ABS and Stability Control Lights on!

[Fire488]

First of all i am an experienced Marine Mechanic and have been doing it for 35 years now. I have experience with brake systems and most other procedures that do not require special tools to complete. I recently (5 mos ago)replaced my front wheel bearing assemblies as they were starting to get noisy. (there is a post in here somewhere on that issue)They came with the ABS sensors which admittedly I do not know much about. I changed the assemblies and it was a very easy repair. Noise gone and everything seemed fine.
A few weeks ago during a rain storm my ABS light and stability control lights came on. The next day it was sunny and the lights went out and stayed out. A week later more rain and the lights are both back on. I assume it is a bad ABS sensor, but my scan tool is not able to tell which one it is since no code generates for this problem. I know that a more comprehensive and expensive tool can detect this bad sensor, but since I want to repair this problem myself I really wanted to avoid going to the dealer to be scanned.
The question I have is this: Is there a manual way to determine which ABS sensor might be defective?
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated and if anyone has a boat and needs assistance I'm the guy to ask. I have all those special tools...LOL
Any motor any boat I can help.

 

[Fire488]

Update*
Ok so I checked the boots on the connectors and they are ok. I thought maybe the new connectors might be allowing water or moisture in.The connectors are actually inside the engine compartment and kept dry even in rain. I did use my garden hose on them and in the front wheels themselves to try to make the lights come on again and it did not. I also sprayed the rear wheels assuming that is where the connectors are for the rear ABS. No light.
The next day it rained and low and behold the lights are back on. The ABS and Stability Control lights. I am not sure why the Stability control light is on with the ABS, but I guess they are cooperative components and when one is down they are both down.
My friend has the scan tool for the job, but I was really hoping i could find this problem myself. It has to be a circuit shorting due to getting wet in the rain. But where? Also, a few times the lights would come on even if the car was parked and it was raining. Maybe wind blown rain? I am starting to run out of ideas on this one.
Any idea where I can look? Or do I just need to hook this up to the appropriate scan tool?

Thanks,

Scott

 

[Ornery]

Do The Scan

Between your friend and local Autozone, you can have the code pulled for free. Hell, I'm as cheap as they come, and I coughed up $16.00 to have our mechanic scan it. Narrowed it down to a "Speed Wheel Sensor LF Input Circuit Failure". That's a nice head start. Well worth a few bucks, and you don't really even have to pay that!

 

[Fire488]

Between your friend and local Autozone, you can have the code pulled for free. Hell, I'm as cheap as they come, and I coughed up $16.00 to have our mechanic scan it. Narrowed it down to a "Speed Wheel Sensor LF Input Circuit Failure". That's a nice head start. Well worth a few bucks, and you don't really even have to pay that!

The local mechanic does not have a scanner that works with ABS and cannot do it, but said he would hook it up for $150.00 just to check for other codes. The local Ford dealer says he can scan for ABS an all other systems, but wants $175.00 to do it. It is not cheap my friend.
I will look up Autozone and see what they can do.

Thanks man.

 

[Ornery]

Bunch Of Crooks!

$150! Isn't that about 2 hour's worth of labor? For a job that will take maybe five minutes? And, he wouldn't even get dirty! That is BS. I'd tell them what they can do with their probe!

 

[Explorer_PL]

Yep, that's what they charge for a simple scan. I bought a scanner with ABS codes for about 200, and it will pay off eventually. AutoZone does not always have the ABS scanner.

 

[polizi212]

Check the sensor at the hub end and water is getting in while you drive causing your intermittent problem.

 

[Ornery]

Yep, that's what they charge for a simple scan. I bought a scanner with ABS codes for about 200, and it will pay off eventually. AutoZone does not always have the ABS scanner.

Please tell me more. $200 sounds reasonable, and Father's Day is coming What brand and model is that, if you don't mind?

 

[Fire488]

After the FREE (Free is for me!)scan from Autozone it was determined that the "LR Wheel speed sensor" was bad. I ordered it. Hopefully it will fix the problem. I'll keep you posted.
Thanks to all that helped!

 

[Fire488]

I removed and replaced the LR sensor and the lights went out for about 10 minutes, but then came back on again. I thought that by disconnecting and reconnecting the battery it may reset it, but it did not. I am going to get another scan I guess. This part was $115.00 and I really want to avoid changing all four. I checked the rear tone rings and they seem to be secure, but I will take a tool to them to see if they move with force I guess.

 

[Ornery]

$115.00, ouch!

I just glossed through the test procedure for troubleshooting the speed sensor, which is a few pages worth. It looks like you're at F4: INSPECT THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR RING FOR DAMAGE

Inspect the suspect wheel speed sensor ring for damaged or missing teeth. Rotate the wheel to verify that no teeth are missing.

From what I've read here, you should be looking for a cracked ring. Not an expensive part, but not much fun to install.

 

[Fire488]

$115.00, ouch!

I just glossed through the test procedure for troubleshooting the speed sensor, which is a few pages worth. It looks like you're at F4: INSPECT THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR RING FOR DAMAGE

Inspect the suspect wheel speed sensor ring for damaged or missing teeth. Rotate the wheel to verify that no teeth are missing.

From what I've read here, you should be looking for a cracked ring. Not an expensive part, but not much fun to install.

I did look at it when I installed the new sensor, but admittedly did not thoroughly inspect it. I will be checking it thoroughly tomorrow. I hope something stands out.

 

[Fire488]

It seems that the toner rings are fine. I pulled all connector sockets from each sensor and cleaned them again. They are clean. I disconnected the battery once more and then reconnected them. The lights never went out. I drove the truck about 5 miles hoping that the lights would reset, but they did not. I will have to go back to Autozone for another scan I guess, but I am becoming rapidly frustrated.
Does anyone have any other ideas?

 

[Ornery]

Might Get Expensive

Glossed through the manual again. Silly question, but are the tires the same size? If so, might have to check the bearing. After that is the ABS unit itself, but I'd also wonder about the other wires and connectors leading to it. These pinpoint tests may narrow it down:

 

[Fire488]

Tires are the same size and the hubs are genuine motorcraft which is Ford I believe. Thanks for these test procedures! I don't have the service manual for my vehicle. I will try them and repost.

 

[Fire488]

The local mechanic in the local parts store informed me that the two lights ( ABS/ stability control) will go out after driving the vehicle 250 miles. Is this true? It makes no sense because this is just a sensor being read by a piece of hardware and it should be an instant read out I would think. Not sure though.

 

[Ornery]

I had the ABS light on recently, and the mechanic who pulled the code said, "It will reset when driving twelve MPH after correct repair is done." As it turned out, I fired up the truck when I was done cleaning the connection, and there was no light on the dash. Stayed that way for almost a week, then came on for fifteen seconds, and haven't seen it since, which is almost a month.

 

[Fire488]

I had the ABS light on recently, and the mechanic who pulled the code said, "It will reset when driving twelve MPH after correct repair is done." As it turned out, I fired up the truck when I was done cleaning the connection, and there was no light on the dash. Stayed that way for almost a week, then came on for fifteen seconds, and haven't seen it since, which is almost a month.

Well after driving tonight the lights went out. It is not raining so that could be the reason, but time will tell. Hope they stay out for the both of us.