aprizigl

Hello all!
So i am new to this site and new to working on cars so please be patient with me.

I recently replaced my passenger mount. I forgot to disconnect the batter during this process, and after installation I got 2 codes in the pannel ABS and TCS. I checked these with a scanner and got 51-3 code, power ON code. I guess this means "ABS Motor Relay" is short circuited when power is on. We were able to delete the code when the power is off in the car, however as soon as we turn on the vehicle the same code comes on.

My question is this.
1. where is the ABS Motor Relay located?
2. If i replace it, should this fix the problem?

thanks for all your help..
feel free to email me and i will check back the thread soon!

poorman212

A code 51 I read as "Motor Lock"?

Anyway, I would inspect all of the fuses.....might have shorted something while doing the "other work".

There should be an ABS Relay box under the hood....next to the under hood fuse box.

aprizigl

So I checked the fuses and everything looks pretty good, they look congruent and intact. is the ABS relay box to the left of the fuses box? here is the picture.

poorman212

Yep, that is the one......One relay is for the pump and the other is a "fail safe relay".....sorry too tired to look at which is which but to pull them and test them is not that hard....pretty sure they are both simple four pin relays, again didn't go back and check the service manual.

The under hood fuse box....the one to the right...has about two fuses that need to be checked. Sorry but by the pic it doesn't look like the cover has been removed recently....the dust/dirt doesn't have finger prints

aprizigl

how would I test it? would a multimeter work?

poorman212

Yea, that would work. Again it is a simple four pin relay.

Meaning two pins have the "coil" that closes when power and ground are applied. The other two pins are what "carries" the voltage when the "coil" is closed.

The pump relay and fail safe relay "look" the same but are wired differently inside......type 1(a) vs type 2(b).

The fail safe relay is type 1 (a). So the way t works is power and ground is applied to pins 3 and 4 the relay closes and there is continuity across pins 1 and 2, none when power and ground are removed.

The ABS motor relay is a type 2 (b). So when power and ground are applied to pins 2 and 4 there should be continuity between pins 1 and 3, none when power and ground are removed.

Now when I say power and ground to pins x and y that means power to one and ground to the other.

Not sure of what type of meter you have but there are some tests you can do to find the "coil" pins of the relay as well.

If the relay(s) test good then we are looking at/for the inputs to the relay......there should be power and ground to two of the pins to "close the coil" side of the relay.....then one pin should be "hot" and the other pin goes to the "motor"/system it is to power.

poorman212

Edit: added pic of the relay internals.....in this 2 and 4 get power and ground that pulls the "coil" and makes pins 1 and 3 "pass" the power/connection.

Trust me I hate this stuff............

aprizigl

Hey man, thanks for the help. this explained it really well. I tested the relays all 3 of them on he left side in the ABS fuse box, however all 3 relays work well. I ran a 12 V current through the coil and heard a good snapping then checked the resistance through the solenoid and that also was nearly 0. so there is a good current. is there another spot to look for relays other than those two spots??

Andrew.

poorman212

Just me but to rule things out, I would test the inputs to the relay(s).

Also just so I'm clear, at first I assumed this was a 4 cyl car but now that I re-read this I'm starting to think this is a 6 cyl. There are some differences so I'd like to be clear on exactly the set up you have,

aprizigl

yes sir, it is a V6 model, sorry I was not clear on that. Just to be clear, how would I test the inputs, I only have a multi-meter, would investing in something else be worthwhile?

aprizigl

so here is the deal, I was going to replace the module, i had everything ready to bleed the breaks. I had gotten the abs module used for 48$. I was on a mission to fix this problem. and then i saw a loose wire.... ground wire, so i decided to get this checked first, prior to my big project. sure enough, the lights went right off.... wow.
i feel dumb.

aprizigl

here is the image. the ground wire is on the left. power of prayer.

poorman212

I like the simple fixes

Glad you found the issue.