ABS light is permanently on on my Bravo 1.8 dash - what do I need to check 
before taking it to Fiat for a diagnostic?

Cheers

Hellraiser.........>

The message 
from "Hellraiser"  contains these words:


> ABS light is permanently on on my Bravo 1.8 dash - what do I need to check 
> before taking it to Fiat for a diagnostic?


Brake lights.

-- 
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

"Guy King"  wrote in message 
news:31303030343237394304DD4630@zetnet.co.uk...

> The message 
> from "Hellraiser"  contains these 
> words:
>
>> ABS light is permanently on on my Bravo 1.8 dash - what do I need to 
>> check
>> before taking it to Fiat for a diagnostic?
>
> Brake lights.


????  Will that really freak out an ABS system???

Hellraiser...........>

Hellraiser (hellraiser1@nospam.blueyonder.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding 
much like they were saying :


>>> ABS light is permanently on on my Bravo 1.8 dash - what do I need to 
>>> check before taking it to Fiat for a diagnostic?

>> Brake lights.

> ????  Will that really freak out an ABS system???


Not normally, no.

I s'pose that Fiat might have put some wierd ABS system on that 
incorporates a brake-light bulb failure warning, but... <shrug>

Still - for the amount of time it'll take to rule it out, it's got to be 
worth a check.

"Hellraiser"  wrote in message
news:3mk09sF17a7fmU1@individual.net...

> ABS light is permanently on on my Bravo 1.8 dash - what do I need to check
> before taking it to Fiat for a diagnostic?
>


If the light is on at engine start without the car even moving, then 9 times
out of 10 its a wheel sensor short or open circuit.

Tim..

"Hellraiser"  wrote in message
news:3mk09sF17a7fmU1@individual.net...

> ABS light is permanently on on my Bravo 1.8 dash - what do I need to check
> before taking it to Fiat for a diagnostic?


Wheel sensors seem to be the most common cause for ABS faults.
Mike.

The message 
from "Hellraiser"  contains these words:


> > Brake lights.

> ????  Will that really freak out an ABS system???


Yes, on some systems. Some use the brake light switch to detect that the
pedal's been pushed, and without the load on the line, the voltage
doesn't go up and down when you press it.

-- 
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

"Mike G"  wrote in message 
news:4304df87$0$97124$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net...

>
> "Hellraiser"  wrote in message
> news:3mk09sF17a7fmU1@individual.net...
>> ABS light is permanently on on my Bravo 1.8 dash - what do I need to 
>> check
>> before taking it to Fiat for a diagnostic?
>
> Wheel sensors seem to be the most common cause for ABS faults.


Cheers all - thought I'd sorted it cos it went off yesterday, but came on 
soon as I started moving, so I guess I got a dodgy wheel sensor. Any way to 
find out which one, short of giving Fiat 30 folding for a diag check?

Hellraiser...........>

"Hellraiser"  wrote in message
news:3mkgb3F17e6i2U1@individual.net...

>
> "Mike G"  wrote in message
> news:4304df87$0$97124$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net...
> >
> > "Hellraiser"  wrote in message
> > news:3mk09sF17a7fmU1@individual.net...
> >> ABS light is permanently on on my Bravo 1.8 dash - what do I need to
> >> check
> >> before taking it to Fiat for a diagnostic?
> >
> > Wheel sensors seem to be the most common cause for ABS faults.
>
> Cheers all - thought I'd sorted it cos it went off yesterday, but came on
> soon as I started moving, so I guess I got a dodgy wheel sensor. Any way
to
> find out which one, short of giving Fiat 30 folding for a diag check?


Basically the sensors are small magnets surrounded by a coil, so as the
toothed ABS sensor ring spins, a current is generated.
With a DVM, check each one for resistance. Dunno what the actual readings
should be for your car. They could be anything between 600 and 2000 ohms,
but obviously the two fronts should be the same, and the same for the rears.
Set the DVM for volts and spin the wheel. You should get a reading of 50-700
MV.
Check the contacts in the plug are clean, and also the sensor rings.
Excessive brake dust can also cause ABS faults to show. Metallic particles
can get stuck to the magnets in the sensors.
If all sensors check out, maybe it's time for a visit to the dealer as the
fault could possibly be in the ABS modulator.
Mike.

In article , Hellraiser <hellraiser1@nos
pam.blueyonder.co.uk> writes


>> Brake lights.
>
>????  Will that really freak out an ABS system???


It did on my Cavalier.  Couldn't believe it either but it did.

>> Cheers all - thought I'd sorted it cos it went off yesterday, but came on
>> soon as I started moving, so I guess I got a dodgy wheel sensor. Any way
> to
>> find out which one, short of giving Fiat 30 folding for a diag check?
>
> Basically the sensors are small magnets surrounded by a coil, so as the
> toothed ABS sensor ring spins, a current is generated.
> With a DVM, check each one for resistance. Dunno what the actual readings
> should be for your car. They could be anything between 600 and 2000 ohms,
> but obviously the two fronts should be the same, and the same for the 
> rears.
> Set the DVM for volts and spin the wheel. You should get a reading of 
> 50-700
> MV.
> Check the contacts in the plug are clean, and also the sensor rings.
> Excessive brake dust can also cause ABS faults to show. Metallic particles
> can get stuck to the magnets in the sensors.
> If all sensors check out, maybe it's time for a visit to the dealer as the
> fault could possibly be in the ABS modulator.
> Mike.


Thanks for this Mike, when my hangover has worn off tomorrow I'll start 
getting wheels off! Just wondering if that hooky copy of Autodata will tell 
me which pins to check....

Hellraiser...........>

Hi Hellraiser

Just a word of warning.  Taking the wheels off may not help you much.

Normally the sensors come with a continuous lead and end plug, i.e. no plug 
on the sensor end!

The plug/connector to the car witing loom is INBOARD of the vehicle.  Trace 
the wire from the sensor into the bodywork.  If no connectors are found 
enroute then the connecotr will be found just inside the car, normally 
withing six inches of where the sensor cable enter the Bodywork.  This will 
almost always be in an expected dry area.  Often one has to dig behind the 
internal trim to find the connector.

Nick /////

> Just a word of warning.  Taking the wheels off may not help you much.
>
> Normally the sensors come with a continuous lead and end plug, i.e. no 
> plug on the sensor end!
>
> The plug/connector to the car witing loom is INBOARD of the vehicle. 
> Trace the wire from the sensor into the bodywork.  If no connectors are 
> found enroute then the connecotr will be found just inside the car, 
> normally withing six inches of where the sensor cable enter the Bodywork. 
> This will almost always be in an expected dry area.  Often one has to dig 
> behind the internal trim to find the connector.
>


Cheers for that Nick, as and when the hangover clears I'll have a forage :)

Hellraiser..........>

"Hellraiser"  wrote in message 
news:3mk09sF17a7fmU1@individual.net...

> ABS light is permanently on on my Bravo 1.8 dash - what do I need to check 
> before taking it to Fiat for a diagnostic?


Wow. Done nothing to this car for a fortnight (was gonna drop it in for a 
diag when I got chance), hit a speedbump and the ABS light went out. Been 
working fine ever since!

Who says speedbumps are bad :)

Hellraiser............>

In article , hellraiser1
@nospam.blueyonder.co.uk says...

> 
> "Hellraiser"  wrote in message 
> news:3mk09sF17a7fmU1@individual.net...
> > ABS light is permanently on on my Bravo 1.8 dash - what do I need to check 
> > before taking it to Fiat for a diagnostic?
> 
> Wow. Done nothing to this car for a fortnight (was gonna drop it in for a 
> diag when I got chance), hit a speedbump and the ABS light went out. Been 
> working fine ever since!
> 
> Who says speedbumps are bad :)



Me! Car passed it's MOT yesterday with 2 advisories (sp?). 

Front shocker, and anti-rollbar bush split, drop link damage. You can 
put is down to speed numps and potholes, both of which exist in large 
quantities round where I live.


As an aside, anyone know why exactly Kwik-Fit aren't allowed to do the 
front shockers on Bravas? (Not that I was going there, but wanted to 
price it, so I could haggle with somewhere else).

-- 
AG

Remove removes from address to remove anti-spam measures.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Alan Gauton           E-Mail agauton @ postmaster.co.uk

Never for me the lowered banner, never the last endeavour! 
					    (Damon Hill - 16th June 1999)

> Me! Car passed it's MOT yesterday with 2 advisories (sp?).
>
> Front shocker, and anti-rollbar bush split, drop link damage. You can
> put is down to speed numps and potholes, both of which exist in large
> quantities round where I live.
>
>
> As an aside, anyone know why exactly Kwik-Fit aren't allowed to do the
> front shockers on Bravas? (Not that I was going there, but wanted to
> price it, so I could haggle with somewhere else).


Presumably 'cos they might have to do some work to change them :)  Avoid 
Kwik Fit, they quoted me over 200 quid to sort out a duff brake hose on a 
Punto, saying it would have caused the caliper to stick on (!), which would 
have worn the pads and most likely the disks..... yeah right, 10 quid to 
Fiat for a pipe and 20 mins work, sorted :)  There's nothing unusual about 
the shocks on a Bravo/a, go to someone with a clue :)

Hellraiser............>