Three Amigo's

Before anyone asks I have done a search this and have checked the resistance of the sensors, all OK, have changed the brake light switch, which made no difference. My problem is the lights started to stay on a few days ago but will go off when the car has warmed up, and is switched off and restarted again which made me think it was switch orientated, as in when warm contacts expand and make better contact. Once they have gone off they usually stay off as long as the car is warm. All the brakes are fine all inspected and cleaned and readjusted, all rotors were sprayed with brake cleaner and blown out with the air line. No punctures and tyres are all new 3months ago. Once they are off the hdc and abs work fine.Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Have you tried reseating the ABS sensors?

whythehellnot? said:

Have you tried reseating the ABS sensors?

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No not tried reseating but tonight I noticed that when I left work the lights were on, went 4 miles down the motorway pulled off at the next junction switched off and restarted and the lights went off, so continued on home and as I backed off the accelerator at my off slip the lights returned, tried switching off and on again no resonse. next roundabout tried again and they went out again, could it be anything to do with the throttle position sensor?? have had the fault code reader connected and it shows nothing, any advice would be appreciated.

Hiya,

The ABS sensors are quite sensitive to knocks or misalignment so i'd suggest buying a new bush and reseating both of them. Unfortunately, as they are alloy and the hub is steel, you may well find that they are jammed in place. I'm going to be removing mine this weekend with the help of a slide hammer. The trick is to use plenty of copper grease if you do manage to get them out, and make it a regular thing to check and grease.

You could have a reluctor ring away. The front ones are easier to check. Have a look underneath and on each hub you will see a small squareish opening. Inside you will see the reluctor which is a perforated strip around the inner hub. They can crack and slip which will show as a fault. With use it could grip again and rotate with the hub as normal showing no fault. Best to plug into Launch or Testbook to see which wheel has a stored fault and go from there.

.......especially if you have checked the sensors and switches and they are all ok it does point to mechanical failure rather than electrical.

Thanks guys for the input, have already checked the reluctor rings, today I have had all the connectors I could find separarated the and sprayed everything I could find that was to do with the 3 amigo circuits with contact cleaner I pulled fuses, relays plus anything else that got in the way. Result was that on initial startup lights were on, 5 yards down the road switch off and on the lights went off, 1hr later turned ignition on and lights went off as they should do. Have not checked again due to work this afternoon and used the MGF so fingers crossed for tomorrow.
But a big Thanks to everyone for their ideas and input, it all helps.

Well, latest update is that this morning switched on and lights stayed on, drove around block tried again and light were still on, to say I am puzzled is an understatement. The only thing I discovered when checking all the brakes last weekend was that the o/s handbrake cable nylon coating on the inner cable had started to break up but I removed the offending parts and the handbrake worked fine, will replace that on my next day off. So back to head scratching again!!!

OK, so have you reseated the ABS sensors yet?

whythehellnot? said:

OK, so have you reseated the ABS sensors yet?

Click to expand...

No tried to move them yesterday and they are all solid, sprayed them with penetrating oil (not WD40) will try again this weekend. The only thing I remember from when it started was the back brakes had stuck on ? lack of use and wet weather over xmas and when I drove off there was a loud bang from the n/s rear,but it's the o/s cable that has the problem, took wife and grandaughter shopping and it was while I was waiting for them (bloody ages) and I was starting the engine to demist the windows that I noticed the light coming on, as I had just fitted a new gearlever gaitor I checked the wires for the hdc and when I unplugged it and reconnected the lights went out. I have since checked the voltage at the socket and get 12v everytime.

Any joy with this as i have the same 3 little gits too.......

Not tested anyting yet, but my Front Left brake caliper had jammed on, not sure for how long, but when I eventually spotted it or smelt it, I sorted it out, The 3 Amigos alerted me to this also, as they has popped up,

Could the excessive heat on this wheel/hub have broken the sensor in some way?

Cant remove it as its stuck solid, will need a replacement 1st just incase it breaks on its way out.

Will do a resistance test and check the reluctor rings if I can.

Done a resistance check and the LF ABS sensor (the one that over heated due to sticking piston) reads 8meg ohms so is fooked I presume, as the other reads 1200 ohms.

Where is best to buy a new sensor? can the ones on ebay be trusted? some range in price from £36 to £277 ??????????WTF

When fitting the new one is it ok to use copper grease as an anti sieze paste or will the copper in the grease interfere with the sensor?

I've done a few sensors lately. They need drilled out (careful you dont go right through to the ring though). No prob in using a bit grease they work on magnetism as long as you get it close enough in but not touching. As far as your sticking caliper is concerned, I had the very same until yesterday. Ended up taking the piston out, cleaning it up and refitting it. (Did both sides so no imbalance). The alternative is to change the caliper but there's no fun in spending £60+ per side when a couple of hours sorts them. I got my sensors from ebay £45ish a time from dessy367. They are Wabco sensors and they work. That's my experience.

Yep I seen the ones on eBay dressy is selling.I did not know they were wabco thou otherwise I would have bought from him. The one I pulled out was a wabco one. Are these original oem ones.? I bought from a company called autosense for £40 inc p&p in the end. No idea what make it is yet.

As for drilling the sensor out. I pulled and twisted it out. But just the plastic part came out. I thought this was normal until I seen a picture of a new one.? Is it the metal part I need to drill out? Or should this easily pull out now the plastic inner part has come out.

No, you'll need to drill it. The plastic head always comes off. What I do is drill off centre with a 4 or 5 mm drill. This avoids the magnet that runs up the middle. Once you get through to the copper wool near the end you are nearly there. A thin screwdriver or punch then needs tapped down between the metal sleeve and the bore in the hub then squirt WD40 or similar down it. A bit of wiggling, hammering and drilling loosens it then you can get a hold of it with a pair of long nose pliers and pull it out. I usually avoid putting anything behind it to push as there is always the risk you can damage the reluctor. Dessy's are Wabco which are OEM but as long as they work and put the lights out who cares? The other method of doing them is to remove the hub and heat etc but thats more work and like I say the method I've described is what I've done to this Hippobeast over the period of ownership. (I have also had to renew two reluctor rings and one hub but that's another story.)

This is what I meant as in the picture?


I presume the metal casing which is for now left inside the hub while I wait for new sensor, should this just pull out as the inner plastic sensor is removed??? Or will I still have to drill this.



Also to add to my woes, my rear windor regulator cable has snapped, O the joys of owning a Hippo:doh:

That's mostly out. All that needs to come out now is the metal sleeve. Knock a thin punch or screwdriver between it and the hub and do the old oil and wiggle. It should free and slide out. I wish they'd all come out like that, it would save the drilling and about an hour's time.