1995 Accord ABS light

Hello!

Just purchased a 1995 Honda Accord w/67kmi original on it. The car is
beautiful, runs great...but I seem to be running into the '1990's Honda
ABS issue' that Ive read so much about.

When I first start the car, the ABS is off. However, after about 20-30
minutes of highway driving, it will come on. If I cycle the ignition
while driving, it will stay off for another 20 - 30 minutes or so and
then come on again.

Id like to be able to check the diagnostics light to see what code this
unit is sending out, but for all the pages Ive read there isnt a clear
description on how to do it.

-Where is the ABS diagnostics socket located?
-What is the procedure to check the error codes? (Ive heard of
jumpering pins and checking a flashing light - which pins and which
light??)

There was supposedly a tech2tech.com document on this, but that page is
no longer active.

Ive read about the plugs leaking on the pump/modulator assembly, and
there is a documented procedure for tightening them. Anyone have a
link to this?

If this is the ABS pump unit, I see that they are $1000+ new.
Thankfully, Ive found a place that sells them used & tested for about
$175 a unit:

www.discoveryautoparts.com

At least I can just shit the ABS down and brake as normal, but Id
really like all the features on the car to work!!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Chris

 

woops I meant SHUT the ABS down...

 

I checked a couple more things today:

When I first start the car, the ABS pump runs for ~10 seconds and shuts
down. It sounds healthy to me (like a small air compressor).

I had filled the ABS resevoir with fluid, and after 260 miles of
driving it was down to halfway between MIN and MAX.

I dont hear the pump running when the ABS light kicks on, all I hear is
a slight 'click' comming from the passenger side kick panel (Im
assuming the ECU is there).

I dont see any signs of leakage around the pump/modulator unit.

Perhaps I just need to bleed the system? I think its the place to start
anyway, after I get the fault codes off the ECU.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

 

----------------------------

If there's grease / dirt / crud on the tone rings, you'll get ABS light
only after vehicle starts moving. Clean them carefully. Odyclub has lots
of posts . . same system.

'Curly'

 

Thanks for the reply Curly. What's a tone ring? I just find in
peculiar that the ABS light seems to come on at nearly the exact time,
every time. It dosent seem to be pressure related, when I cycle the
ignition it will stay off for the same amount of time...

 

---------------------------

Tone ring is a generic term for the ribbed steel ring on the wheel hubs
that generates the AC signal that the ABS computer uses to figure out
how fast each wheel is spinning. You need to determine if your ABS light
stays off if the vehicle doesn't move. Start it, sit on driveway. Simple

'curly'

 

Thanks for the info, Ill check that tonight and post back with my
findings.

 

OK, so when I got home I let her run and, within the same 20minute time
span, the ABS light kicked on. The car did not move at all.

I opened the hood so I could listen for the ABS pump, and every few
minutes it would run for about 2 seconds.

Im kind of confused! If this were a pressure issue, wouldnt the pump
run for at least 30-45 seconds?

Thanks,
Chris

 

Bump - anyone?

 

Here's another diagnostic question for you . . .When the light isn't on,
have you tried using the ABS to be sure it functions? (gravel road or
dirty pavement works). I had a PDF around here that says you should
flush the ABS portion, and then 'exercise' the ABS HARD to flush any
crud out of the solonoids, then flush it again. The next generation
(like CR-V) is designed different, and the solonoids exercise themselves
once during start-up to keep contaminants from settling in the orifices.

I'll send it to you if I can find it. I found it by searching google.

'Curly'

 

Hey Curly -

Ive brought the car up to 45mph and *slammed* on the brakes on dry
pavement...no skid. I havent had an opportunity to try it on a wet
road or sand yet.

If you can find the PDF that would be great, Ill keep searching for it
in the meantime.

I stopped at my mechanic today and explained what was happening, and he
gave me print out from the ABS diagnostics section for my car from
AllData. That should come in handy - I think I need to take a look at
the fault codes on the ABS computer to help me narrow down what's going
on.

I have to time it to make sure, but it seems like that light comes on
at *exactly* the same time every time I start the car. And the pump
isn't running when the light comes on.

Thanks
Chris

 

Ok, there was a big WET parking lot across from my house and I took the
opportunity to test the ABS system. And it works fine. ~30MPH,
slammed on the brakes - just a short chrip of the tires and the ABS
kicked in. After a couple times, the pump ran for 2-3 seconds and that
was it.

I locked her up about 6 good, hard times. Ill be able to check if the
light comes on tomorrow.

Curly,thanks again for the PDF on testing/maintaining the system.

Chris

 

Good news! The throrough exercising of the ABS system did the trick!
No more light, no matter how long the car is on, and the ABS works
great.

The solenoids must have been stuck open due to lack of use...

Ill be sure to use the ABS from time to time, and put in fresh fluid
every 15kmi.

Thanks for your help Curly!

Chris

 

I have the same year Accord EX. Yesterday I heard a noise coming from the
front passeng. side of the card and then the ABS lite came on. I checked
the fluid level and it was dry. I filled it up but the lite still comes
on. Any suggestions?

 

I have the same year Accord EX. Yesterday I heard a noise coming from the
front passeng. side of the card and then the ABS lite came on. I checked
the fluid level and it was dry. I filled it up but the lite still comes
on. Any suggestions?

 

--------------------------

There's two fluid levels to check. Your main brakes reservoir, and the
tiny one on top of the ABS, under a black rubber cap. Have you performed
the 'lamp check' to be sure all your idiot lights are functioning? It's
in the owner's manual. You need to get your aBS system flushed if it
sucked air in.

'Curly'