ABS/ Traction Control Lights & 3 Fault Codes

[BootyDo]

Hi All,

Kindly requesting any help from anyone that may have any insight into a recent issue I'm having. Yesterday, driving to work, I notice my ABS & Traction Control lights came on, (along with the service wrench). I didn't notice anything differently in the driving conditions, so I restarted the car at the next red light. The ABS light stayed until I began moving - cleared right up. Then in about 5 seconds, the drive felt "funny" (like maybe I was slipping or something even though i was going about 5mph on a dry road), and the traction control starting blinking. Then both lights stayed on. Since then, I've restarted the car and driven about 4-5 times - each time experiencing the same issue above. But sometimes, it almost feels like something's going on when the first post-startup break push, (like slipping or something. Hard to describe).

Anyway, today I took a scanner and - even though there are no CEL on, found 3 "gray" codes:

C1236
U1900
B1681

After researching others' experience, i was under the impression one of the ABS rings or something broke. But that "C1236" has me thinking it's a speed sensor or something. Not sure what that is or how to fix it, but does anyone know if the codes are the result of a bad ABS ring, the same thing, or if the ABS/TRAC issues are the result of a bad speed sensor?

Any input would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

[Flag Gibby]

The speed sensors are a part of the ABS system and used in conjunction with the tone rings to tell the vehicle if a tire is slipping/spinning faster than the others. The rear tone rings are pressed on so it is possible that the left rear tone ring has come unseated (that is what the DTC C1236 means... left rear signal missing).

 

[BootyDo]

Thank you FG! So, if I'm understanding this correctly, that means it is still the tone ring, (i think it's called the ABS ring sometimes?). And it sounds like this code is pointing to the specific ring that's broke, correct?

EDIT: Ummm... just watched this video :

Is this DIY even possible without a air compressor and hammer drill?

 

[Flag Gibby]

It is one of two things that is causing the problem, the speed sensor cable or the tone ring itself. I am pretty confident that it is the tone ring because of my history with the rear tone rings coming loose, they typically don't break they just come unseated and need to be pressed back on (I had the ford technician heat mine up really good to make sure that they were seated all the way on, much like you would do when putting on a keyed/pressed gear on a camshaft. I wish that I had some advice for you on that, but I have not had to mess with any of mine since I had all my problems while the vehicle was under the original 3 year factory warrantee (I had problems with 3 out of the 4 tone rings).

 

[BootyDo]

Wow - 3 out of 4? Man, that's pretty serious. Sounds like something I really need to do myself if I'm going to need to address the remaining rings. Really bummed out

I saw a lot of posts regarding this issue, but one concern I have: With the ring broke, (or a bad sensor), does that mean my ABS and traction control are disabled while the ring is broke?

 

[Flag Gibby]

You may not have the issues that I did, now that I think about it one of the times it was a broken/missing tooth on one of the abs tone rings. To my knowledge you can turn those parts of the RSC system off and drive around that way up to 25mph but then everything turns back on and will literally drive with a jerking motion (go, stop, go, etc.) every time it was the tone ring for me (the system was seeing a signal so it was trying to do what it was supposed to), so maybe it is just the sensor/cable in your case which doesn't require all the work you saw in the video. Just check and see if the cable is disconnected and then go from there.

 

[BootyDo]

Thanks FG! I'm soooo hoping it's just the cable. But where is that exactly? Also, maybe I should have mentioned that the car is sort of jerky at first if I don't disengage the traction control, (just as it's starting to fault). It's not as bad as what you described, but clearly something "odd" even if the lights weren't coming on.

 

[Flag Gibby]

See this diagram from fordparts.com : http://www.fordparts.com/Commerce/C...nitSearch=1&keyword=wheel speed sensor#Search and look at the first image.

 

[Explorer0693]

I've had those three lights have not pulled codes yet but I've had it for like 2 weeks and drives normal no blinking lights all solid but when I press the 4x4 high the tool wrench goes away and puts on the 4x4 and when I press it again to turn it off goes back to the wrench could this just be a bad sensor? Because couple months ago I noticed these lights came on only when it rained really hard and once it dried up they were gone ad now these lights came on when it was raining really hard but haven't seemed to go away

 

[Flag Gibby]

Sounds like it is just the connector on the cable getting water in it, pull the codes and find out exactly which one it is.

 

[96743explorer]

had this happen to me the other day too. picked up my daughter from summer camp yesterday and noticed the ABS, traction control and wrench light were on. i was like WTF!? car drove normal. i go home and let the truck sit for an hour. i turn it on and the ABS and traction control lights come one momentarily and than disappear. i turn off the truck and restart, the ABS lights come on and stay on. so i drive the truck around the block, as soon as i start moving forward the ABS light goes off. all lights are now off. the truck drove fine. that was the last time i drove it. ill be using the truck on Friday to go to work. we'll see what happens then.

 

[96743explorer]

Had a friend scan the truck, and got C1155 wheel sensor, LF (left front) input circuit failure.
I replaced the hub assembly almost a year ago with a cheap hub. a $60 GMB brand. I spun the tire and the bearing is smooth. He reset the codes and it went away. I'll be monitoring it, if it comes back looks like the only fix is a new wheel bearing? The sensors are internal correct?

 

[Flag Gibby]

When it drives normal but gives those lights with that code it is just the sensor. You can replace just the sensor that has the cable running to it, no need to mess with the hub at all. Like I mentioned in post #9 , it sounds like you got water in the male/female connector that is on top of the upper control arm.

 

[96743explorer]

So the wire is the sensor. If I remember right its connected to the hub using 2 screws. I'll go check to see if the top of the plug got wet also. I thought the plugs suppose to be air tight? Thanks for the insight.

 

[96743explorer]

The wife drove the truck today. She calls me @ work and says the truck jerks when you brake. No lights on the console? What does that mean? I'll drive it myself later today. ;(

 

[Flag Gibby]

Sounds like an intermittent signal or an ABS issue, but either way the system should throw a code. Best way to test if it is the sensor is to just disconnect it and see if it goes away.

 

[96743explorer]

Disconnected the sensor. Lights stayed on. I already ordered a sensor fro rock auto. Hopefully by the end of the week it gets here. Hope it works. Wouldn't want to order a new hub assembly on top of that. With the sensor that comes with the hub its like throwing $100 in the trash with the already ordered incoming sensor.

 

[Flag Gibby]

Not to worry, the light should stay on with the speed sensor disconnected. Only now the vehicle should not do any funky stuff while you drive it because there won't be any intermittent signal coming from it. I am confident that the new speed sensor will take care of your issue since you don't have any symptoms/DTC's for a bad tone ring signal.

 

[96743explorer]

Sounds good. I'll have my friend scan the truck once more tomorrow @ work. Just to double check. Another thing I notices was that on the male plug the two prongs looked oxidized.