Speed Sensor

[Cobra04]

Ok here is the situation: Driving along fine and out of nowhere the abs light comes on. At the precise time as the light came on I had to use the brakes. Much to my surprise my brakes grabbed and the car acted like the abs system was working when it shouldn't have, dry pavement also.

Anyway, took the car to garage and they told me thatt he speed sensor in the one wheel was bad, price $275.00. Now I didn't have it fixed yet and the light continues to come on at different intervals. It might come on within 2 miles or might come on after say 15-20 miles. But each time when it comes on if I happend to be using the brakes I get teh abs effect(pulsating pedal). Now the weird part in my opinion. Once the light is on and stays on I can use my brakes just fine with absolutely NO pulsating. I even have used them hard and still got no abs acting feel. Mind you I did not use them hard enough to trigger the abs but rather hard.

My question is this, does this sound like a faulty speed sensor ? Is there anyway to clean/adjust these ? Bad connection maybe ?

Shed some light here please lol.

thanks

[BNaylor]

The indication of conventional braking working OK is correct. When the ABS fault lamp illuminates due to a fault such as a bad wheel sensor only the ABS part is inhibited. This is for safety reasons.

It sounds like the one wheel sensor is bad. When a wheel sensor goes bad it may be normal to get ABS modulation. You can remove the electrical connector at the suspected hub and spray with electrical contact cleaner. With a DMM ohm across the wheel sensor contacts hub side and resistance should read around 1K ohm. DC voltage at the output will measure at least 100 millivolts to 1 volt.

[nrvespa]

Cobra04,
This was happening to me a while back. I was also told the speed sensor was bad from a shop, also around $300 to fix. However, after some further info from the kind folks on this site, I was told to check the wiring. Well...I did and sure enough...bad wire. All in all it cost me the scan fee from the shop and $25 for a new wire. Thanks Automotive Forum Posters!!!

Anyways, I'd check the wiring and see if that might be the culprit.

-NV

[wrightz28]

Originally Posted by nrvespa

Cobra04,
This was happening to me a while back. I was also told the speed sensor was bad from a shop, also around $300 to fix. However, after some further info from the kind folks on this site, I was told to check the wiring. Well...I did and sure enough...bad wire. All in all it cost me the scan fee from the shop and $25 for a new wire. Thanks Automotive Forum Posters!!!

Anyways, I'd check the wiring and see if that might be the culprit.

-NV

Always remember, wiether it's ABS, TRAC, or Check Engine:

A trouble code indicates a problem in a circuit, not nessesarily the sensor itself.

[Cobra04]

Thanks for the valuable information gentlemen. As stated in my first post the abs light comes on whenever, today I drove 28 miles and the light did not come on AT ALL. Go figure.

[Cobra04]

Originally Posted by Cobra04

Thanks for the valuable information gentlemen. As stated in my first post the abs light comes on whenever, today I drove 28 miles and the light did not come on AT ALL. Go figure.

The abs light has not come on ONCE since I last posted this

[Cobra04]

Originally Posted by Cobra04

The abs light has not come on ONCE since I last posted this

Spoke too soon, damn light came on today

This makes me really begin to wonder if it's really bad. Just have to find the tiem to get it cleaned and or checked.

[khayward2004]

i just had my wheel sensor replaced ($306) and the lights are still on, which wires should i check and where would i be able to get a hold of them and how complicated is that process to install the new wires