ABS and Handbrake light on all the time

I have done a quick search under ABS and not come up with any joy. That's not to say the answer isn't here already, it's just that I have an uncanny knack of picking out the threads that don't quite relate to my enquiry.

I carried out some work this weekend on the fuel leak (as highlighted in a recent thread... the culprit being the fuel return valve seal in the end) and also dried the rubber floor liner as it was a little moist. Before removing the seats/ any electrical connectors, I disconnected the battery (thank you FIAT FORUM as this is very very well highlighted in many posts and certain individual's signatures) and avoided the dreaded pretensioner/ airbag light problem. Job done, I started the car and all was fine and dandy.

Later that day I noticed the windscreen wiper didn't work. The fault was merely that it was stuck through heat and lack of use. WD40. Job done. ...but not before I had checked the fuses. The one under the dash was fine, but I thought I'd check ALL the fuses in case it was also protected elsewhere (some components have more than one fuse). I checked the fuses which sit nearest the wiper motor under the bonnet too... which I now know relate to the injectors et al. All were fine.

BUT, whilst just checking the fuses, I didn't disconnect the battery! After all, pulling out a fuse is the same as a fuse blowing... a not-out-of-the-ordinary occurrance... and they're listed in the user manual as a user servicable item (which I should have referred to previously to find out whether any of these were wiper related!)

So, with all the fuses okay, I went to move the car... but the car wouldn't start. The injector light wouldn't switch off and it was as though the immobiliser was active. I envisaged having to be towed from this remote village to the nearest FIAT garage. Thankfully, a quick call to LRB (who's B had done a similar thing once) resulted in the car starting. Solution.... give the old girl 20 minutes to 'reboot' as I must have switched off her computer by pulling out the fuse.

However, I didn't notice yesterday (as I only moved the car 20 meters), but certainly noticed today, that the ABS light and Handbrake light are permanently on. And a quick test on a quiet bit of road confirm that the ABS certainly isn't working.

The solution to my first problem was simply switching the car on and off again. Can anyone suggest a similar remedy for the latter problem? Presumably the brains of the car need a while to recognise my keys... does it need a gentle stroke and TLC to realise that it has ABS? Is this a dealership visit problem whereby they plug a black box into the car, push a button and then say €100 por favor!

Help.

It seems a bit of a lottery when disconnecting electrics these days and can cause all manner of quirks. Once when disconnecting the battery in the BMW and later reconnecting it the car thought it was being stolen and told me via the dash that I had to sit for 15 min with the keys in and the ign on before it would start. Only ever happened once no matter how many times I disconnected it??

I've found the same type of quirks in other cars but funnily never in the barchetta.

One cure to these was to remove all residual voltage from the system as when you disconnect the battery/remove a fuse there is always residual voltage left in the circuit system SO to get rid......Remove the battery from the car completely to prevent any chance of a short circuit. Next connect the +ve and -ve leads with a suitable conductive material, screwdriver etc and turn on the ign for at least 1 hr but overnight will be better. In the morning remove the screwdriver or whatever you used then put the battery in and re-connect. Hopefully the car will now completely re-set itself and job done.

There will be a way of removing any error codes which will work in a simmilar manner but don't know the procedure for the B without the fiat dealers diagnostic. Someone posted a long time back on how to reset the airbag light but don't have the time to search at the mo, it may help it may not

Thanks Alan - All pointers are greatly appreciated

I will try your recommendation when I get back to the car in a day or so... meanwhile I will welcome any other suggestions too... including shouting, dancing and holy water

All may help

Nope... that didn't work. Left it 2 days with the leads connected to get rid of residual potential difference, reconnected battery, left it another day and just now turned the key... both lights still on.

Can anybody suggest an alternative solution or is it a trip to FIAT for me

I assume fluid level and pads are both OK? Always worth checking the obvious first. Sometimes when an ECU is rebooted it will pick up faults that it hadn't spotted before.

Reading some of the other threads about the same problem on other Fiats (see links at the bottom of this thread) it could be that a connector(s) may be loose to the rear wheel sensors, the sensor on top of the brake fluid reservoir may have failed or the ECU needs clearing (or, hopefully not, replacing).

When both lights come on it is likely to be a difference in the distribution of braking force front to rear, rather than complete system failure so maybe check wiring to the wheel sensors first.

Oh, and make sure the battery is fully charged and the connections at the terminals and earth are good.

Oh, and finally... I'd check those fuses again. There's a 60A in the engine bay and a 10A on the bulkhead which feed the ABS.

Lima said:

Nope... that didn't work. Left it 2 days with the leads connected to get rid of residual potential difference, reconnected battery, left it another day and just now turned the key... both lights still on.

Can anybody suggest an alternative solution or is it a trip to FIAT for me

Click to expand...

Damn!........

ABS and Handbrake warning lights are now off.

Solution?:

Not sure. Since the last post I did the following...

several trips, short and long.
varied my speed.
left the car for short and long periods.
plugged in things into the ciggie lighter.
stroked the dashboard.
corrected the time on the clock.
picked my nose.
souted loudly at someone who cut me up rudely.

then yesterday afternoon as I went to start her, all was well.

I am sorry I cannot be more be more specific from the list above to help others in the same boat. I have been out 3 times since and the lights have remained off, so all I can suggest is that you try all of the above

Lima,

glad there are other people on here with my level of expertise! i sometimes get lost in the detailed answers that others leave.

i can safely manage your solution! shame that doesnt work with the infamous airbag light!

ah well...


colin (barchingmad)

i use a lot of exclamation marks. i hate when people do that. sorry.

barchingmad said:

Lima,

glad there are other people on here with my level of expertise! i sometimes get lost in the detailed answers that others leave.

i can safely manage your solution! shame that doesnt work with the infamous airbag light!

ah well...


colin (barchingmad)

Click to expand...

I bet the problem will be back soon Lima I am sorry to say.

Well that was at the back of my mind too, given that I didn't do anything remotely logical to resolve the issue. If it does happen again, I will go through the list of actions I mentioned earlier... if the problem then resolves itself again, I will consider posting the ritual as proper technical advice (whilst at the same time buying a lottery ticket and betting on The Grand National)

I have the same kind of problem with my B and the ABS and red handbrake light comes on now and again. I think it's two problems on my B, a faulty rear ABS sensor and the handbrake sensor needs adjusting. My two lights don't come on at the same time so thats got me thinking its two different issues.

My work is never done hehehhehe

Eh? If my B was in half as good a nick as yours I'd consider it 'job done'! Your work is never done you say???... you make work my friend. How many other car engine bays are clean enough to serve dinner from!