ABS is not quite right!

[Jonny Boaterboy]

I seem to be developing a problem with my ABS, when I start the engine the orange warning lights sometimes do not go off, isolating it, and indicating theres a fault. If you turn the ignion off and then back on the lights go of and normal operation is achived..... well almost, when the system is working the ABS kicks in every time just befor I come to a stop weather I've lost traction or not. I have also found that use of the ABS system i.e. the traction control will, after working for a short time triger the orange lights to come on and isolate the system indicating theres a fault.

Does any one know why this is happening and how to fix it? Is there a major spend coming my way or is there a cheep fix! (would like to keep the ABS system so pulling the fuse is not an option.... yet!)

Thanks alll Happy Christmas

Jonny

[Pete]

You could try checking the gap on the wheel sensors.
 Pete.

[Range Rover Blues]

Simple answer is a blink test, that will show you what's amiss.  The light not going out straight away could be a problem with the pressure switch.

[Jonny Boaterboy]

Thanks very much, Pete, RRB you were both right! I took it to my local Land Rover Garage and they pluged it in. The following codes came up:

Blink Code: 2,4 Front right wheel sensor airgap too large
Blink Code: 8,4 Front right wheel sensor open circuit Intermittent
Blink Code: 10,4 Front right wheel sensor airgap too large
Blink Code: 10,6 Front left wheel sensor Airgap too large
Blink Code: 12,6 Fault code NOT allocated

I brought a new offside front ABS wheel sensor (£119) and put that on, and relocated the nearside sensor. Which seems to have cured the warning lights coming on. However, the abs is still activating when i come to a stop, not every time but probable about 50/50 just as Im about to stop it kicks in for a cuple of seconds!

Have you any ideas why this is happening?

Thanks alot

Jonny

[Range Rover Blues]

Hm, a fault coed not allowed, that's odd. I remeber from somewhere that depending what system you use the fault coeds can return different messages, as they are interpreted by the reader.  Some codes don't come out by the blink test but do come out with Rovacom for example.

You can easily do the blonk test yourself now, so have another look and see if there is a fault still logged.  It could be a valve problem or something.

[Dr Strangeglove]

How much do you use your rangie?  My ABS can click a little when I have not run if for a while.  It goes within a couple of uses.

[Jonny Boaterboy]

Well I have been back to the garage and they spent an hour or so trying to get the orange warning light (ABS & Traction control) to go off. He told me that all the fault codes have cleared but he carnt get the warning light to go out. He said to drop it round when he had more time to try and work it out, (which is fair enogh as he didn't charge me for the hour he spent on it!)

I also have the red low brake pad warning light on as well just in case any one might make a link between the two!

Dr Strangeglove, yes the Range rover is used every day, the garage folk said the ABS kicking in was due to it not knowing what to do while the fault codes were logged. I have only diven it back from the garage as yet so have not noticed whether it is still doing it or not now the codes have been cleared!

Mr blues, thanks for your input again! Have you ever changed the timing chain on a V8? I ask because mine is leaking coolent from the the front cover...... I think! I thought it was from the waterpump but I had a look the other day and saw what I thought was a crack/hole where the front cover mates with the main engine block. I have had a read through the manual and it seems fairly streight forward just quite involved. How do I know if the chain needs changing? the Range Rover has done 150,000 and I have no info of when it was changed if ever! if I am doing the front cover gasket I might as well do the chain as well.......? Is there anything else I should do while Im at it!

So is it a Job I can do or is It better left to some one else?

Thanks all again

Jonny

[Smego]

mine did that just after the rear right wheel bearing went, had it adjusted and that improved it but still happened the wierd thing is the TC and ABS still worked, used to get rid on it by restarting the engine in N while slowly coasting.

[Jonny Boaterboy]

Yep I have worked that one out too..... but would like to fix it properly as its a pain in the arse have to do that all the time! Thanks anyway!

[Range Rover Blues]

At 150,000 I'd say the chain needs swapping if you are in there anyway.  Even if it's still running fine the timing will have started to "scatter" due to the wear in the chain (no tensioner) so for what it costs I'd do it on a sound engine.

Another alternative is some instant bodge-in-a-can.  I had a similar leaks on the TDi and having just spent a fortune on the head I didn't want it off the road again in this weather, so I put some K-Seal in.  Job done.

This is the stuff my mate sells, it's been very effective, VERY or this is easier to use but not so good for big cracks.

Belt and braces, use both, leaving the K-Seal in permentantly.

Any questions ring Phil and ask him

[Jonny Boaterboy]

Thanks RRB think I will have a go at replacing the the gasket as well as the chain...... when it warms up a bit!

The ABS has stoped kicking in now and seems to be working fine apart from the warning lights on the dash but hopefully will get that sorted soon

Thanks all Merry christmas

Jonny

[Range Rover Blues]

If it works but you have the lights it won't be werious, run a blink test on it yourself, it takes less than an hour and all you need is a bit of wire

[Jonny Boaterboy]

O.K. RRB how do you do a blink test yourself? And how do you determin what they are telling you? More to the point can you clear the fault codes yourself? I ask as Im planing a trip to the artic circle in the futre and if you can clear falt codes in the feild it would give me alot more cofidence.

I can just see me been stuck in -30, riding on the bumpstops because a valve on the air Suspension got stuck with no way of reseting the fault codes and geting theSuspension working again untill I reach..... well somone with a test book! I wish they would have put a reset button on there to enable you to do this... but then again, think of all the money they would have lost!!


Thanks..... 6 days to go!

[Range Rover Blues]

Ok, air suspension, get on flea bay and buy yourself one of those kits (sold for the P38) that has a schreader (tyre) valve for each corner, you can manually inflate.

Otherwise you could learnt hepounout for the EAS ECU and open the inlet valves youreself.

The ABS in comparison is easy.

Under the passengers's seat is a relay, onmine is the back one of 3 and in a blue socket.  It's the relay for the ABS light and needs pulling out.

Under the front of the seat is a square plug with 3 wires and a loop back to earth. Unplug it and short the balck and balck/purple wires together.  The ABS light will blink out a fault code.  It wil keep blinking the code untill you remove the jumper wire at which point that code is cleared form the memory.  Next time you insert the jumper the ABS light will flash the next most recent fault.  Keep going 'tillthere are no more fault logged, replace the relay and test it.

If you are going abroad I strongly recomend you take the Haynes manual, it has the ABS blink test in detail plus details of the engine ECU.  Otherwise a CD copy of RAVE or the Rage Rover manuals will also have the same info plus details of the EAS system.

If your compressor goes you can also IIRC inflate the system by connecting t the input of the compressor (just visible underneath0 and inflatingt hetank, then letting the EAS self-level before disabling it completely by removing the diagnostic plug under the front of the driver's seat.