driving after ABS light comes on.

[biggiesize]

99 sport.I put new wheel bearings in about 6 months ago.verything was fine until this past Saturday when I put new upper and lower ball joints in.I dropped one of the hub assemblys when I was about to re-install it.It was nt a hard drop.I was crouched down on my knees so it couldnt have fallen any more than 6 inches or so.But after everything was back together,The antilock light was on.I went back and checked all the connections to the hub sensor and it all looked fine.I guess I damaged the internal sensor when I dropped it.My question is,Will it hurt to drive it with the abs light on for a few weeeks until I can get time to switch out the hub?

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

i think you will be fine. my abs light has been on over 8-9 months now. i don't know why its on, but it is. as long as every thing feels ok, your fine.

 

[biggiesize]

I may keep driving it a little longer then since yours hasnt given any problems in 8 months.I hate having to trash a good bearing over the abs sensor.Just seems like such a waste.

 

[danwaters]

Ive driven mine for 4 years with the light on, haha. But thats becaue I pulled the entire ABS module out and re-reouted my brake lines. It won't hurt anything. You just wont have ABS brakes up front untill its fixed.

 

[joe doe]

when the abs light comes on it is usually the result of the sensor in the rear differential that went bad .
look at the rear differential,look up high on it .theres a wired sensor in there .thats the one that goes bad and trips the abs lite .
how do i know?well i once replaced a hub too thinking the abs on the hub was bad ,nope.......its the one in the rear punkin.replaced it and my lite hasnt been on in years.

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

when the abs light comes on it is usually the result of the sensor in the rear differential that went bad .
look at the rear differential,look up high on it .theres a wired sensor in there .thats the one that goes bad and trips the abs lite .
how do i know?well i once replaced a hub too thinking the abs on the hub was bad ,nope.......its the one in the rear punkin.replaced it and my lite hasnt been on in years.

is it hard to get at/change? and what does a new one cost?

 

[my pos mounty]

is it hard to get at/change? and what does a new one cost?

Very easy to get to, and change. As stated previously, it is right on top of the axle "pumpkin" (kinda off to one side) and is the only electrical connection on the axle assembly. Mine triggered the light, I replaced the entire rear axle assembly (had other unrelated issues) but found that the sensor was loose. Might want to check that it is tight first, if it is, then get a replacement sensor.
Check with tousley ford (forum vendor) for the cost of the part.

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

Very easy to get to, and change. As stated previously, it is right on top of the axle "pumpkin" (kinda off to one side) and is the only electrical connection on the axle assembly. Mine triggered the light, I replaced the entire rear axle assembly (had other unrelated issues) but found that the sensor was loose. Might want to check that it is tight first, if it is, then get a replacement sensor.
Check with tousley ford (forum vendor) for the cost of the part.

ok, sounds simple enough. i will take a look at it. and check out prices. thanks for the info.

 

[sean99]

I had my abs light issue checked at a shop. The code came up as c1230 rear speed sensor circuit. They replaced it with part number F85Z-9E731-AB. I was billed 27.95 for the part.

 

[biggiesize]

Thats interesting.i had no idea that there was a sensor on the rear axle that was connected to the ABS.I guess I got a new wrinkle today.

 

[my pos mounty]

Thats interesting.i had no idea that there was a sensor on the rear axle that was connected to the ABS.I guess I got a new wrinkle today.

It actually has a dual purpose. It is the speed sensor and the ABS sensor. (from 1997 - 2001)

 

[N1265]

In the winter, I unplug the ABS so I have more control in stopping the vehicle on ice, When I do this the computer knows something is wrong with the ABS system and disengages it, but the brakes work as they normally would without an ABS system. In the summer I plug it back in to get rid of the lite.

In short, with the light on the bakes should work as they would in the olden days....

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

i got under there and looked. i found it, it in the middle towards the fron of the diff on top. i unplugged it, and looked at it. i probably will get a new one. i looked at autozone.com. there $19.95.

 

[my pos mounty]

i looked at autozone.com. there $19.95.

Don't buy something like this from Chinazone please. Unless its a Ford part or a name brand you recognize on the box, go elsewhere. I will just say that darn near every single part I bought from them was low quality. Theres been only one exception, I bought a TIMKEN hub bearing there once. (Name brand I trust)
Especially since (according to another poster) the part from Ford is only $8 more.
______________________________________________________________________________________

EDIT: I just looked this part up on Tousley Ford dot com. (Hes a forum vendor) The Ford part thru them for the everyday Joe walking in off the street is $18.45. Forum member? They offer us a discount.

 

[acchan]

So I was looking through the scan tools that advance sells and some of the scanners can now read ABS codes. So I called Advance and they had upgraded their scanners so that they can now pull the ABS codes. I had them pull the one on mine, replaced the part that was faulty, and so far so good. Just letting everyone know that the dealership isn't your only option anymore to have your ABS code read. At least the parts stores here are upgrading their scanners to read ABS codes.

 

[Clutchless1995]

Random ABS Light

I have a 95 (only 133,000) with an ABS light that has turned on and off randomly for years. Even after replacing the rear sensor twice, which cured it for a while. I do agree the cheap Advance Auto ones are not as good as the ones from more reputable parts stores. Maybe I will try a Ford one.

I replaced the hubs because they were shot, yet after a month the ABS light came on again. It never stays on longer than a few hours or a day and is off more often than on. Often if I shut off the vehicle and restart the light will go off. If it has been parked and I drive it after a rain it appears the ABS light is more likely to be on. However rain usually makes no difference if it comes on during starts and stops during a drive. I have never checked codes as I cannot get it to stay on long enough or consistently enough to have it checked. Does it store ABS codes even after the light goes out? Should I just try to replace the rear sensor with a Ford one?

 

[chinomalo]

I have a 98 explorer and I had the same problem,the abs light came on and off,so a friend gave a tip,he told me to clean the 3 abs sensor,2 are located on the front hub and the third one is located on top of the rear differencial,so I cleaned those 3 sensors and worked out for me,now the abs light is off!!!

 

[robert740il]

ABS light brakes drop out

i appreciate this forum. i have a 2000 xlt w/232,000. replaced tranny fluid and filter yesterday, makes a big difference. my ABS light comes on sporadically. the reader at Autozone(AZ) gave me a c1155 code which they said was the speed sensor on top of the pumpkin on the rear axle. they said it was $132.00. the thing that worries me is that occasionally the brakes drop out, become spongy and pulsate like the ABS, it will do it a few times then everything goes back to normal. what gives?
the truck did this last year and i replaced the master cylinder and it was good for awhile. i thought it would last longer than a year.

 

[RomeovilleIL]

i appreciate this forum. i have a 2000 xlt w/232,000. replaced tranny fluid and filter yesterday, makes a big difference. my ABS light comes on sporadically. the reader at Autozone(AZ) gave me a c1155 code which they said was the speed sensor on top of the pumpkin on the rear axle. they said it was $132.00. the thing that worries me is that occasionally the brakes drop out, become spongy and pulsate like the ABS, it will do it a few times then everything goes back to normal. what gives?
the truck did this last year and i replaced the master cylinder and it was good for awhile. i thought it would last longer than a year.

Are you kidding they quoted $132 for the part?!? Someone at the parts desk cannot read the screen. That price is for the front hub sensors & nobody buys that thing separately when a brand new hub with sensor costs less.

The generic rear ABS sensor costs $14 from autozone, cheaper online. OEM replacement from RockAuto is $23.

 

[RomeovilleIL]

i appreciate this forum. i have a 2000 xlt w/232,000. replaced tranny fluid and filter yesterday, makes a big difference. my ABS light comes on sporadically. the reader at Autozone(AZ) gave me a c1155 code which they said was the speed sensor on top of the pumpkin on the rear axle. they said it was $132.00. the thing that worries me is that occasionally the brakes drop out, become spongy and pulsate like the ABS, it will do it a few times then everything goes back to normal. what gives?
the truck did this last year and i replaced the master cylinder and it was good for awhile. i thought it would last longer than a year.

ABS light on = ABS disabled. The condition you described is what I would expect from the ABS when it gets a bad signal but hasnt turned off. I recall very well having a soft pedal, sharp pulsing and a sound best described like a bladder burping air out when backing up downhill from this exact issue a couple years ago. Since you have the code to reinforce the diagnosis, replace the rear sensor.