Technical ABS Warnings [wheel bearing?]

[robbie-rocket-pants]

Oakley28,
does the ABS warning come on:

1. After engine start, but before moving off with no further warnings, or
2. Does it come on after say 1 minute of driving the car with occasional further annoying "beep beep beep, Warning....failure" while you are going along?

If it is case 1. then in my experience of much-fettling with my ABS problem I reckon it could be a broken wire to one of the sensors or (hopefully) a dodgy connector to one of the sensors, so do as previously posted and disconnect each sensor in turn, cleaning it with electrical contact cleaner and connecting firmly back together.

If it is case 2. then try disconnecting each sensor in turn, driving around and seeing what warnings come up. If during this procedure of trial and error you find you have only the warning at start up but no more occasional warnings when you drive along then this (disconnected) sensor is the wheel where the problem lies. You then have to guess whether it is a sensor or the wheel bearing which is the problem. If the wheel bearing seems fine then the obvious choice would be to change the sensor first as this is much easier (and cheaper).

Hope this helps. All the best,

RRP

p.s. Sensor was about £27 from one FIAT dealer, but another wanted £54 ! This took me about 1 hour to replace.
Wheel bearing was about £40 from ebay and took me half a day to replace with the help of a man with a 10 tonne press.

 

[Oakley28]

As stated in my first post the checks go fine on start-up, then AS SOON as i pull away ABS Light comes on and ' beep beep beep' ABS Failure.

 

[robbie-rocket-pants]

I think it must be case 2 then. (Does it keep bugging you with further warnings as you drive ?)

 

[Oakley28]

occasionally.

 

[Argonought]

....then try disconnecting each sensor in turn, driving around and seeing what warnings come up. If during this procedure of trial and error you find you have only the warning at start up but no more occasional warnings when you drive along then this (disconnected) sensor is the wheel where the problem lies. You then have to guess whether it is a sensor or the wheel bearing which is the problem. If the wheel bearing seems fine then the obvious choice would be to change the sensor first as this is much easier (and cheaper).

Is this your idea to avoid paying for (say) 30 minutes on Examiner

Might work but can't help thinking it might lead to much hair pulling :bang:

 

[robbie-rocket-pants]

My local dealer wanted £80 to have mine examined...so yes I would do this procedure if it happened again.

 

[Argonought]

My local dealer wanted £80 to have mine examined...so yes I would do this procedure if it happened again.

That's pretty steep. Some main dealers only charge for half-an hour and many Fiat/Alfa independents will charge half that as hourly rate.

 

[Oakley28]

Hey, Ok so i finally had a mate round this morning to look at the ABS fault, he works for BMW and is pretty good. We disconnected the ABS sensors and put them on a voltmeter, and there was no reading coming from the Front Drivers Side Sensor, silly question but would this mean that this particular sensore is broken? And if so where would be the best place to get my hands on a replacement?

Thanks.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Hey, Ok so i finally had a mate round this morning to look at the ABS fault, he works for BMW and is pretty good. We disconnected the ABS sensors and put them on a voltmeter, and there was no reading coming from the Front Drivers Side Sensor, silly question but would this mean that this particular sensore is broken? And if so where would be the best place to get my hands on a replacement?

Thanks.

I'd say so.

Best place would be Fiat or motor factors I'd have thought

 

[A3jeroen]

Have you tried removing the sensor and cleaning the ring of magnets by spraying brakecleaner and brushing with a cut short paint brush (through the sensorhole)?
Check resistance on the sensor. If it reads the same as for the other sensor, the sensor is not the culprit.

gr J

 

[Oakley28]

Have you tried removing the sensor and cleaning the ring of magnets by spraying brakecleaner and brushing with a cut short paint brush (through the sensorhole)?
Check resistance on the sensor. If it reads the same as for the other sensor, the sensor is not the culprit.

gr J

I have not tried that no, was just mentioning that there was no reading coming from the front drivers side sensore. Should i clean them and take readings again?

 

[A3jeroen]

That's what I'd try. Sensors ain't exactly cheap. And compare resistance.

gr J