Weird ABS problem...

[KooK]

First off, I have a 93 with 4 wheel ABS. When I start my explorer, everything is fine, ABS works perfectly and theres no light. But for some reason, out of nowhere most of the time, my ABS light will kick on and disable ABS at the same time. Its not caused by anything that I can really think of, it will randomly kick on after I've been driving it for awhile. I can turn the car off and back on while I'm driving down the road and it will shut the light back off and reactivate my ABS.

Anybody ever had a problem like this?

 

[DeRocha]

Welcome to the site...

The yellow ABS warning light is just letting you know the ABS ECU has detected a fault somewhere in the system and has disabled ABS braking. There is no need to pull over and try resetting the ABS ECU since you will still have 100% standard breaking while the ABS light is on..

ABS ECU = Antilock brake sytem electronic control unit

You can use the search feature of this site (and others) to search for ABS info. On your X there are wheel speed sensors (aluminum cyclinders) in each front Steering knuckle and a single sensor located within the rear differential. If any of these sensors get out of whack the ECU will disable the system..
An over abundance of rust on the front rotors ABS tone ring can screw up the sensor by reporting the wheel is locking up (when it is obviously not).

 

[Rhett]

Also, the ABS system seems to be sensitive to dirt, air bubbles, and other contaminants in the brake fluid. On all of these vehicles I've owned, it seems like if you've got old brake fluid in there, or a low level of fluid, that can repeatedly set off the ABS light.

 

[Creager]

Yeah i was gonna say what Rhett said... check the fluid consistancy. if its BLACK, bleed the system with some fresh new fluid, old fluid can destroy the ABS system. Low fluid will make the light come on.

But if bleeding the system doesnt work do what DeRocha says, and start checking all those sensors and make sure everything is connected/still in one piece.