ABS is on
Content
Some drivers are afraid that when the ABS is on, it somehow affects the operation of the braking system as a whole. They urgently begin to search the entire Internet in search of an answer to why the ABS light is on and what to produce. But do not panic like that, the brakes on your car should be in perfect order, only anti-blocking system will not work.
We offer to figure out together what will happen if you drive with a non-working anti-lock braking system. Consider all the common causes of problems and methods for their elimination. And in order to understand the principle of the system, we recommend reading about ABS.
Is it possible to drive when the ABS is on on the dashboard
When the ABS light comes on while driving, problems may occur during emergency braking. The fact is that the system works on the principle of intermittent pressing of the brake pads. If any of the components of the system is not working, then the wheels will lock up as it normally does when the brake pedal is depressed. The system will not work if the ignition test shows an error.
also, the operation of the stability control system may become more complicated, since this function is interconnected with the ABS.
Difficulties can also arise when avoiding obstacles. In such cases, system breakdowns, which are accompanied by a burning ABS indicator on the instrument panel, lead to complete blocking of the wheels during braking. the machine is not able to follow the desired trajectory and as a result collides with an obstacle.
Separately, it is worth mentioning that when the ABS is not working, the braking distance increases significantly. Many tests have shown that a compact modern hatchback with a working ABS system from a speed of 80 km / h slows down to 0 much more efficiently:
- without ABS - 38 meters;
- with ABS - 23 meters.
Why does the ABS sensor on the car light up
There are many reasons why the ABS light on the dashboard is on. Most often, the contact on one of the sensors disappears, the wires break, the crown on the hub becomes dirty or damaged, the ABS control unit fails.
Corrosion on the ABS sensor
The system may generate an error due to the poor condition of the sensor itself, since with the constant presence of moisture and dust, corrosion appears on the sensor over time. Contamination of its body leads to a violation of the contact on the supply wire.
also, in case of a faulty running gear, constant vibration and shocks in the pits lead to the sensor also being affected by the element by which the rotation of the wheel is determined. Contributes to the ignition of the indicator and the presence of dirt on the sensor.
The simplest reasons why the ABS lights up are a fuse failure and computer malfunctions. In the second case, the block activates the icons on the panel spontaneously.
Quite often, either the wheel sensor connector on the hub is oxidized or the wires are frayed. And if the ABS icon is on after replacing the pads or hub, then the first logical thought is - forgot to connect the sensor connector. And if the wheel bearing was changed, then it is possible that it was not installed correctly. In which the hub bearings on one side have a magnetic ring from which the sensor must read information.
The main reasons why the ABS is on
Depending on the technical features of the car and the symptoms of a breakdown, we will consider the main problems due to which this error appears.
Causes of the ABS error
The main possible causes of a permanently lit ABS light on the dashboard are:
- the contact in the connection connector has disappeared;
- loss of communication with one of the sensors (possibly wire breakage);
- the ABS sensor is out of order (a sensor check is required with subsequent replacement);
- the crown on the hub is damaged;
- the ABS control units are out of order.
Display on the panel errors VSA, ABS and "Handbrake"
At the same time as the ABS light, several related icons may also be displayed on the dashboard. Depending on the nature of the breakdown, the combination of these errors may be different. For example, in the case of a valve failure in the ABS unit, 3 icons can be displayed on the panel at once - “USA","ABS"And"Handbrake".
Often there is a simultaneous display of “BRAKE"And"ABS". And on vehicles with an all-wheel drive system, the “4WD". Often the reason lies in the breakage of contact in the area from the engine compartment mudguard to the wire fastener on the rack. also on BMW, Ford and Mazda vehicles, the “DSC” (electronic stability control).
When starting the engine, ABS lights up on the instrument panel
Normally, the ABS light should only be on for a few seconds when starting the engine. After that, it goes out and this means that the on-board computer has tested the system's performance.
If the pointer continues to burn a little longer than the specified time, you should not worry. The fact is that the entire ABS system works properly with normal indicators of the on-board network. During a cold start, the starter and glow plugs (on diesel cars) consume a lot of current, after which the generator restores the current in the network for the next few seconds - the icon goes out.
But if the ABS does not go out all the time, this already indicates a malfunction of the hydraulic module solenoids. The power supply to the module may have been lost or there was a problem in the solenoids relay (the signal to turn on the relay is not received from the control unit).
it also happens that after starting the engine, the light goes out and starts to light up again when accelerating above 5-7 km / h. This is a sign that the system has failed the factory self-test and all input signals are missing. There is only one way out - check the wiring and all sensors.
ABS light on while driving
When the ABS lights up while driving, such a warning indicates a malfunction of the entire system, or its individual components. Problems can be of the following nature:
- communication failure with one of the wheel sensors;
- breakdowns in the computer;
- violation of the contact of connecting cables;
- failures in each of the sensors.
Most wires break while driving on rough roads. This is due to constant strong vibration and friction. The connection weakens in the connectors and the signal from the sensors disappears or the wire from the sensor frays at the point of contact.
Why does ABS blink on the dashboard
Often there is a situation when the ABS is not constantly on, but flashes. Intermittent light signals indicate the presence of one of the following faults:
Gap between ABS sensor and crown
- one of the sensors has failed or the gap between the sensor and the rotor crown has increased/decreased;
- the terminals on the connectors are worn out or they are completely dirty;
- the battery charge has decreased (the indicator should not fall below 11,4 V) - recharge in a warm aid or replace the battery;
- the valve in the ABS block has failed;
- failure in the computer.
What to do if the ABS is on
The system works normally if the ABS icon lights up when the ignition is turned on and goes out after a couple of seconds. First, hthen you need to perform in the case of a constantly burning ABS light - this is, as part of self-diagnosis, check the fuse of this system, as well as inspect the wheel sensors.
The table below shows the most common problems that caused the ABS light to come on and what to do in each case.
| Breakage nature | elimination method |
|---|---|
| Error code C10FF (on Peugeot cars), P1722 (Nissan) showed that there was a short circuit or open circuit on one of the sensors | Check the integrity of the cables. The wire could break or simply move away from the connector. |
| Code P0500 indicates that there is no signal from one of the wheel speed sensors | The ABS error is in the sensor, not in the wiring. Check if the sensor is installed in the correct position. If, after adjusting its position, the error lights up again, the sensor is faulty. |
| The pressure regulator solenoid valve failed (CHEK and ABS caught fire), diagnostics may show errors С0065, С0070, С0075, С0080, С0085, С0090 (mainly on Lada) or C0121, C0279 | you need to either disassemble the solenoid valve block and check the integrity of the connections of all contacts (legs) on the board, or change the entire block. |
| A breakdown appeared in the power circuit, error C0800 (on Lada cars), 18057 (on Audi) | The fuses need to be checked. The problem is fixed by replacing the one that is responsible for the operation of the anti-lock system. |
| There is no communication on the CAN bus (there are always no signals from the ABS sensors), error C00187 is diagnosed (on VAG cars) | Contact the service center for a comprehensive check. The problem is serious, since the CAN bus connects all the nodes and circuits of the car. |
| ABS sensor on after wheel bearing replacement, error code 00287 is diagnosed (on VAG Volkswagen, Skoda cars) |
|
| After hub replacement light bulb does not turn off | Diagnostics shows error P1722 (mainly on Nissan vehicles). Check the integrity of the wires and the condition of the sensor. Adjust the gap between the crown of the rotor and the edge of the sensor - the norm of the distance is 1 mm. Clean the sensor of possible traces of grease. |
| Icon stays on or flashes after after replacing pads | |
| After replacing the ABS sensor, the light is on, error code 00287 is determined (mainly on Volkswagen cars), C0550 (general) | There are 2 options for solving the problem:
|
An example of an error when performing ABS diagnostics
Quite often, car owners may be intimidated by the appearance of an orange ABS badge after a good slip. In this case, you shouldn't bother at all: slow down a couple of times and everything will go away by itself - a normal reaction of the control unit to such a situation. When the ABS light is not constantly on, and periodically, then you need to inspect all the contacts, and most likely, the cause of the warning indicator lighting can be quickly found and eliminated.
In such cases, it is recommended to conduct a diagnosis. It will help identify problems in the system when either the ABS light comes on at speed, or if the icon does not light at all, but the system is unstable. On many cars, with minor deviations in the operation of the anti-lock braking system, the on-board computer may not even turn on the light.
Сonclusion
After inspecting and seemingly eliminating the cause, it is very easy to check the operation of the ABS, you just need to accelerate to 40 km and brake sharply - the pedal vibration will make itself felt, and the icon will go out.
If a simple check for damage in the sensor circuit to the block did not find anything, then diagnostics will be needed in order to determine the specific error code anti-lock brakes of a particular car model. On cars where an on-board computer is installed, this task is simplified, one has only to clearly understand the decoding of the code, and where a problem could arise.
