92 Buick Park Ave- ABS Light

[richmwill]

'92 Buick Park Ave.... 114,000 miles. Monday night, my ABS light came on at startup and stayed on. Turned ignition off, waited, started again- it was off. Drove later on that night, no light, brakes and ABS were fine. Yesterday, same deal- at first startup, light comes on. All other startups/trips during the day, no light (after initial startup check). So- long story short, in the 10 startups/drives I have taken since Monday, light has come on twice, and no other times. "Regular" brake light never comes on after initial check, and brakes and ABS seem absolutely fine. Any ideas of what this could be? And, is it "safe" to drive this way?

[HotZ28]

The only way to tell what the problem could be, is to capture the code with an ABS capable scanner. It sounds like an “electrical gremlin” that would have no affect on the "normal hydraulic" function of your braking system. Remember, ABS is a only a feature that senses total lock-up of one or more wheels and pulsates the hydraulic system to allow brake pressure to release and reapply in rapid succession, thereby allowing driver control in an emergency situation. Remember how brakes worked before ABS?

[richmwill]

Right, of course I have driven many cars in the past without ABS. I know it's just an "added safety feature", I was just worrisome that the light could mean further problems.

[Bassasasin]

Glad you posted that last...
I just fixed my ABS with help from the forum.. I had watched a show on TV that said ABS was the best thing since seat belts.. Good to know.

As for your post topic... getting the ABS diagnosis done is an investment not like getting codes read free at Autozone. Ive been priced $60-90 just for the diagnisis. I dont know if the ABS stores like the PCM. IF you want to repair it you may have a better advantage to wait till it is more consistent and will show itself when of if you get a diagnosis.
Hopefully then, if you get one it will be a solid pointer to a good fix.

I had a solid ABS light and traced it to a open circuit on a wheel sensor without paying for a diagnosis I replaced the RF hub/sensor assembly ($120) and it cleared the light.
It is possible your loosing a wheel sensor signal and it is intermittent but there are other possibilities that may be less common.
The system checks itself at startup, wheel sensor resistances and such and if it sees something it doesnt like it turns off ABS and displays the light.

Good Luck will be watching for your posts.

[CVMòóse]

on my 985 which is simaler the wireing harned for the front wheel on the driver side was just warn out and needed to be rplaced my had acutaly stared to come apart because it turn with the wheel like a brake line whithc would cause the light to sudendly turn on or off plus if the car senes that there is problem with teh abs at start up it wont atemt to use it unless you restat the car