on older cars

i drive mine without it and can stop quicker in a stirght line, it only used so that old ladies can steer through a lockup, which can be done by a pump or two

lol

That pump or two is done by the abs system in milliseconds, and just before lock-up conditions are met.

ya its definatly better in corners in lockup i can just stop in a shorter distance in a straight line without it which wieghs out better for me becuse i dont want to rear end someone or end up in the middle of the intersection if i lock up with abs on, it just keeps the tires moving to much. Plus you lose road feel when braking i want full controll of the output force and pressure of my brakes kinda the same feeling as being able to select which gear,rpm, throttle percentage when driving manual as opposed to auto, i want full controll over what the car is doing.

if you pull the fuse for the abs motor, the abs light is going to come on, so you'll need to pull the cluster to remove the bulb. if your abs if definitely not working properly you really should pull the fuse incase the abs ever kicks in when you don't want it to.

I beg to differ;

A standard abs system typically pulsates the brakes at a rate of 15 pulses/second. It utilizes speed sensors on each wheel, which detects a difference in individual wheel speed.

Once it detects that one wheel is suddenly coming close to a lock-up, it will begin pulsating, providing for maximum braking ability. Not only does that allow steeribility, but also allows the vehicle to stop in a shorter distance, because the computer is far more sensitive to symptoms of a lock-up condition then the human mind.

sometimes its beter to just lock up for a sceond then brake at full force before the lock up point or abs activation point. while abs is on and continues to stay on you arnt stoping it keps rotating the tire so even if it does turn on i would pump once to turn it off to start slowing the wheels down quicker. Mash the brakes and leave it on see how long it takes you to stop it never ends its like 100 meters. Not to mention the extra weight of the hydrulic controll unit and extra brake lines and computer. Its only good for a lockup on a sharp turn so insted of steering left and hitting the wall on the right you have a chance to steer through that left turn. I prefer driving without it but really to each his own right.

ok, so after a little bit more investigating i've realized that the abs light will be on intermittently but when it is on the abs does not work. When it is on i notice it activating at the end of my braking. At this point i've been driving another car without abs for years and am more comfortable having no abs than unreliable abs.
I agree that it is useful, but it is quite the opposite when it is not working properly.

^ Just pull the fuse and take the bulb out. Abs is homo

Locking up your wheels reduces traction; you HAVE to keep the tires rotating... Once your tires stop rotating, they lose nearly all traction. Your friction co-efficient will be reduced significantly, hence the integration of the abs system.

Furthermore, abs will modulate each wheel independently. When you pump the brakes, you are wasting stopping power. If 1 tire has no traction, why would you want to modulate all 4, and lose the traction from the other 3 tires when you relieve the brake pedal?

Abs will in fact stop the vehicle sooner then the same vehicle not equipt (in full-brake situations). There's even a video on you tube where they pit 2 jdm itr's against eachother; one with abs, and one with out. I forget the exact figures, but the one with stopped about 25 ft shorter.

The added weight of the abs system is well worth the benefits provided. Just like power steering.