Not Familiar with ABS... Light comes on.

[Original_Ranger84]

Ok so I have a 99 ranger 3.0L 5spd 4x4. I just got this truck this summer and sofar the only light that was on is the airbag light (which I'm not too concerned about right now as I got that narrowed down). But just yesterday coming home my ABS light came on when i was almost home, At the bottom of a hill it came on (about 8 miles driven), The brakes still worked fine (even better possibly ) when I got to my driveway I stomped the pedal and sure enough the tires just locked up and slid on the ice. I shut it off and turned the truck back on and the light was gone, Figured I just got water in the connections somewhere, so I pulled it in the garage and let it dry off over night. then tonight I figured I would try it again and see if it was just that... Nope After about another 8 miles it came on at the bottom of another hill not hitting the brakes once all the way down. Then I pull into the movie store shut it off drop off my movies start up and head to soccer, about a minute later the light turns on, get to soccer and experiment, it turns off every time i restart my truck and then comes on at random times. 10 seconds, 2 minutes...

Whats the ABS system connected too? Could it just be a burned bulb or loose connection? Where should I start looking? I checked the connections under the hood (haven't gotten to any fuses or relays) and the fluid is fine and I plan on pulling the tires shortly and checking pads, rotors, drums, shoes, and the connections to the front wheels. Possibly pulling the rear sensor and cleaning it? Any help is appreciated I am familiar with brake systems just not ABS... Thanks

 

[LittleBigFoot]

On my 00, there was just a VSS running to the tone ring in the rear pumpkin. No ABS sensors I know of back there.

There were a few things I cut in the front, while ripping out the IFS, but I don't know exactly what they were. Could be somethin up front?


My buddys spilled some ATF on his ABS mod and jacked it up (00ish S10). Now after hard braking the light will come on, tires can be locked up. If he kills it and fires it up again on the road it usually goes away. Didn't start acting up till he dumped some ATF on accident while replacing his power steering pump.

Try hittin it with a hammer.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

On my 00, there was just a VSS running to the tone ring in the rear pumpkin. No ABS sensors I know of back there.

There were a few things I cut in the front, while ripping out the IFS, but I don't know exactly what they were. Could be somethin up front?


My buddys spilled some ATF on his ABS mod and jacked it up (00ish S10). Now after hard braking the light will come on, tires can be locked up. If he kills it and fires it up again on the road it usually goes away. Didn't start acting up till he dumped some ATF on accident while replacing his power steering pump.

Try hittin it with a hammer.

Well to my limited knowledge I am assuming that is also the ABS part too in the rear... The thing measures how fast you are going by a magnetic pickup or whatever but I would assume its the ABS aswell, as in the rear locks up and the ring stops spinning and doesn't send a signal to the speedo it would send one to the ABS system and say hey I'm not spinning and I'm supposed to be...

But since the Speedo isn't acting up that I can see I highly doubt that it is the problem. I do have two sensors going to each front wheel, then there is the ABS block and the master cylinder. so it has to be one of them...

 

[srteach]

The ONLY thing the ABS does is pulse the brakes when any wheel/differential sensor signals a stopped rotation. It does this by using tone ring (hall effect) sensors in each front wheel (if 4wabs) and one in the rear differential. If the ABS light is on, it no longer is active and will let the wheels operate normally (lock up and slide). If you know how to stop effectively and properly, you never use ABS.

My ABS (99 ranger XLT) system is disabled is my truck. I just took out the light. My state doesn't have inspections.

If you take it to a mechanic who has an ABS reader, they can scan it and tell you what the code says. They may charge you for that, but it is the only way to tell exactly what the computer says.

You may be able to fix the problem by pulling the sensors and cleaning them of metal gunk (use carb cleaner, let them dry before putting them back in). They cost about $19 where I am.

 

[AllanD]

The fisrt thing to check when you have an ABS warning light is the brake fluid level.

The second thing to check is TIRE PRESSURE

The ABS system in my Escort is sensitive to 3-4psi difference on ONE tire.

That's all it takes to turn on the light

AD

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Yeah I know how an ABS system works and I drove my 84 ranger around with out studded tires for 3 years so I know how to stop properly, I just like everything to be working properly.

Those were the first things I checked, Brake fluid (which is fine) and air pressure (all were even, just about 3 psi above what I last remember setting them at cause it warmed up). Even after checking and topping off everything it still comes on randomly.

Well Thats what I was wondering, because I know the newer live axle rangers you have to purchase the entire hub assembly wheel bearing and all. I'll pull the sensors and clean them off. If not I'll have the local dealership scan the ABS system when I take it in to fix the cruise control sensor that apparently sets trucks on fire.

 

[MEAKIN]

ive had this happen to me twice, this was a 2000 f150 but the systems are essentially the same, scanning it with a abs scan tool will tell you for sure but costs bout $100, most common problem is the sensor off the rear diff. you can try cleaning it or just replace it (25 bucks) it is beat on by rocks every day. also inspect the harness from the sensor to the main harness. if that doesnt work then it is usually the front and is a bearing assy and not cheap either. to determine which side you need it scanned or there must be a way to test the sensor to see if you get a pulse when the wheel spins but not sure on the correct procedure. or as sugested above, pull the bulb. if you use threash hold breaking you can stop much faster without the abs on ice.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Well I didn't get around to cleaning off the sensors today but it seems to be doing ok. Light popped back on again but nothing really changed..

I don't wanna pull the bulb knowing something is wrong, I always get really irritated by the fact that I know its there, I'd rather spend the money and fix it even if it rarely comes on.

 

[shaffer20]

aside from being connected to the computer, the abs is actually connected to the speedometer. or the speedometer gets its info for speed from the abs sensor in the diff. eitherway there connected depending on the year i dont remember what year they started this or if they ever stopped doing it. if your brakes locked up on the driveway there is an issue somewhere. when your abs light is on the computer has detected an issue and shut off the abs system. your brakes will still be safe to use.(abs is not a safety requirement) check your abs motor fuse. i believe it was fuse number 17 in my 06.
but im not 100% dubble ckeck online. your fuse could be loose or fried because of the moisture you thought was the problem. or take off rotors and check the abs sensor its right behind the rotors and is finicy when dirty. also check the abs tone ring in the rotor for damage. theyre probably fine but who knows. these are all easy to check. if these are fail, next is pulling codes from the computer to narrow down problem. take it in or pull codes yourself when abs light is on. once its off the codes are probably erased.

 

[adsm08]

The power relay that is built into the module likes to get stuck too. I've found that to be a very common one for intermittent lights that don't happen during an ABS event. Relay sticks, module turns off, sets the light off when nothing responds. Only true fix for that (pray it isn't that) is a new ABS module.

Real easy to tell if it happened though, go to pull ABS codes, and they all come up.

 

[That Baker Guy]

make sure you check the fluid before you start running tests and junk

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Well, after having already checked everything before hand... just the regular brakes and everything and stuff... I pulled the rear sensor which wasn't the problem... it was the wire protector... it had filled with water and when the weather warmed up enough the water was water and when it got really cold the ABS light would stay off (the water was frozen) I drained it and need to throughly dry the wires off when spring rolls around.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

aside from being connected to the computer, the abs is actually connected to the speedometer. or the speedometer gets its info for speed from the abs sensor in the diff. eitherway there connected depending on the year i dont remember what year they started this or if they ever stopped doing it. if your brakes locked up on the driveway there is an issue somewhere. when your abs light is on the computer has detected an issue and shut off the abs system. your brakes will still be safe to use.(abs is not a safety requirement) check your abs motor fuse. i believe it was fuse number 17 in my 06.
but im not 100% dubble ckeck online. your fuse could be loose or fried because of the moisture you thought was the problem. or take off rotors and check the abs sensor its right behind the rotors and is finicy when dirty. also check the abs tone ring in the rotor for damage. theyre probably fine but who knows. these are all easy to check. if these are fail, next is pulling codes from the computer to narrow down problem. take it in or pull codes yourself when abs light is on. once its off the codes are probably erased.

Yeah I know the ABS and speed sensor are connected... Ran into that earlier this year when I wanted to throw my 4.10 L/S Diff for my 84 in the back and the stupid ring... I Know the thing also automatically shut off the system if it detects problems. Yeah I already said I went through all that stuff in the first post... but thank though.