Intermittent ABS INOP light... help!
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 409
Likes: 0
From: Miami, FL
Intermittent ABS INOP light... help! I posted this in Handling and Braking as well, but that forum gets little traffic and I figured I might get more help here. Mods, if this is unacceptable feel free to delete.
This started happening for absolutely no reason about a week ago. My ABS INOP light will come on and stay on, sometimes for the day, sometimes for a short period of time. Then it'll be off for a while, then right back to being on.
Fluid levels are fine. Fuses are fine. No TCS, plug on the pumpkin is intact. I've had an SLP line lock installed for months now, no problems from it when originally installed so I don't see it causing a problem now. Bad wheel sensor, maybe? I would think that this would cause the light to stay on, not randomly turn off. Perhaps a short somewhere?
Any/all help appreciated.
This started happening for absolutely no reason about a week ago. My ABS INOP light will come on and stay on, sometimes for the day, sometimes for a short period of time. Then it'll be off for a while, then right back to being on.
Fluid levels are fine. Fuses are fine. No TCS, plug on the pumpkin is intact. I've had an SLP line lock installed for months now, no problems from it when originally installed so I don't see it causing a problem now. Bad wheel sensor, maybe? I would think that this would cause the light to stay on, not randomly turn off. Perhaps a short somewhere?
Any/all help appreciated.
check your third brake light. my old LT1 camaro threw the light cause one of the bulbs wasnt functioning right.i had to take it to a shop and they said GM wired everything in series. It wasnt even throwing any codes and they just got lucky that they found the problem cause they were scratching there heads for a while. Probably not it but worth it to check.
Mine has done that to me a couple times in the past 3 years. Just did it the other day too. Stayed on for 10 min or so and went off next time I started the car. Weird. Wish I could tell you why though.
I would get under there and check the wheel
reluctor sensor connections and/or the one on
the pumpkin (for non-TCS cars); unplug and
reseat them all, look for anything loose, etc.
reluctor sensor connections and/or the one on
the pumpkin (for non-TCS cars); unplug and
reseat them all, look for anything loose, etc.
I would check to see if your battery is low, or the alternator is charging properly. This happened to me last week b/c my pullies aren't fully charging when I am at idle, and the battery was a little low. I have to check and see if the alternator is going south on me. Good Luck.
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On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
From: Clear Lake, TX
I think this is a fairly common GM problem. I've had it happen to me but I did nothing about it. My buddy had it happen almost everyday (in a Tahoe); it was a bad sensor at one of the wheels.
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 409
Likes: 0
From: Miami, FL
What would be the best way to get a definitive diagnosis? If it's a sensor or the actual module, certainly there's a way to tell for sure before spending the money to replace it, right?
The best thing you can do is get the trouble code from the ABS controller. If it turned the light on it likely set a code, & that will tell you what direction to head in. The wheel speed sensors are common to be a problem like said.
Reading out the codes would simplify this alot. You can test the W/S/S with an ohm meter & make sure they are all close to each other resistance wise, from there we're all guessing.
Reading out the codes would simplify this alot. You can test the W/S/S with an ohm meter & make sure they are all close to each other resistance wise, from there we're all guessing.
