If the ABS controller looks A-OK and unplugging and reinserting the main harness didn't help, it's time to eyeball the wheel speed sensors-especially if your ABS light started blinking right after a trip through a snowbank or after a mucky trip down a gravel road. Check the resistance using your multimeter across the wheel speed sensors. Remember that the signals traveling down some of these wires are only millivolts and almost any resistance in those wires is a major impediment for those wires to work. Inspect those contacts carefully for any signs of corrosion. While it's unplugged, clean the contacts on the plugs at the ends of these wires with a shot of aerosol contact cleaner. Unplug the main wiring harness to the ABS controller. Is the fuse okay? Then check the service manual for the voltage and resistance values on ABS-related pins and sensors. If the condition repeats, you need to do some further poking and prodding. Maybe whatever transient issue that confused the ABS controller has passed and all is well. If the light really is the ABS light, the first thing to try is turning the ignition key off and back on. This code-reading tool has a function that cycles the controller's pump and valves to move air out of internal passages that can't be bled properly otherwise. It's difficult to bleed, and often requires the use of a specialized ABS code reader to bleed it at all. An excessively squishy brake pedal usually means that there’s air in the brake lines, and you may need to bleed your brake system or replace the brake fluid altogether.īy the way, if you ever need to replace your brake fluid, try as hard as you can to avoid getting air into the ABS controller. A less jarring pulsating sensation under braking may be from warped rotors instead, especially if you haven’t replaced them for a while. Double-check that none of the brakes are frozen in one place, such that they drag all the time or won’t brake at all. To rule that out, check out your regular braking system first.Ī low brake pedal or grinding noise could indicate that it’s time to replace your brake pads or rotors. Now what? First, make sure it’s really the ABS light and not the light that indicates an issue with your normal brakes. It may pulse your brakes when you don’t need it to or disable other safety features on your car. A malfunctioning system can have worse consequences than just lock-ups. If you’re having trouble with your car’s ABS, look into it ASAP regardless. Remember what your drivers ed teacher told you about pumping the brakes when your car starts to skid? This is where that knowledge comes in handy.īut we have technology for that now! ABS can pump those brakes faster than even a racing driver can, and it can direct that pulsating brake pressure to the specific wheels that lock up. In that case, it’s safe to continue your journey. If the rest of your braking system is in working order, you should usually still have normal braking without ABS. If that controller gets insufficient data, or a hydraulic pump or valve isn't responding, it illuminates the ABS light on the dashboard.ĪBS relies on a properly operating conventional brake system. ![]() The ABS controller powers on to self-test every time you turn on the ignition. This process repeats many times per second until the vehicle stops or you lift your foot off the brake pedal. The controller then directs a hydraulic valve to release some brake fluid pressure to the wheel in order to let it rotate again. What to Do When Your Hybrid or EV's Battery DiesĪBS sensors tell a computer (called a controller) when a wheel stops rotating while the car is in motion, which indicates that the brakes have locked up at that particular wheel. ![]()
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