ABS issue

Discuss any problems, warranty, repair, or replacement issues you are having with your Vibe & Matrix
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Jamesleo82
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2017 11:27 am

ABS issue

Post by Jamesleo82 »

This is an odd one. ABS and brake light are on. Abs code states RR sensor. We tested rear sensor with meter and we get readings from them when we spin the wheels. However, when it's up in the air the and spin The the wheel separately, the computer says. RF is RF, LF is RF, LR is LF and we get nothing from the RR. Sounds like the ABS module is bad. Could a bad front sensor be causing any issue?

We also tried new wheel bearings on the back and received the same thing.
Last edited by Jamesleo82 on Sat Aug 19, 2017 5:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jamesleo82
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2017 11:27 am

Re: ABS issue

Post by Jamesleo82 »

I have a 2003 Pontiac vibe get with 139k Miles.
This is my 2nd vibe and I've fixed lots of issues in the past with help from here. However, I did not see anything regarding this issue.

Thank you much!
jolt
Posts: 945
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:07 am
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota

Re: ABS issue

Post by jolt »

I know that the second gen Vibe has rear ABS sensor problems because of bad connections at the sensor plug to the wire harness. It is due to corrosion on the contacts and wires crimp connectors in the sockets. The first thing to check is the connector at the sensors for dirt and corrosion. New wiring harness and sensor replacement is required to get a good connection in the socket. Use dielectric grease in new socket to seal out water and prevent corrosion to connector.

If you do a search, you should find more info.
Jamesleo82
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2017 11:27 am

Re: ABS issue

Post by Jamesleo82 »

We did check the connections and they all looked very clean and free of corrosion.
jolt
Posts: 945
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:07 am
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota

Re: ABS issue

Post by jolt »

So what scanner codes are you getting from the ABS? What year is your Vibe?

Test your sensor output at the Brake Actuator Assembly. Pull the connector out of the unit. On the second gen Vibes, the right side rear sensor are wires colored Red and Green at the Brake Actuator Assembly. Connector pin numbers 17 and 16. These wires will be side by side in the connector. Test your senor output there to see if the signal is getting to the unit. There are two connectors between the sensor and the controller for each sensor. If you are not getting a signal at the unit then you have a bad connection or broken wiring somewhere between the the unit and the sensor that you tested.
Jamesleo82
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2017 11:27 am

Re: ABS issue

Post by Jamesleo82 »

It is a 2003 Gt
The code that it was pulling was a P0500.

Could be any of the following:

open or short in speed sensor circuit - is there a typical location this can occur?
speed sensor - tested these and they appear to be ok.
combination meter - what is this?
ECM
Stability Control ECU - I don't have stability control

We tried another ABS module and still receiving the same thing.

Around the same time the ABS light was coming and going, there was a check engine light that stated it was the upstream O2 sensor. replaced it and the lights (ABS, brake and CEL) went out for a short time and then returned. After further investigation, the issue was actually the charcoal canister purge valve. I replaced this and all dash lights when out. a couple week later, the ABS and brake light came back on and have not gone out. I cannot see the two being related.
jolt
Posts: 945
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:07 am
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota

Re: ABS issue

Post by jolt »

The PO500 code is for the P0500 TOYOTA - Vehicle Speed Sensor 'A'. This is not a code for an ABS issue. That code has nothing to do with brakes or ABS.

Edit, I take that back as some of the 2003 use the wheel sensors as the speed sensor. That is what I ran across digging on the web. The "P" series of codes are power train codes and the "C" series of codes are for chassis, which includes the ABS system. You need a reader that does ABS to pull the "C" codes for the ABS. When I seen the P code, I know it was not an ABS code. I am sorry about that. What gets strange is that 2003 automatic transmissions all have a speed sensor but with the manual transmissions, some may have a speed sensor and some may not. The ones that do not have the speed sensor are kind of left out in wonder land because the information is not clear.

If you have a speed sensor on your transmission bell housing then you need to check that sensor which is different then the wheel sensors. Here is link for P0500 code testing:
http://madstyle1972.com/Repair/05/200o8c04/cip0500.pdf

If you do not have a speed sensor on your transmission then you need to test the wheel sensors and you should also get "C" codes from an ABS code reader to help find the problem. Here is a link for that:
http://madstyle1972.com/Repair/05/2011i/cic02003.pdf

Here is an link and read the link to see the confusion about the sensors. http://matrixowners.com/index.php?/topi ... t-come-on/

You will probably run into conflicting information on this because of the "odd duck" of being with or without a true speed sensor.

Here is another read: http://matrixowners.com/index.php?/topi ... cel-p0500/

Combination Meter : http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t ... meter.html
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