Following the ABS troubleshooting steps; Have any suggestions?

Hey all,
My Car is a 1993 honda Accord with manual transmission.
I've had a problem with my ABS functionality for a few years now.
My car was falling apart so I slowly started to fix all its problems.
CV Axles (for an ABS car), strut replacement, muffler replacement and
finally I got my cruise control working!! Now it's time to tackle my
ABS.

After starting my car the ABS light goes through its normal cycles
and stays off. When I drive for about 30 seconds the light comes on
and stays solid, no flashing. Following the manual's ABS
troubleshooting section, I believe I am to jumper the SCS to get the
DTC to flash on the instrument panel. I unplugged the B2 fuse
temporarily to reset the DTC memory thinking it was remembering a
previous code with no luck.

First, the only suspect connector I could find only turns on my
check engine light. I thought these two connectors were one in the
same, but I guess perhaps there is another for the ABS?

Going through the manual, some examples are given as to why the ABS
light would come on and their respective codes. E.g. parking brake
engaged for more than 30 seconds, the DTC is 2-1. However, my light
stays solid and I do not know how to get the code from it...

any suggestions? thanks,

scube

 

the scs connector is a two pin blue connector under the glovebox.
jump it, then turn the key on. I bet you get 1 1- something. the 30
sec interval is the key. it's a high pressure failure. now go price an
abs pump and prepare for heart failure.
Chip

 

the scs connector is a two pin blue connector under the glovebox.
jump it, then turn the key on. I bet you get 1 1- something. the 30
sec interval is the key. it's a high pressure failure. now go price an
abs pump and prepare for heart failure.
Chip

 

If you have the service manual see the "Symptom Troubleshooting" list and
check the items listed for the symptom of abs indicator stays on.
Or,
Check the power and the ground systems to the abs control unit. Make sure
the control unit is securely mounted (grounded) to the body too.

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Tp,

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If you have the service manual see the "Symptom Troubleshooting" list and
check the items listed for the symptom of abs indicator stays on.
Or,
Check the power and the ground systems to the abs control unit. Make sure
the control unit is securely mounted (grounded) to the body too.

--
Tp,

-------- __o
----- -\<. -------- __o
--- ( )/ ( ) ---- -\<.
-------------------- ( )/ ( )

 

try checking the sensors. follow the sensor cable to inside the body and
each one has it's own connector.
open the connector and with an ohmmeter ( circuit tester )
test toward the sensor for continuity.
you should get a reading from about 800 ohms to 1500 ohms. if you get an
open circuit on one then it is kaput.
twice on my 92 accord the abs lamp has come up and i have found it using
this method.
on another occasion it was the pump. i stripped the pump down and found the
motor to be at fault
the motor fields are permanent magnets which are just glued on to the yoke.
rust had got underneath the magnet and lifted it so that it jammed onto the
armature and locked it.
good luck.

 

try checking the sensors. follow the sensor cable to inside the body and
each one has it's own connector.
open the connector and with an ohmmeter ( circuit tester )
test toward the sensor for continuity.
you should get a reading from about 800 ohms to 1500 ohms. if you get an
open circuit on one then it is kaput.
twice on my 92 accord the abs lamp has come up and i have found it using
this method.
on another occasion it was the pump. i stripped the pump down and found the
motor to be at fault
the motor fields are permanent magnets which are just glued on to the yoke.
rust had got underneath the magnet and lifted it so that it jammed onto the
armature and locked it.
good luck.

 

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

You need to determine if it's TIME related or Movement related. What
happens if you just start it and idle in the driveway? If it's OK for
two minutes, but comes on as soon as you start to roll, it's probably a
wheel sensor. Scrub the front tone rings with a fine wire brush, and be
sure the sensor isn't 'dislodged' by a stone getting in there. You may
find the blue connector plugged into a 'dummy' plug which keeps it from
rattling. It's above or below the glove box, right?

'Curly'

 

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

You need to determine if it's TIME related or Movement related. What
happens if you just start it and idle in the driveway? If it's OK for
two minutes, but comes on as soon as you start to roll, it's probably a
wheel sensor. Scrub the front tone rings with a fine wire brush, and be
sure the sensor isn't 'dislodged' by a stone getting in there. You may
find the blue connector plugged into a 'dummy' plug which keeps it from
rattling. It's above or below the glove box, right?

'Curly'

 

Thanks all!!

When I start my car the light goes out as normal, but only when I
drive it does it come on. And it seems to be a variable time length
before it comes on. I would say it is deffinetely linked to motion.
Also, my CV axles went bad and I drove those things into the ground.
When I finally changed them out (I wish I did not wait as long, but I
was broke) the boots had torn apart and grease was EVERYWHERE. I had
to clean off all the accumulated crud off the speed sensors, so maybe
there is a situation there. I also hit a curb quite a few years back,
so maybe the knuckle is bent slightly and the sensor drifts from the
ABS teeth on the CV joint, I can't really recall which came first here,
the ABS problem or the curb problem. I'll try to get the car up in
the air again this weekend and have a look at the sensors. I'm also
hearing some noise coming from the back brakes, so maybe the problem
lies there.
I'm having over-heat issues as well, so I don't know when I can get
to it. I'm guessing by the behavior that it is the thermostat, so
that may not be a time consuming issue.

Thanks for the suggestions..

 

Thanks all!!

When I start my car the light goes out as normal, but only when I
drive it does it come on. And it seems to be a variable time length
before it comes on. I would say it is deffinetely linked to motion.
Also, my CV axles went bad and I drove those things into the ground.
When I finally changed them out (I wish I did not wait as long, but I
was broke) the boots had torn apart and grease was EVERYWHERE. I had
to clean off all the accumulated crud off the speed sensors, so maybe
there is a situation there. I also hit a curb quite a few years back,
so maybe the knuckle is bent slightly and the sensor drifts from the
ABS teeth on the CV joint, I can't really recall which came first here,
the ABS problem or the curb problem. I'll try to get the car up in
the air again this weekend and have a look at the sensors. I'm also
hearing some noise coming from the back brakes, so maybe the problem
lies there.
I'm having over-heat issues as well, so I don't know when I can get
to it. I'm guessing by the behavior that it is the thermostat, so
that may not be a time consuming issue.

Thanks for the suggestions..

 

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

For overheat problems, fill the reservoir to MAX a couple mornings in a
row to see if it stabilizes. Use Premix, never tap water.

It only takes a bit of grease on the tone rings to accumulate enough
grunge to throw the ABS sensor off it's game. The manual calls for 1 mm
clearance, but they always seem to have twice that much, and still work
perfect.

'Curly'

 

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

For overheat problems, fill the reservoir to MAX a couple mornings in a
row to see if it stabilizes. Use Premix, never tap water.

It only takes a bit of grease on the tone rings to accumulate enough
grunge to throw the ABS sensor off it's game. The manual calls for 1 mm
clearance, but they always seem to have twice that much, and still work
perfect.

'Curly'

 

I pulled each of the four plugs out and ohm'd them. Neither was close
to 800 ohms. The highest ohm was ~500, and the others were lower,
like near zero. Could these be bad if they are too low in resistance?
My understanding is that the sensors pretty much are coils, so low
resistance would not be terribly abnormal, correct?

 

I pulled each of the four plugs out and ohm'd them. Neither was close
to 800 ohms. The highest ohm was ~500, and the others were lower,
like near zero. Could these be bad if they are too low in resistance?
My understanding is that the sensors pretty much are coils, so low
resistance would not be terribly abnormal, correct?

 

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

'95 Odyssey was about 900 ohms all around. They are similar to the coil
in a doorbell, mounted around a permanent magnet. The rear ones on an
Ody can get a clump of iron filings on them which reduces sensitivity.

'Curly'

 

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

'95 Odyssey was about 900 ohms all around. They are similar to the coil
in a doorbell, mounted around a permanent magnet. The rear ones on an
Ody can get a clump of iron filings on them which reduces sensitivity.

'Curly'

 

Was sick for a few days..
It has warmed up some here and I've noticed over the past few days
that my brakes are working differently. when it is around 65 degrees
or so there is no noticable issues (other than the ABS light coming on
a half mile down the road), but when it gets up into the high 70's
there is noticable spongy-ness in the brakes.
When stopping they will slowly keep going to the floor. Once at
the bottom the car doesn't move, but the hotter the car gets the less
longer it takes to stop, or I have to push the pedal more..

Could this affect my ABS? I know ABS doesn't affect the main
brakes, but could a faulty (perhaps master cylinder?) component in the
main brakes affect the ABS?

Thanks for any suggestions!!

 

Was sick for a few days..
It has warmed up some here and I've noticed over the past few days
that my brakes are working differently. when it is around 65 degrees
or so there is no noticable issues (other than the ABS light coming on
a half mile down the road), but when it gets up into the high 70's
there is noticable spongy-ness in the brakes.
When stopping they will slowly keep going to the floor. Once at
the bottom the car doesn't move, but the hotter the car gets the less
longer it takes to stop, or I have to push the pedal more..

Could this affect my ABS? I know ABS doesn't affect the main
brakes, but could a faulty (perhaps master cylinder?) component in the
main brakes affect the ABS?

Thanks for any suggestions!!

 

The pedal sinking to the floor is pretty classic for master cylinder
trouble. Most often the pedal holds up if you keep a lot of pressure on it,
then sinks if you lighten the pressure.

Mike