Help with rear ABS Sensor!

Ok, so while swapping out my rear differential fluid today I figured it would be a good time to check out my rear ABS sensor to try to get rid of that dash light that never seems to go away (already checked all harnesses and wiring). When I pulled the sensor, my first glance tells me it's something is wrong. In the service manual the sensor is shown having a cylindrical post that projects into the differential housing. Mine is completely flat, no post. Three questions:

Shoud there be a post?

If this post has somehow broken off, how can I get it out?

If I don't remove it is it possible for it to fall into my gears and cause me major problems?

I can't figure out how to post a picture of it, but I have one that I can email it to anybody who thinks they might be able to help.

email me:
[email protected]

Its definatly broken off. Its possible that someone working on it before you broke it off outside of the diff. Pull the diff cover off and see if there are any metal peices in there. If it broke off inside chaces are its already gone through the gears several times. It should be much softer metal then the gears though so might have just chewed it up without hurting the gears. Hopefully it didnt break any teeth off the sensor ring gear.

This is why I take the cover off to change fluid. Gives you a chance to look around inside for anything out of the ordenary.

Just dont over torque the bolts when you put the cover back on :uhoh:

Well, it didn't look like there was any damage to the sensor ring when I had the cover off. If the post is broken off and gone, when I popped the sensor off should there have been an open hole where the post was? When I took the sensor off I could feel something sitting in the hole where I think the post is supposed to be. If the post is still in the hole I'd prefer to get it out rather than wait for my gears to chew it up. Anyone else ever had this happen?

I just had this sensor replaced a few weeks ago and the mechanic said that it had swollen up and they had a real hard time getting the whole thing out. Im thinking it came out in pieces.

Sounds like its stuck in the hole. I'm pretty sure it should be open all the way through so the sensor can pick up the signal from the ring gear. Probably did what dobers did, then broke off and ended up stuck in the hole. Might not be easy to get out but at least it didnt fall into the gears.

Ok, so while swapping out my rear differential fluid today I figured it would be a good time to check out my rear ABS sensor to try to get rid of that dash light that never seems to go away (already checked all harnesses and wiring). When I pulled the sensor, my first glance tells me it's something is wrong. In the service manual the sensor is shown having a cylindrical post that projects into the differential housing. Mine is completely flat, no post. Three questions:

Shoud there be a post?

If this post has somehow broken off, how can I get it out?

If I don't remove it is it possible for it to fall into my gears and cause me major problems?

I can't figure out how to post a picture of it, but I have one that I can email it to anybody who thinks they might be able to help.


With the cover off look in there and see if you can find the end of sensor.
Try to push it back up or out from the inside.
If you are luckie you can shove or pry it up and out the top from the inside of rear end.
If not some times you can break up the end of it with a punch or screw driver or drill bit.
Just watch and do not damage the teeth on ring gear.
Let us know how it goes.
Good Luck MT

I get the RrABS and BRAKE lights on rainy days. Is it because water gets to the sensor? Is the sensor swollen because of H2O or because it's bathed in gear oil?

If its only when it rain I would look at the plug and wiring. Clean the connections up good and use some dielectric grease to keep the water out.

I'll crawl under it tomorrow...

When I had the differential cover off I wasn't able to see back behind the gears, much less reach in there. I might try to break it up with a punch and pull it out in pieces. It's magnetized, right? So I should be able to pull out the pieces with one of those magnet on a stick things?

I RTVd the connector and wires. I'll have to wait for rainy season to see if it helps.

That pumpkin is pretty full, isn't it? That sensor ring takes up some space on the driver's side.

my question is
was the abs light on if not there is nothing wrong with the sensor
not a real clear pic but it looks like the sensor has a large hole in the ceneter but you say its flat
some of them have a small metal peice on the end and some dont there may not be anything wrong with yours if it is in fact flat without being broken and if your abs light is not on

2eyefishclaw, it says in the first post that the light was on (its ok, we all miss stuff in a post sometimes).

jcb18, I had my cover off y'day (was leaking badly) but it was getting dark and I didnt get to look very close at the sensor, sorry.

2eyefishclaw, thanks for the interest in my troubles. Yup, the ABS light was on. About the hole in the center of the sensor. I'm pretty sure the black ring that that is the lip of the hole in the middle of the sensor is a grommet of some sort, meant to seal the hole around the sensor. The sensor post itself looks like it may have sheared off somehow.

When I had the differential cover off I wasn't able to see back behind the gears, much less reach in there. I might try to break it up with a punch and pull it out in pieces. It's magnetized, right? So I should be able to pull out the pieces with one of those magnet on a stick things?

The end of it has a small magnet on it but the rest of it a lot of hard plastic and electrical stuff.
You may be able to break it up and blow it out or pick it out.
Good luck
MT

Well if it's mostly just hard plastic then I have what is probably a pretty off the wall idea. Feel free to laugh/ridicule/etc.


Step 1: Wine bottle opener corkscrew into the plastic

Step 2: Pull

Step 3: :bananasmi

Well if it's mostly just hard plastic then I have what is probably a pretty off the wall idea. Feel free to laugh/ridicule/etc.


Step 1: Wine bottle opener corkscrew into the plastic

Step 2: Pull

Step 3: :bananasmi

Anything that works goes.
I have even pulled some out with the wire that goes into them.
Good luck
Mt