ABS Light Randomly Comes On

[Travieso]

ABS light comes on randomly. What's the cause and the fix for this? Any ill effects if just ignored?

[SignatureSeriesOwner]

Could be a bad wheel sensor, module, etc. The usual cause is wheel sensors drifting out of spec as they age.

Because the ABS module is separate from the actual braking system, in VA, you will not fail inspection for it.

You can drive it this way with no problems, but you will not have ABS. So, if you have to stop quick, your brakes will likely lock on you.

[Travieso]

Yeah that's what I was afraid of is lock up. You need ABS in L.A. with all these drivers and traffic suddenly stopping on you.

[Fred Kiehl]

The good side of ABS is that it allows you to steer while under heavy braking, the bad side is that your braking distance is noticable longer. Maybe 20 ft. at 55 mph. Good pedal control can get you the best braking distance without lockup. My ABS has left me in the middle of an intersection. I have never gone that far without ABS (in the same car).

It could just be dirt on the tone rings in the front hubs.

[AllenIDOXLR8]

Your sig says you have changed the rear gears. Did you install a new reductor for the 3.08's? If not that is at least part of your problem. A good scanner with brake codes can tell you which sensor is bad or if the box is bad. The ABS boxes seldom go bad but you could have a tiny bit of dirt in a line some where.

[1slow96]

Slightly different tire diameters will also turn on the light from time,to time. A 275/xx on the rear,and 255/xx on the front for example. I got rid of the ABS years ago,and don't miss it one bit. Car stops better/faster without it,and none of these issues again ever.

[Fred Kiehl]

Mine came with the 3.23 gears. There is a difference between the LO3/5 cars and the LT1 cars. You tune the gears with the LT1. The LO5s have a gear set in the VSS

[Travieso]

Thanks guys, no it has 3.08s, never changed em.

[Mr pogo]

without a abs specific scanner about the only thing is to do is ohm out the wheel sensors (the fronts especially) which usually is the cause of random abs faults.
usually the fronts develop a break in the wiring harness due to the flexing during steering.

you could disconnect each sensor harness at the connector on the frame by each wheel, connect an ohm meter and either steer the wheels back and forth or push/pull the harness while looking for the meter to OL to determine the bad sensor.
if they are all good then its abs scanner time.