ABS Light Came On...

:uhoh:

My wife told me today that on the way home from work (during bad snow storm :eek:), the ABS light turned on along with the "TCS Off" light. She said it stayed on until she came to a red light, put it in park, and briefly shut off the engine. When she started the car again the lights turned on for a few seconds (like normal) and then turned off and stayed off. When she got home she said she checked the owner's manual and that it said this was normal and that if the lights stayed on, the car needed to be serviced. (I'm really surprised/impressed she thought to do all that! :tongue:)
Has this happened to anyone??? In the five years I've owned this car, this has never happened to me and I really don't know what could cause this. I also have a hard time swallowing the notion that everything is fine as long as they don't stay on :eek7: (why'd they come on in the first place!?!?:uhoh:)! If this has happened to anyone else and it all ended up fine, then I'll go ahead and sleep comfortably. I've spent about $3,600 in repairs since April and I'm about to roll the $(^# thing off a cliff!

Thanks for the help and input!

This is normal and don't worry about it unless the light comes on and stays on. When she shut the car off and restarted it the ABS computer reset and what ever the problem was corrected itself. I have had this happen to me on snowy days and it is nothing to worry about. If the light stays on have it scanned you could have a bad sensor or broken wire otherwise keep on driving. Even if the light comes on and stays on you will have normal breaking power just no ABS.

This is normal and don't worry about it unless the light comes on and stays on. When she shut the car off and restarted it the ABS computer reset and what ever the problem was corrected itself. I have had this happen to me on snowy days and it is nothing to worry about. If the light stays on have it scanned you could have a bad sensor or broken wire otherwise keep on driving. Even if the light comes on and stays on you will have normal breaking power just no ABS.

Music to my ears! Thank you so much! :worshippy

Any idea why this would be prone to happen on snowy days?

Moisture intrusion. Seal the electrical connectors with RTV silicone sealant especially where the two wires come into the connector from the wiring harness. Also, remove each electrical connector at each hub when you can and make sure the accordian seals are good and not missing. Are all four hubs your original?

Moisture intrusion. Seal the electrical connectors with RTV silicone sealant especially where the two wires come into the connector from the wiring harness. Also, remove each electrical connector at each hub when you can and make sure the accordian seals are good and not missing. Are all four hubs your original?

Hey Bob. No, I had the passenger front (it might have been the driver, I'm not totally positive, but I have it written down in my repair log) hub replaced, but the other three are original. I think I (the shop) replaced it in June of this year.

Did you ever have this issue before the one hub was replaced in June? Granted it doesn't snow much in my area compared to up North or in the Northeast but I get plenty of rain during the rainy season with deep puddles but I've never had the ABS and TRAC OFF light come on in any of my GM cars just because of snow or rain for that matter. It did snow for two days about 3 weeks ago though and raining a bunch today. When you get a chance pull the electrical connectors at each hub and look for the presence water/moisture.

i had it happen to me only once too. it was back in 2003 when i had my '97 GTP. I lived up in the Upper Michigan back then, and we had just had a really bad storm. i came home, put my car in the garage to thaw out...next day i drove the car, and has never happened to me again with any of my GP's.

that car i bought off my mom, she had it since brand new. i know both front wheel bearings were replaced in 2000. rears were never replaced. i totalled the car in 2005, never had the problem again in that car.

Its weird, and i never really thought anything of it.

Did you ever have this issue before the one hub was replaced in June? Granted it doesn't snow much in my area compared to up North or in the Northeast but I get plenty of rain during the rainy season with deep puddles but I've never had the ABS and TRAC OFF light come on in any of my GM cars just because of snow or rain for that matter. It did snow for two days about 3 weeks ago though and raining a bunch today. When you get a chance pull the electrical connectors at each hub and look for the presence water/moisture.

My wife has driven the car a lot since this happened the other day and the lights have stayed off.

I'm changing the oil on Saturday, so that will be a good time to check for moisture and apply the silicone. When you mentioned that, you were talking about the plug down by the hub, right (not something up in the engine compartment)?

The connector that plugs into the hub (wheel sensor) electrical connector. I may have some pics some place. When I replaced the two front hubs in my GTP I did the silicone seal fix and our Olds Alero hubs too. BTW - All were AC Delco replacement hubs.

This happened to me just last week after the first snowfall in Toronto. I panicked for a split second but then turned off the engine and restarted it. The light worked as it should and did not come on again. I will try the lube when it warms up a bit - it is kinda chilly now (14 degrees F)