ABS Issues

[brewcitystang]

Hey guys I just found this site & wow what a great site. Keep up the good work. Well i was doing a search & could not find a thread that has the same issue i seem to be having so here goes. I own a 96 ex 2 door sport. Lately when I come to a slow stop the ABS comes on for no reason. Not just the light but the pedal vibrates & the pulsing sound. Anyone ever have this issue? It's kind of dangerous becouse it extends you stoping distance when you dont expect it. Any help woud be great thanks.

 

[gijoecam]

One of the three ABS sensors is inadvertently sending a signal to the ABS Control Module that one of the wheels is locking-up. In general, when the ABS activates, if it pulls to the left, check the right front, if it pulls to the right, check the left front, and if it tracks straight, check the rear. Look for any signs of chafed or abraded wiring, loose connections, or any other visible signs of damage.

Unfortunately the only way to know which sensor is triggering the ABS event is to take it for a test drive with an NGS or WDS scanner connected. (AutoZone's scanner won't be able to scan ABS codes, let-alone do it in real-time) With the correct tester, they can pinpoint which sensor is triggering the event.

Now, that being said, the most common item to fail and cause such a condition is the rear axle ABS sensor. It's a relatively cheap part (usually under $20) and is easy to replace. It tends to fix the problem about half the time, but there's no guarantees... it's a guess at best.

 

[Cobraguy]

Some of the older OTC scanners with the Pathfinder ABS software will do everything you need and can be bought cheaply on eBay. If you're going to do this kind of work, I would highly recommend you get it. Otherwise, it's probably cheaper to just take it to a shop whenever a problem like this pops up.