Wheel Sensor??? Check Traction Control and ABS

AnderbrA

AnderbrA

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Have an issue. This just started about a week ago.

When I first start my car, I get 3 lights. Traction, ABS, and Parking Brake. Traction Control is disabled and the Check Traction Control comes up on the Information Center.

Most of the time if I shut the car off, then start it again, the Traction and Parking Brake light will go off, but the ABS light stays on. Once i start driving, it will go off after a few minutes.

Then when I start it again, all 3 lights come on again. Its getting more and more frequent and now is every time i turn the car on.

I did a search and found a thread under the Mark Viii that said it may have been a wheel sensor, but i dont know if it would be the same. Anybody have any ideas?

Thanks,

~Bryce
 
I never use the parking brake, and if im not mistaken, the parking brake doesnt use the rear brakes. Its a totally different mechanism.
 
Yes - likely a wheel sensor.

I had the same issue - only I would be driving, apply the brake - and the car would act like the ABS was on - rapidly turning off/on the brake pressure. I would catch the speedo jumping around once in a while. Then finally disabling the ABS, turning on the dash lights and throwing 'Check Traction Control' on the console message.

It turned out to be one of the rear ABS sensors (a swapped both). Took 10mins a side to swap - very easy.

BTW - I do believe the parking brake uses the rear brakes - hence the 'wind in' caliper piston.
 
AnderbrA said:
I never use the parking brake, and if im not mistaken, the parking brake doesnt use the rear brakes. Its a totally different mechanism.
Click to expand...

Pull the rear wheels, there you can see a cable going to the calipers. Hit the button & you can even see the cable actuate.
 
ABS plays a roll in the Traction Control correct? Doesnt it apply the brakes when a slip occurs? Among other things. Because my traction control for sure is not on.

I show that the the ABS sensors are about $50-$60 apiece.
 
yes (sort of) the ABS sensors are used - the TC applies brakes to a particular wheel when it detects slip - using the ABS sensors to count wheel rotation.

so - if the wheel sensor is determined to be bad - the PCM then disables ABS (since it cannot use the ABS sensor), and TC is automatically disabled for the same reason.
 
That makes sense....now the only thing that I am not making sense of is why the parking brake light is on as well.
 
what year LS?

There was a TSB on electric parking brake failures on 2003 - they had to correct a bug in the PCM code IIRC.
 
nope, its an '02. I have the manual parking brake. Would the wheel sensor from say the front 2 wheels cause the traction control to be disabled as well, or is it with the rear 2?

I have an appt this afternoon to get codes pulled, hopefully the extended warrantee will cover it and not screw me over like other ones in the past.
 
same thing happened to me and i dont think ive ev er used my parking brake, "check advancetrac" comes up
 
AnderbrA said:
nope, its an '02. I have the manual parking brake. Would the wheel sensor from say the front 2 wheels cause the traction control to be disabled as well, or is it with the rear 2?

I have an appt this afternoon to get codes pulled, hopefully the extended warrantee will cover it and not screw me over like other ones in the past.
Click to expand...


most likely rear wheels - since the parking brake and most of the TC work is there.
 
I may be off base but if the parking cable is loose the brake may not be released completly causing the light to come on
 
Ok, got back from the shop. Apparently the computer wasnt getting any signal from the front drivers side wheel speed sensor. Then it would....They determined my Right Drivers side and Rear Passenger side bearings are shot and are throwing the sensor off. They are replacing both hub assemblies, but its a 2-3day wait for parts from Ford. Since they cleared the codes I havent had the lights come on. At least on the 10mile trip to work. We will see how that goes.

So it wont be fixed until sometime next week. Hopefully it wont happen til then cuz its supposed to snow tomorrow. ;)
 
Well, parts came sooner than expected and they got it done. They replaced the front drivers side and rear passenger side hub assemblies. No more road noise and no more lights....Total cost... $875. For once an extended warranty came in play...cost me $100. Even got a rental car. ;)
 
Outstanding!! Merry Xmas!!

I found it interesting that they found loose bearings as a contributing factor. I would not have thought of that right away...but it sure makes sense. Something I will remember.
 
AnderbrA said:
ABS plays a roll in the Traction Control correct? Doesnt it apply the brakes when a slip occurs? Among other things. Because my traction control for sure is not on.

I show that the the ABS sensors are about $50-$60 apiece.
Click to expand...

Where did you get the sensors? I'm not having any luck finding them. I have yet to go to the dealer.
 
IB it's a dealer only....

which means you can get it from one of the Ford parts resellers - like FastPartsNetwork or Team Ford...
 
i just had the same thing and it turned out to be my front passenger side bearings. When they replaced those the lights went off with it.
 
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