weird problem with ABS light comming on and staying (97 SL).

[Cutlass350sb]

I owne a 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass SL. Just a couple of days ago a weird problem started happing with my ABS warring light.
When I start the car the light will come on for a second then turn off again as it is souposed to, however, while driving, if I accerlate any harder than 1/2 throttle the ABS waring light comes on and stays on. I find this very weird, however electrical problems are usually weird. If anyone has experienced this problem before with they're 97 3.1L, SOHC, Cutlass SL, Mabey you can help me gain some insight on this problem.
Also The sensor for the headlights to turn on automaticly when its dark, usually turns on the headlights no matter what time of day it is (bright or dark). Sometimes the horn will not honk loug but rather just a light noise (this is seldom). The engine was replaced by "Crappy Tire" before I bought the car...it has apx 170,000km's on it and the tranny and chassie has apx 190,000km's.

Hope I can get some ideas on where to start

thanks in advance.

[Cutlass350sb]

Bump...No one? come on, sombody's gotta know somthing, of if you guys are just not replying becuase you think I didn't search, you guys should know that I did search, but with no luck.
Anyway I really hope someone can help get me guided in the right direction to start fixing and of the above metioned prblems.

Thanks

PS: I don't know if this will help or not...but today I had to break and turn hard (right then left) around a car, to avoid clipping his front end, that was trying to beat the yellow light, today. When I first breaked hard the car began to skid but when I turned (still holding the break), the breaks seemed to release a bit then they griped again and brought me to a stop after I finished the turn

[kippy]

I don't know for sure but the ABS light coming up and staying up could be the ABS sensor. I know a Cavalier that had this problem. It could also be a problem with the braking system so have it checked. Make sure you have enough brake fluid and check behind the wheels underneath the vehicle to see that nothing is leaking. Most modern cars have an ABS computer that will give you error codes if there are problems. You'll have to take it to a dealer and do a diagnosis.

The headlights issue sound like a sensor issue to me. Have your shop look at it to see if it needs replacement. I've had issues with the horn (though not with a Cutlass Supreme) and it turns out the horn needed to be replaced.

[Cutlass350sb]

Thanks for your reply , I think what I will do is go get a GM code reader, they're not that expensive and is deffentally cheaper than getting a diagnostics at the shop. With the code reader it can point me in the right direction so I know where to tell the shop to start, which will save time which means saving money.
The MAIN REASON that I come to these types of fourms... is to see if I can fix the problem myself, as I hate paying shops $40-$50/h just too look at it, let alone do the repairs.
As for the headlight I believe its just the sensor. Actually now that I think of it the engine was replaced by "Canadian Tire" aka "Crappy Tire", therefore its probley shorts in the wirring harnesses (big headace to repair), as the headlight problem happens most of the time...but sometimes they work right, same with the horn, and the same with the ABS light. I mean lest face it Canadian Tire has no Idea what they're doing if its anything past oil changes and other regular tune-up stuff. I( stupidly had "CT" Replace the front break pads on my 1990 Mazda MX-6 GT (Turbo). Well apx. 2 months later the inside pad was completly worn and the outside one was still fine, and it had ruined my rotors (the inside of my front rotors are now apx 1" thinner than the outside of them, so I now have to replace not only the break pads but the rotors too, then I have to Bleed the air out of the break lines correctly (as I suspect thats the problem).

thanks

[kippy]

Yeah I guess it's a smart thing to do to buy the GM code reader and fix it yourself if you can. You don't need to tell me about Canadian Tire. I actually worked for them in the store and they are expensive and their parts aren't the best quality. So yeah I wouldn't recommend working with them at all. And this is coming from someone who if I ever needed their service I would get special discounts. I get much better quality parts from Walmart for less money but I still wouldn't let their mechanics touch my car.

[mepammy]

yeh my ABS light comes on and stays on. (my car's a '94). The manual states that the brakes are working if the light stays on...but if it's blinking then the anti-locks could fail.

If the ABS like comes on like that - the recommendation is to pull over ASAP, stop the car and restart it to reset the brakes.

So the question is why is the light doing this in the 1st place? The next problem that arose in my car and not really soon after the ABS light so I didn't think there was any coorelation - but I started having problems starting my car - would get just a click.

My car eventually with start and I did get a reply to my post about this that it could be a problem with the battery cable (connectors are losing contact) and then, according to the response I received 'when travelling the alternator may lose contact with the battery causing a spike or sudden change in voltage'.

I've not yet checked into this as my car is in the shop for another problem.

Pam

[millmaster]

Originally Posted by mepammy

yeh my ABS light comes on and stays on. (my car's a '94). The manual states that the brakes are working if the light stays on...but if it's blinking then the anti-locks could fail.

If the ABS like comes on like that - the recommendation is to pull over ASAP, stop the car and restart it to reset the brakes.

So the question is why is the light doing this in the 1st place? The next problem that arose in my car and not really soon after the ABS light so I didn't think there was any coorelation - but I started having problems starting my car - would get just a click.

My car eventually with start and I did get a reply to my post about this that it could be a problem with the battery cable (connectors are losing contact) and then, according to the response I received 'when travelling the alternator may lose contact with the battery causing a spike or sudden change in voltage'.

I've not yet checked into this as my car is in the shop for another problem.

Pam

I have a 94 supreme it coded as a abs sensor fuse relay thingy, for $26 the gm dealer was happy to take my money, then when the abs started acting on its own i just disconected it and havent had a problem since, this fuse/relay was the size of a lego piece and connected in the fuse box under the hood