Just returned from an East Coast Canada Christmas and New Year's visit with my children. When I picked up and started my 2001 SCrew (which I had left at a Toronto Ramada Inn for 15 days) the ABS symbol light stayed lit on the dash.

I've read the comments in the "Brakes thread" but not sure whether the solutions would apply to a 2001 SCrew.

Is there a life-span to the ABS sensor? Is it a regular replacement item (like brake pads)?

FYI: My SCrew has 104,000 kms (62,000 miles) on it. The owner's manual indicates that I can drive with the light on but ABS won't be working. I haven't noticed any problem with the braking but would like to resolve the problem.

Any help in resolving this problem would be appreciated.

Cheers

Johnny Kay
Welland, Ontario, Canada

 

Mine is on as well. Supposedly it is the VSS (vehicle speed sensor) on the rear diff that is bad in most cases. I just have not had time to work on mine.

 

The plugin connection may have gotten dirty on the center of the rear axel case. There's two plastic clips on the wire harness plug, you need to gently spread them, two tooth picks slid in between the plug and the clips and pull straight away from the clips works well. If its really cold try warming the plastic. The clips are fragile! Clean the connectors with a spray electrical cleaner or rubbing alcohol, apply some spark plug or auto lamp grease and reconnect. The sensor is held in with two small bolts and is cheap, they have a tendency to go "bad" when the temperature changes. PS a dealer was soaking a company I worked for $600 to $1000 for ABS work till we figured out we were only having problems with trucks that were used at cell sites. the connectors were getting dirty.

 

Thanks for the tip. I will check mine next time I am under there. It has been too cold to crawl under there lately.

 

Thanks Aftrmidnite and Norm for your suggestions. We're in a deepfreeze in S. Ontario right now so I won't be crawling under my SCrew until the temps head north. In the meantime, I'll motor on with the ABS symbol clearly reminding me that I've got a job to do!!

Cheers

Johnny Kay

 

Just received some information from Toronto AM740's "Neighbourhood Mechanic" re: the ABS dashlight problem and wanted to share with y'all.

"The ABS light on is indicating that one of the sensors operating the system is not functioning. Problem could be as easy as low fluid or a bad bulb.

The right way to approach this repair is to have the vehicle scanned for an ABS codes.

We have seen damage to the tone rings due to rust and this sounds as if it could be your problem.

ABS is actually a non-service item.”

I still plan to tackle the "repair" myself once the Southern Ontario deepfreeze has left the province.

Cheers

Johnny Cancuk

 

The rear tone ring on our trucks is inside your differential bathed in diff fluid. It should not rust. The front sensors (on vehicle with 4 wheel abs) are magnetic types that measure rotor speed. They sometimes get covered with filings, especially if you go to one of those jiffy brake places that turn you rotors while they are on the truck. I still haven't crawled under mine to check for a bad connection but it may reach 50 tomorrow so I plan to go through a car wash and I may crawl under and disconnect it, hit it with some wd40 and see if that brings me joy. If not it will be off to NAPA to order a new sensor to be installed in the spring.