yet another stupid ABS question

1998 D1 300 auto , "link" in below sig . What with all the other exitement I hadnt noticed the lack of ABS light . Havent explored yet but cannot find my blink code list and cant google it either - annoying . Could be missing lamp , blown bulb or removed by previous due to faults . Whichever , needs to be there in a few weeks for the MOT . Since I have to replace the brake master cyl I may as well have a look at this at the same time .

Apart from finding my fault code list what confuses me is the fact that I thought that the ABS got disabled when faulty - on this vehicle I can feel the ABS working when the master cyl plays up or under other hard braking .

Apart from "you're old enough to know better" and "do your own searches you lazy sod" has anyone any comments on this ?

Thanks guys

shocks

PS for anyone who has followed my recent posts re - my dads health troubles....he has finally been admitted to a ward at the hospital while they try to get a proper diagnosis and start a care plan so my elderly mother doesnt have to nurse him solo at home . Thanks for the kind words and thoughts .

If its still working it could just be the bulb thats where i would start

Thinking the same thing mate , but you know how it is , when you are too close to the issue its hard to be objective whereas if its someone elses vehicle its easier to keep a clear view . Thanks for the reply - anyone else ?

The ABS does stop working if its recognises the fault. normally it will notice an obvious fault on one wheel. what can happen is it doesnt notice its faulty due to just receiving the wrong information from the wheel. Mine did that until i took the sensor out, cleaned it and put it back cos there was so much grime on it it blocked the signal.

as for the blub not working try popping a new one in first.

Sounds like a previous owner may have had probs and rather than deal with it they have just removed the bulb!!

It may be a sensor issue, I've had this recently with mine and it turned out to be the front O/S sensor. The symptoms were sometimes when I pressed the brake (didn't matter soft or hard) I could feel the ABS pulsing through the pedal but it was a different feel to what ABS feels like when working properly, much more rapid pulsing and the effort needed increased because the brakes seemed to back off!!

Hope you get it sorted.

yeah mine did that, very scary coming off a motorway slip road and the brakes are just holding you off. i found that a good stamp stopped it doing it. just like to add i did then remove the fuse for it after that moment.

www.meritorhvs.com/MeritorHVS_Documents/mm38.pdf

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f8/disco-1-300-tdi-abs-diagnostics-headache-117078.html

Thanks guys .

NRG , great link , can we get it stickied , mods ? This ABS thing has come up SO many times that it qualifies for a double "F" FAQ , the extra "F" is for "F*cking" . Must remember to laminate the blink code sheet this time !

re: second link .....aaaargh! My head hurts worse than before now !

back on the vehicle , took the binnacle off earlier (isnt that a great word , binnacle ? Like a cross between 'dustbin' and 'monocle' .... binnacle ! binnacle!) and found the bulb hanging loose in the fitting ....put it back in ....you guessed - lit up constant . Soooo.....blink code it tomorrow . Since I have to bleed it after changing the master cyl I may as well have the sensors out and cleaned while Im there .

Funny though - I tried out the ABS yesterday in some handy mud and it worked (some) , now I thought the ABS shut down if there is a fault . Could it be that having the bulb out breaks a circuit and the ABS stays partially on (as mentioned above) ? Just theoretical as I have to fix it for the MOT anyway . Another job I didnt need .....gotta do the head gasket on Kart too .......

shocker said:

I have to fix it for the MOT anyway ....

Click to expand...

Do you??

I assume you are talking about a 300 here? In which case the ABS light comes on when started, but does not go out till 5 mph.

The MOT is a static test.

Therefore "in theory" the tester cannot fail you for the light not going out (unless he is a clever bugger that puts a decelerometer in the boot to check the brakes?? )

I had this at my last MOT. I had identified that I had a faulty sensor but it hadn't arrived. Tester said "does the ABS work?" I replied "last time I needed them they did!"

He then said "does the light go out?" I said "the landrover system fitted here is the one where the light goes out after reaching 5 miles and hour!!"

He said "right answer" and passed it!!

I reckon he knew but he also knows that I maintain my vehicles and that any advisories get fixed within a week of the MOT!!

As it was I replaced the sensor the next day and been fine every day since.

Wont wash round here . We had ministry undercovers go through the region end of last year and nearly all the test stations are on probation . Place I usually use test permanent 4WDs by driving them and braking , thus seeing light go out .

Yes , Mac , its a 300 D1 auto , 98my . Interesting point though , thanks mate

theyre supposed to take 4wd out for a test drive to check the brakes as they cant be put on a normal brake balance tester. so they will notice. also the ABS light should blink once when the ignition is on, if it doesnt it means its got errors stored on it which could do with clearing

Not sure if you fixed it or not as I skipped a few posts but the sensor on one of my wheels was buggered so the ABS worked intermittently as you're describing then it fully failed. It also used to randomly come on even if I was doing 5mph or something low and pressed the brakes to stop in a parking space


Got the fault code read and the sensor replaced, works perfectly now

its amazing how much a magnet on a wire costs isnt it.

Freediscoranger said:

theyre supposed to take 4wd out for a test drive to check the brakes as they cant be put on a normal brake balance tester. so they will notice. also the ABS light should blink once when the ignition is on, if it doesnt it means its got errors stored on it which could do with clearing

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Yes they are, but if they don't have the proper kit then they don't (or at least my tester doesn't!! ) In fact, I've asked around round the area and out of 20 MOT stations round here NO ONE!! has the proper kit to put in the boot!

I've not noticed the single blink? As said above I had a problem and although there were loads of faults recorded I never noticed a single blink?

^^
you get the single blink if the stored faults memory is empty.
no blink, you have stored inactive fault/s

nrgserv said:

^^
you get the single blink if the stored faults memory is empty.
no blink, you have stored inactive fault/s

Click to expand...

Learn something new every day!!

i had same issues with mine changed front sensors but still kept messing around, after a lot of cursing i changed the relay for the abs problem sorted and worked fine from then on, hope this helps if u not fixed it yet, let us all know how ya get on

Spent yesterday with the dash binnacle apart trying to find out if the bulb was faulty or the fitting itself , finally got a new bulb to fit properly as the daylight went .....and the bulb stays on . Hooray . Process of elimination . Fuses all good . Next its relay change , followed by blink codes .

I dont want to address the master cyl intemittent failure issue until I have the ABS nailed as I dont want to repalce the master unless it actually IS the source of the brake performance issue and dont want to bleed it all out twice unless I have to . I have limited time and fitness .

Anyway , thanks for all the interest and replies , I will update as it goes .

Right , got down to blinks - 2/8 no supply to solenoid due to system relay failure . Long winded way of saying "put a new relay in the socket you just took one out of" . Which is a fine result as I have spares a plenty from previous vehicles . Replacement relay in , light goes off when driven . So , now to drive cautiously and see if the master cyl type fault plays up or is cured by this .

Couple of observations which may come in handy for people in future -

The rack of relays in the passenger footwell is a swing down metal frame held up by one 13mm nut . Access to relays is far easier with the panel swung down ...but DO remember to fix it up again as it holds the inertia cut out box which when jogs causes all kind of alarm and flashing light malarky .

On this 98my vehicle the relevent relay is the first one in the inner row . Its a green base and a green relay with FIVE connections rather than the four on the yellow ones .

Again on this 98 vehicle the diagnostic socket under the drivers dash appears to have the pins numbered from the bottom right , right to left . Sort of backwards .

Also rather than taking out the press studs and the plastic kick panel which never seem to go back properly you can press the plastic ears inwards on the socket and back it through the panel and drop it down by the pedals if you need to be sure of the wiring to pins .

So , thanks again for all the input , I will update this if necessary and continue the braking story on my other thread about the master cyl .

BOLLOCKS !!!!! Drive off ....ABS light out......comes back on after 5 seconds or 10 yards . So much for f8cking blink codes .