How to Diagnose ABS Fault Light on in a Chevrolet

This instruction will show you the four most common causes that illuminate that ABS(ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM) fault as we as the ABS light on in Chevy Colorado. However it’s also similar causes for other model vehicle.

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The most common cause of that ABS light illuminating on your dashboard or instrument cluster is a failed speed sensor.Inspecting the speed sensor can be done with your tire still attached to the vehicle.

First we need to cut all electrical power to your system. Take ten millimeter socket and ratchet remove black negative cable from battery leader and position the actual cable in a way where it’s not going to hop back and make contact with the lead throughout the project.

Take out tire and come on into the inner portion of the actual wheel hub assembly, your speed sensor might just be a slight bit different. However in most cases you have a ten millimeter bolt that secures the speed sensor plate to the actual hub .

Come into the inner portion, you will see the circular portion of your magnetic ring that the speed sensor wiring connects into, and as this wheel spins at high speed, this actual magnetic ring inside here communicates with the speed sensor on the hub assembly as well and sends that reading to the actual on-board computer. All four tires have to be the exact same reading. So this fails it will no longer create that constant reading that the other three are giving thus you will get the ABS fault.

Just inspect this position make sure that there is no heavily coated corrosion no dents or with the actual portion here.

Follow the wiring, all the way up make sure everything is secure, there is no signs of stress (examples of stress would be melted wiring or cuts allowing an electrical shortage), make sure it is firmly secured and inspect all the wring come all the way up to the loops around internal threaded bowl and goes all the way back to the actual electrical connection point.

Remove the sensor from the connection points and on the rear side those are the connection prongs that I compressed and was able to push through those holes.

Your electrical wiring feeds into this electrical connection point,this electrical connection point may gathers moisture inside this plastic housing or you drive through several puddles on the way home in a very high humidity day , or if it’s wintertime and you are gathering a lot of snow in your wheel as well as ice chances are that will interfere with this actual connection point in your ABS system.

What we recommend is slowly and carefully disconnect electrical connection point, there is a tab on the upper portion, you will compress that inward and at the same time shift this electrical connection point off. And you see moisture, let it dry for a few hours and get all that moisture out of there because it is possible that is the ultimate cause of your ABS light on your instrument cluster. So once you inspect that you can put it back into its connection point of the speed sensors.

The speed sensors re secured to the vehicle that has to deal with your wheel hub assembly in the internal magnetic ring as well as this rotor.

First we’ll address the magnetic ring. As the picture showed you, this is circular casing here and inside here is your magnetic ring. As the wheel spins your magnetic ring communicates with your speed sensor and your speed sensor sends that data to the on-board computer.As we mentioned earlier all four tires have to be exact reading which means all four tires have to be spinning at the same speed. However over time these parts fail and the most common cause of this failure is a damaged magnetic ring. As the magnetic ring ages it becomes brittle, weak and  begins to fall apart inside and pieces of the magnetic ring begin to fall off. At that point as your wheel is spinning your speed sensor is no longer gathering a constant or correct reading from the magnetic ring because the magnetic ring is missing pieces, and once it gets to that point your speed sensor sends the signal to the on-board computer that something has gone wrong in your onboard computer ,ABS light comes on your instrument cluster. So it’s possible that you may have to replace this magnetic ring.

you need to make sure that your rotor is not warped or loose. You can do is spin your rotor and there is going to be tension with your rotor and your brake pads that’s normal. If you get to a hard point where it is no longer easy to rotate when you spin it,  check if it has a warp rotor or your rotors not on tight. You need to do is verify that your rotor is secured as well as no visible signs of damage or warping of the actual rotor.

The common cause number three has to do with your fuses. Come inside your engine compartment , you have connection tabs on each side of the case , remove cooling hose for the battery compartment. Careful pull up the cap.

On the inner portion of this cap is smearing the actual layout of your fuses.

In our case ABS 1 and ABS 2 are on the far lower corner, it’s a 30amp and a 40 amp.

Make sure that the fuses are in and secured . if one is loose that could definitely turn on your ABS light. If they are both secured, you need to pull them out and inspect them.

Before inspecting the fuses, inspect internal leads inside first. Make sure it’s not have a lot of corrosion inside. If those look good, then inspect fuses. Make sure the internal portion of the fuse is bot blown or any signs of overheating or burning. Make sure the lower connection leads are not corroded and they’re in good condition.

Same inspecting process for another 10amp fuse.

After do all the first three steps or replaced all the parts, but your ABS light is still on. The last common cause is your ABS control module needs to be replaced.

This is a very dynamic and unique part because it’s the brain of the system and communicates with the entire ABS system and verifies that all ABS pars are properly configured and operating to their normal state.

 

More information about Chevrolet, refer to CHEVROLET TROUBLE REPAIR.