ABS light arghhhhh!!

[JT 0]

i've just been down to my local vag and plugged my car in cos my abs light won't go out checked usual things light fluid etc and on the print out it said front sensors mechanical not electrical so had both wheels off and gave the sensors a good brush of with a soft brush and checked all connections but the light still won't go out help meeeeeee! :?

[dr_mat 0]

How much did VAG charge, btw? Did they tell you what other error codes were on while they were at it?

[JT 0]

well fortunately i have a friend who works on the parts desk and he sorted it for me so it did'nt cost anything (this time) i believe that usually it's around 45 quid but i'm not 100%, there was one other error some voltage problem but he was'nt worried so i was'nt still it did'nt fix my problem or make me a cupa, but they were very helpfull :D

[h100vw 0]

fec try disconnecting and reconnecting the two plugs on the strut towers under the bonnet. Maybe they have become oxidised and the re-rack will sort it? We do it all the time on aircraft and it is always the first thing to do, before getting the books out!!

Does the light not go out at all or does it clear and come on as soon as you set off??

 

Gavin

[Guest]

you wanna be measuring the resistance across the sensors, find out which one it is, and replace it. If the reconnecting thang Gav mentioned don't work. The sensors are under 30 quid from eurocar etc.

 

Thera

[JT 0]

cheers guys,

only prob is ']['h3r4por that surely vag-com would'nt say a mechanical fault if one of the sensors was gone (that would be electrical-would'nt it!!) and h100vw i'm a bit confused which connector do you mean, i've had a go at the ones behind the wheels but unsure about the ones on top of the struts under the bonnet, as for the light it does'nt go out at all now!!! :?

[h100vw 0]

The front sensors have disconnects that are located on the strut tops. The car side is bolted down and the sensor side can be disconnected.

 

Do you still have brakes? Is there still servo assistance or does the pedal need a massive 'Arnie style' leg to bring the car to a halt?

 

If you have assistance I'd be looking at the sensors. If you need to be Arnie then there is a pump type problem.

 

The light should go out when there self test is done and the system is pressurised. I am assuming it is operationally similar to the LHD Golf G60 system, even if the parts are different.

 

If so check the fuses above the fusebox, maybe one has blown?

 

Gavin

[CaiosG60 PWR 0]

I have a similar problem. Start car ABS light is on, rev a bit, warm it up and the light goes out. Drive down the road and it comes on again. I think that one of the ABS sensor near the wheels has gone, meaning the ABS carnt tell how fast either or one of the wheels is going. So as a safety precaution it turns itself off.

 

This is on a MK2 GTI G60, Does that sound right to people more technical than me?

 

H100VW Are you from the Manchester area? Why not bring your Golf along to the Dubsport RR day on the 18th or January?

[h100vw 0]

Caios, Thats how it works. The pump runs, which you can hear and feel in the pedal. Light goes out.

 

When the abs sees a bad signal or nor signal it shuts off the antilock but the brakes still have assistance.

 

This what mine has been doing for 2 years now. Cannot be bothered to get mucky looking at it.

 

Might come up to Dubsport but I am not bothered about running my car. I know it goes OK and I need the money for petrol! I live in Warrington. It also depends if I am in work or not.

 

Cheers

 

Gavin

[Henny 0]

Hi guys...

 

Think I may be able to help here after spending AGES getting my ABS to work... :roll: 8)

 

The mechanical bit on the front Sensors is a metal ring that sits on the hub behind the disk. This ring has a series of holes in it which pass by the electric sensor giving the pulses that the ABS brain counts. If this ring is damaged, missing, not spinning properly, buckled or full of road gunk, then it won't cause the electrial sensor to pulse causing the brain to log a fault (it thinks the wheel is locked!) The way this will show up on the light is this:

 

1) Turn on ignition, light comes on for a few seconds then goes out (initial self test)

2) Start engine - Light stays off

3) Start to drive the car -Light stays off

4) Go above 5 or 6 MPH and the light comes on straight away...

 

This is because ABS is not active below about 10mph and so doesn't register that the sensor isn't sensing until you're over that speed...

 

If the light NEVER goes out, even with the car stationary having just started the car, then you've got an electrical fault somewhere, and they've probably told you the wrong error message as the system cannot diagnose a mechanical fault unless the car has been moving... HOWEVER, the mechanical front sensor fault you have fec, could mean that there's a physical break in the coil on one of the front sensors... It depends how badly the German has been translated :roll: :? :lol: It's worth checking the resistance of each sensor by disconnecting the wiring on the strut top and sticking a multimeter across the sensor side of it... If one has a much higher resistance than the other, then it's dead - new sensor time... :?

 

The rear sensors are more likely to be a proper mechanical fault than an electrical one as there is less heat here which is what tends to break the front sensors. The fault on the rears tends to be the rotor on the back of the rear disks which is cup shaped and just friction fitted onto the back of the disk. If you've had new rear disks at any stage, and have now got a fault which only shows when you go over 10mph, then the odds are that the sensor ring hasn't been replaced and so has stretched slightly when taken off, causing it not to spin with the disk causing the ABS brain to log a fault... :? 8)

 

Hope this helps some people... If there's any more questions, or you need that little lot (sorry, it went on a bit didn't it? :roll: ) explaining any more, just post up here and I'll see what I can do.... 8)

[CaiosG60 PWR 0]

So Henny are you saying that if the light goes off at around 6mph its the front and if it goes off at 10mph its the rears?

 

 

:D

[stevemac 0]

on the print out it said front sensors mechanical not electrical

 

What was the exact fault code - should also be on your printout.

 

With this code, I may be able to tell which wheel your problem is at.

[Henny 0]

So Henny are you saying that if the light goes off at around 6mph its the front and if it goes off at 10mph its the rears?

 

 

:D

 

Nope, I'm saying that if it STAYS on after the igintion is turned on, it's DEFINATELY an electrical fault, probably a broken sensor or pump :shock: fault...

 

If it comes on after 6 -> 10 MPH (either direction!) then it's probably a mechanical fault with one of the rotors... It could be a sensor with a wire that's broken within the coil that's making contact while stationary, but loosing it's contact once vibrated (same as a lightbulb that will work when you hit the light, but wasn't working before hand...) but it's most likely to be the rotor though! I have experienced BOTH on my C though, so don't rule either out... :?

 

The only way to tell for sure (without stripping things apart!) if it's front or back is to plug it into a VAG machine when the light is on, and it should say front or rear... :? 8)

[CaiosG60 PWR 0]

Cheers Henny about time I got round to sorting this!

[Riki 0]

my mate had a g60 golf with the same prob as yours Caios. His turned out to be a front sensor. We cut it open after replacing it to see where it had broken. The point wher it clips onto the strut there was a small break in the wire ( inside the outer covering). I think with suspension and steering movement over time they become fragile and break.

[Henny 0]

I think with suspension and steering movement over time they become fragile and break.

 

Yup, that and the fact that they are exposed to some pretty hostile environments with lots of heat from the brakes, dust, road crud, snow, water etc etc etc, it's pretty amazing they work as long as they do! :lol: 8)

[JT 0]

thanks for all your help guys having a look tommorrow so might have a better idea, still have assisted brakes so no prob there.

 

stevemac i'll get the code for you and pm it to you if thats cool with you, that would be a great help if i know which wheel it is :D

[CaiosG60 PWR 0]

How much are replacment sensors?

[Henny 0]

Euro Car Parts:

 

ATE 417440230 front ABS sensor golf/corrado front upto 50m-035000 £85.88 :shock:

 

ATE 417440100 front right ABS sensor golf3/4 all models RHF from 50m-035001 £32.95

ATE 417440110 front left ABS sensor golf 3/4 all models LHF from 50m-035001 £32.95

 

Both of the above were shown when searching for Corrado/Golf ABS sensors...

 

German Swedish and French:

64810 ABS SENSOR-FRONT LEFT CO 92>95 27.50

64811 ABS SENSOR-FRONT RIGHT CO 92>95 29.70 8)

[CaiosG60 PWR 0]

Cheers Henny, I'll have a play with them first see if there dirty. Then a trip to Leeds German&Swedish, may as well replace both at that price.

[JT 0]

stevemac, you have pm !!

[stevemac 0]

The Lord Bentley says :-

 

(With ignition switched off)

 

- Check wiring connector, installation of speed sensor and pulse wheel.

- Check whether speed sensor incorrectly connected.

- Test resistance of speed sensor (1.0 ... 1.2 k ohm).

- Check wiring to speed sensor; move wiring when checking (loose contact).

- Check Insulation resistance of screened wire to Right Front ABS Wheel Speed Sensor (G45) Minimum 2m ohm

- Check wiring for damage (chafing); move wiring when checking (loose contact).

 

HTH

[Pete 0]

Mine came on tonight...

 

I stopped the car [key out] and then restarted it.

 

Did not come back on.

 

Any ideas???

[Henny 0]

Mine came on tonight...

 

I stopped the car [key out] and then restarted it.

 

Did not come back on.

 

Any ideas???

 

Probably just crud in the sensor ring/cage... :roll: don't worry about it unless it keeps doing it... 8)

[Pete 0]

Cheers H!