Would you assume my ABS control module is bad? | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums

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Would you assume my ABS control module is bad?

The owner's manual only shows the one set of fuse panels. The interior panel shows 11 warning lamps, 13 brake on/off switch, and 14 anti-lock system. The underhood panel shows 9 blower motor relay and 10 power seats. It does show 5 4WABS pump relay, and 6 4AWABS main relay. I'll go check those two.

5 and 6, under the hood, test fine, too, darn it.
 



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I looked at the wiring diagrams 410Fortune sent. I'm not great at this, but it seems the orange/yellow lead goes from #17 (the one that shows no voltage but, I think, should) on the control module to a diode on the underhood fuse block. I've got a diode tester on my multimeter, but haven't ever used it. Should I pull the diode and check it? From there, trace 532 just goes to the ignition switch, as near as I can tell.
 






Is there power at the ignition switch side of the diode? Diode is just Ike a fuse hit only allows current to flow one direction
 






Does the diode just pull out? I tried wiggling and tugging on it a bit, but I didn't want to force it.
 






Okay. I pulled the diode, the one on the left side. I do get 12V going into the diode. I'll see if I can test the diode itself. I gather it's basically a resistance test, with resistance being greater in one direction than the other?
 






Testing the diode, I got .61 one way, and zero the other, so it would seem it's okay. I'll put in a jumper across its socket and see if that gives me 12V at #17.
 






After looking this over, and I hope I have it right because these older type wiring diagrams give me a headache reading them...

Looking at what 410 posted pics of...

When the 4WABS Main Relay is energized, on 42-1, it goes out on orange/yellow "A" to 42-2, then splits at S150, then "B" takes you to diagram 42-3 where you see the diode.

If the diagram is correct, that diode is oriented with the cathode side connected to "B", so it should be blocking 12V from getting further in the circuit, not passing 12V. It looks like the primary purpose of the diode is to prevent back EMF coming from the ABS solenoids, not provide needed power to the ABS module, though I admit that I may not have kept up with exactly what the correct circuit diagram is for your vehicle. What I see on the diagram that 410 posted is the diode only goes to the instrument cluster warning lamp and ABS module pin 18 used to trigger that warning lamp.

That plus the readings you got from the diode when testing it, which look correct with 0.61 (Vf) being about what you'd expect for a silicone diode, and not passing voltage the other way on the test (open circuit), the diode seems fine. I don't think there is anything to gain by jumpering where the diode was.

However you wrote #17 (pin 17?) so I am not understanding something. I mean that power doesn't have to pass through that diode according to the diagram, that power to pin 17 comes instead from the 4WABS Main Relay as seen as "A" on diagram 42-2, so with the ignition on, you should measure for 12V on the 4WABS Pump Relay contact for relay pin #85, and if voltage is present there, then you have a break in the wiring between that point and the ABS module connector, or if voltage isn't getting to that point, then measure (again with ignition on) at 4WABS main relay WIRE corresponding to socket contact #30, and if voltage is present there, then you have a break in the wire between these two relays, or socket contacts fouled.

If power is not making it that far, them measure for 12V on 4WABS Main Relay socket contact corresponding to relay contact #87, and if power isn't getting to it then there is a break in the wiring between the power distribution box feed and that point. If power is getting to it, then either the 4WABS Main Relay is bad, or it is not being triggered, so check with ignition on for 12V at that relay socket contact #85, and at ABS module pin 20.

I'd also check resistance between 4WABS Main Relay contact 86 and ABS module pin 19. If resistance there is not low, then you have a wiring or connector fault between these two points. The diagram does not make clear whether there is a physical relay inside the 4WABS Control Module to pull that down to ground, or if it might be a transistor doing so, but you could try temporarily jumpering 4WABS Control Module pin 19 to ground to rule out that internal relay or transistor being bad. This is the internal relay or transistor I'm talking about if I didn't make it clear:

internal relay.png


Also you need to have 12V on 4WABS Control Module pin 20 with ignition in run position. Did I mention (or did you?) swapping in a different ABS Main Relay? If it is the same relay part # as the ABS pump relay then you could just swap those two, assuming the pump relay is still good.

I hope I didn't mix up what I wrote above. I really really hate these old diagrams. :)
 






Good info thank you!! Learned a lot as always j c
Help!! Hahaha I do my best
Hope everyone having a great weekend
 






I'm going to have to read this through a few times to let it sink into my 75-year-old brain, but your efforts are greatly appreciated.

What had me focused on pin 17 was, on 410's sheet, its function is labeled as vehicle power. In my manual, it's listed as Fused Ignition Run/Start Feed. Those made me think there was an issue, since I saw no voltage at 17. 410 said, at the very beginning, that there should not be volts at 17. I don't always listen.

It's also some wishful thinking, hoping that resolving a mere power issue would get the control module up and running, and everything back online. I've tried two different (not forum approved) code readers, both of which say they're ABS and SRS compatible with my heap. Both were unable to pull ANY ABS data, asking me to check to see if ABS was installed. I put Forscan on my iPad, but it doesn't recognize the BT signal from either reader. I'm a bit reluctant to order a third one that Forscan says works, but I may do that.

The sun has set here in SE Virginia, and it's getting, by our standards, cold, so I'll attack this again tomorrow. I'll look through my manuals and 410's pages to find those pins you suggest I check.
 






The diagram suggests to me that there should be ~12V on pin 17 when the ignition is on, key in run position. Tracing it back, pin 17 to S150 wire junction on diagram 42-2, then to the 4WABS Pump Relay coil input pin, to "A" (without going through that relay) which goes to diagram 42-1, where "A" is the output from the 4WABS Main Relay but only if the relay is triggered On, and is not malfunctioning itself. When that Main Rely is on, it connects to pwr dist. box fuse 9.

With the ignition switch on, you just use the multimeter to trace where in this path that the power stops, then focus on that region. Unless I missed it, I read nothing that proves it isn't a power issue, except that I don't know if the ABS module should be live and responsive to a scan tool based on whether pin 17 has power, or if that functionality is available with power only on pin 20.

If all else fails, before buying an ABS Control Module, I would put the diode back in, and make a jumper from battery positive to pin 17, and then try the code scanners again. However on the off chance that the original wiring is shorting out somewhere, it would be good to have a fuse on your jumper wire.
 






I've been pondering running a wire from the battery, with fuse, to the O/Y feed into pin 17 for quite a while! I'll hold off until I've done your suggested tests.

A friend came across one of those "pay a mechanic to fix this" sites with a somewhat related question. They showed one response, which suggested checking ohms between 17 and 26, with the okay range being 3 to 6 ohms. I got 3.6. I'll attach that bit.

Monty pin 17 to 26 check.jpg
 






Here's the issue the guy had that prompted the above suggestion. Lucky guy actually pulled codes!

My 1996 Ford Explorer XLT 4.0 has ABS light ON. ABS codes C1194 and C1185. ABS light only.​

So probably not related, but I thought the above data on the ohms reading might be of use.
 






I've been pondering running a wire from the battery, with fuse, to the O/Y feed into pin 17 for quite a while! I'll hold off until I've done your suggested tests.

A friend came across one of those "pay a mechanic to fix this" sites with a somewhat related question. They showed one response, which suggested checking ohms between 17 and 26, with the okay range being 3 to 6 ohms. I got 3.6. I'll attach that bit.

View attachment 459394
Okay the context for that topic is the guy pulled the C1194 code which is for left front outlet valve coil circuit failure, so the described test in that post would determine that the wire from contact 17 is intact to junction S150, and conducts to the 4WABS Hydraulic Unit, and that the left front dump valve solenoid coil isn't burnt out.

It's not likely to be related to your issue since you don't have power on pin 17, or if you happened to have that problem by coincidence, then you also have a problem with power getting to contact 17. I can only assume that all relevant fuses were verified working and that from time to time after doing more testing, you retest the fuses to make sure none have blown since then.
 






I put the diode back in place, pulled the two ABS relays. I get voltage on one pin on the main relay, whether the ignition switch is on or not. I think two should be on with the ignition. I tried it, for the heck of it, with the engine running, and got the same result. On the other relay, three terminals had battery voltage. I'll see if I can read the wiring diagram for the main relay to trace it to a fuse, if there is one. I've checked what the manual says are the four relevant fuses a couple of times, but maybe this is a different one.
ABS main relay volts.jpeg
 






This is trying to show the relevant pin on the relay that's getting juice.
ABS main relay pins (1).jpeg
 






Yes, the main relay pin 87 which you have indicated in the picture, should always get 12V and then relay pin 85 gets power when the ignition is in run position as does ABS controller pin 20.

No need to trace to a fuse for the main relay since it is getting power, assuming the 2nd pin it gets power on is #85, that would mean both fuses are not blown. However if the voltage were to drop under load, it could be a sign of frayed wire or dirty contacts but for now, it looks good.

The other, pump relay, which 3 pins are reading 12V? Pin 87 should always be live, pin 30 at 12V if the relay is triggered ON, and pin 85 if the power feed from the main relay is making it there. If the relay is not triggered on, then instead of 12V on pin 30, you'd have 12V on pin 87A, EXCEPT (!!) that you are measuring the socket with the relay out, so you can't have the relay triggered on, nor have it conducting to pin 87A, but you can still figure out the important part, that if the relay socket contact corresponding to main pump relay pin 85 is getting power with ignition on, then simultaneously the ABS control module pin 17 should be getting power too.

If you are getting 12V on the 2nd, pump relay pin 85, but not 12V on the ABS controller pin 17, then it would appear that you have a bad contact at either end, or a break in that orange/yellow wire between the two.

See attached pic for the relay pinout when looking at the relay itself, bottom-up.

relay.pinout.png
 






Most posts are a never ending series of edits so if you read one shortly after I made it, odds are it has already been edited again. :)
For example in the bolded text, I wrote main relay when I meant pump relay which has been corrected.
 






So, on the main relay, do you see battery voltage at pin 85 only if the relay is plugged in, and the ignition is on? If so, I guess I could check that by pulling the relay up just enough to probe that pin? I think I have a photo of the pump relay's voltages. Let me check.
 






Did you see my prior post? I edited my post to correct an error.

However to answer the question, main relay should have power on socket pin 85 only with ignition on. It doesn't matter if the relay is plugged in.

Okay I now realize that I overlooked something you wrote. Yes with ignition on, you should have power to two pins, 87 always live and 85 live with ignition. It does not matter if the relay is plugged in for these two pins. 410's diagram shows that is powered through fuse 14 so I would check fuse 14 and if it is good, then I would measure resistance between the fuse socket output contact for fuse 14 (with the fuse removed), and main relay socket contact 85, with the ignition off. Resistance should be lower than about 5 ohms. You know you have the fuse output contact instead of the input contact when the fuse is removed, because the input contact would still have 12V when the ignition is on, even though the resistance test should be done with ignition off.
 



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The pump relay, with ignition off, shows 12.6V at terminal 87. No other terminals have juice. With the ignition on, 86 shows 12.4, 30 shows 12.0, and 87A shows 0.04, for what that's worth.
 






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