abs light on from snow storm??

[twokss]

I live in southern New Jersey, and as most of you know we are getting slammed with snow right now. Anyway, I haven't owned my 01 explorer for too long now so i was pretty anxious to see how the 4x4 system worked. I left for work this morning and everything seemed great. Considering how bald my tires are the truck handled well in the 3-5 inches that were on the roads. I'm pretty new to the whole 4x4 world so i wasn't sure if i used it correctly. When i left i put the truck in drive, turned the O\D off and put it in 4x4 high. Which seemed to work well. Does that sound correct? The drive to work went great but when i came out to go home i started the truck to let it warm up while i cleared the snow off of it, and noticed the abs light was on. The truck drove and stopped completely normal but the light stayed on?? Did i do something to cause this or is this normal? The abs system was working properly, as i drove home i would brake hard to check it and it seemed to be functioning.

 

[briwayjones]

Doesn't sound like anything you did. Maybe the ABS didn't have a reason to engage before this storm so it didn't know something was wrong?

 

[twokss]

I always thought it was normal for the Abs light to come on or flash when the system detected a sliding situation such as in my case with the heavy snow. But it was on when i started the car to go home from work, and stayed on for the whole drive home.

 

[briwayjones]

I'm not sure if the light comes on when the ABS comes on when you're sliding or not. I was always too busy wide-eyed looking where I was sliding to notice. If it's staying on then something is wrong though.

 

[Millertime1987]

It sounds like some snow or something is messing with the sensor. Get a good car wash that will get the under carrage. If that doesn't fix it check the brake lines as they can get a crimp in them.

 

[twokss]

ok i will check that. It is possible that happened. To get out of the parking spot i had to kind of plow throught a small mound of snow from the plow truck piling snow in front of me.

 

[Joe Dirt]

I was thinking about the sensors... If you went through a pile of snow, make sure that your sensor harnesses are plugged in correctly. They are under the front of the truck and can be vulnerable if hit the correct way. Kind of freaky, but possible.

The ABS light does not come on when teh ABS is engaged.

 

[twokss]

I went out this morning to clear the snow off and I let the truck idle for 15 mins. I also moved it around in the parking lot and the light wasn't on. Weird.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Might have been water in the connectors for the sensors from the snow, or ice built up between the ABS sensor and the hub ring.

 

[JDraper]

It probably was caused by wheelspin that the computer couldn't rectify. When I have my '01 Explorer, I had it happen many times when spinning in snow. Once you cycle the key off and on, it usually clears.

 

[laxmankk11]

Ive had the same issuie as you this weekend (but here in MD we got 20 inches) and as i was playing with the X in the snow doing doughnuts, my truck actually stalled at one point. i turned it back on and left the parking lot. at the end of the intersection the abs light was on i turned truck off and back on and it went away. it happened one more time this weekend after that, but not since

 

[eXcali]

The funny thing about the ABS is that light will only come on when the ABS is activated by the brake pedal, or an error in communication with it. My guess is that the connector got to much moisture in it or is loose. Follow the line up towards the front bumper and there should be a connection point along the frame rail. Disconnect this connector and try blowing into both ends. Reconnect and start your truck, if it still comes on your problem is going to be at the hub. It could be a buildup of snow or ice at the hub causing your problem as well.