2000 intrigue abs

[primal1]

i have had the anti-lock light turn on about 3 times in th last 2 weeks. it has no difference in braking feel or performance when its on. when the car is turned off and then turned back on the light does not come back on, like it reset. no changes in the car to recently. any ideas?

[LittleHoov]

next time the light comes on, slam the pedal to the floor in panic stop mode and see if you notice the difference in performance

but all joking aside, first I would check the wiring for the wheel speed sensors on all 4-wheels, typcially the front ones cause problems though, the wiring should be in good condition, and the little clips need to be on the brackets they mount too or they will malfunction. The wheel speed sensor wiring is located somewhat below the brake caliper if youre looking from the back of the wheel.

If that doesnt fix it, one of the sensors itself is probably failing, the only way to tell which one it is, is to have the car scanned with a Tech 2 or equivalent scanner...the only people that have these are the dealership, which will easily charge you at least 50 bucks just to scan it, or some higher end mechanics will also have them, and may not charge you, especially if you do some other business with them at the same time, such as new tires.

If you figure out which sensor it is and want to replace it, they arent hard at all in my opinion, but the sensor is built into the hub assembly, theres a post just below yours that deals with the hub assembly change.
http://baize.sys-techs.com/wheelbearing.html

thats one good link showing how to replace one, theres a couple other decent links but youll have to PM me for them, because they contain copyrighted material.

A new wheel hub can be had for about 100 bucks, not sure of the quality, you can usually snag used OEM parts for pretty cheap, I got one for 60, another member thats currently going through the same ordeal just snagged one for 45, so its not too bad.

There are also other things it could be, but I like to start with the cheapest fixes first.

[BNaylor]

To clarify is this just the ANTI-LOCK/ABS fault light or are you getting any TRAC OFF or SVS lights?

If it is just the ABS light I would get it scanned with an ABS capable scanner to see what DTC codes are present. The ABS light being on should not affect the conventional braking but I would get the issue resolved if it persists.

Although a wheel sensor is a possibility you could have other issues with the ABS modulator/motorpack or the ABS EBCM module.

[primal1]

Originally Posted by bnaylor

To clarify is this just the ANTI-LOCK/ABS fault light or are you getting any TRAC OFF or SVS lights?

If it is just the ABS light I would get it scanned with an ABS capable scanner to see what DTC codes are present. The ABS light being on should not affect the conventional braking but I would get the issue resolved if it persists.

Although a wheel sensor is a possibility you could have other issues with the ABS modulator/motorpack or the ABS EBCM module.

just the anti-lock light. mine does not have trac control. thanks 2 the both of you for the quick replies. i'll have to make an appointment to the dealership.

[LittleHoov]

The dealership isnt a bad idea for getting it scanned, but be forewarned, it will be expensive to get anything done there. If it is a hub assembly, theyre likely going to charge you at least 150 or so for parts, probably more along the lines of 200. Plus at least an hour of labor cost. You can do it yourself for half the price if not less, plus the satisfaction of working on your own car. Just tossing that out there.

like bnaylor said, it could be a lot of other things as well, but the wheel speed sensor is probably the most common, and also the cheapest, so i think you should start there.

Just be careful when driving, and remember that if you stab the brakes hard when the light is on youre going into a 4-wheel skid instead of a controlled stop. Mine also started engaging the ABS when it shouldnt when it was failing, so I nearly hit several ppl at low speeds and nailed a curb or two.

[BNaylor]

Littlehoov,

I liked the procedure in your post at the link below. Nice pics.

http://baize.sys-techs.com/wheelbearing.html

But I noticed something very interesting. At the final steps nos. 17 and 18 shouldn't there be a step where the axle nut is properly torqued down with a torque wrench per the hub makers or GM torque specs?

I just that was unusual for a tech procedure to install a hub not to mention a torque wrench and proper torqueing although it was mentioned to torque the 3 hub bolts.

[LittleHoov]

good point, the axle nut should be tightened to 150 ft. lbs according to Chiltons