Honda Accord (1990 - 2002) Includes 1997 - 1999 Acura CL

Do Abs sensors really go bad?

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Old 10-16-2005, 04:01 PM
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Default Do Abs sensors really go bad?

Ive got a 94 accord ex. Abs light is on. I checked the code it gave me a 4-8; which is the left rear wheel sensor. Do these sensors really go bad? I took the sensor out and it was obviously dirty etc. I cleaned it up and it didn't fix anything. My next step was to just swap the left and right sensors to see if the right rear wheel bombs. I was just wondering if I need to plan on looking for a new sensor.


Thanks
-Dan
Old 10-16-2005, 04:07 PM
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Default Re: Do Abs sensors really go bad? (citrus3000psi)

i believe it is not the sensor, but rather an issue with the vacum lines that cause the sensor to show a failure...

the ABS stuff as been covered a billion times, and i can say i still dont understand it. the same thing is wrong with my car, and after consulting mechanics, techs, HT, every manual i can find, i still dont understand beause so many things are contradictary...

abs is overrated
Old 10-16-2005, 04:19 PM
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Default Re: Do Abs sensors really go bad? (citrus3000psi)

yes, they do...i had a friends go out on an integra, went to the junk yard and picked up a new one, replaced it. problem fixed..
Old 10-16-2005, 05:33 PM
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Default Re: Do Abs sensors really go bad? (fw190bvi)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fw190bvi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i believe it is not the sensor, but rather an issue with the vacum lines that cause the sensor to show a failure...

the ABS stuff as been covered a billion times, and i can say i still dont understand it. the same thing is wrong with my car, and after consulting mechanics, techs, HT, every manual i can find, i still dont understand beause so many things are contradictary...

abs is overrated </TD></TR></TABLE>

I've checked the helms...And they list about 6-8 things that could cause the problem.

Main ones they list are:

Sensor itself
Wire from ABS to sensor
improper ground
ABS module
Air gap between sensor and puslar
missing pulsar teeth
and something about not the wheel being able to spin when abs is activated. (This one said it required a special control box to activate the abs to test.)

I don't remember anything being described with pressurized lines reguarding the wheel sensors. But I guess I need to go back over it again.

My plan was to swap the sensors this would/can prove if the sensor is busted and/or the connectivity from the abs unit to the sensor.

If everything shows good then i will take the rotor crap off to check the pulsar teeth to make sure they are all there. Also check the air garp while im at it.

I was kind hoping the sensor would be bad just becuase that would be the easiet fix.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">abs is overrated </TD></TR></TABLE>
This is my winter car and Indiana can have some harsh winters.


-Dan...
Old 10-16-2005, 06:10 PM
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Default Re: Do Abs sensors really go bad? (citrus3000psi)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by citrus3000psi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ive got a 94 accord ex. Abs light is on. I checked the code it gave me a 4-8; which is the left rear wheel sensor. Do these sensors really go bad? I took the sensor out and it was obviously dirty etc. I cleaned it up and it didn't fix anything. My next step was to just swap the left and right sensors to see if the right rear wheel bombs. I was just wondering if I need to plan on looking for a new sensor.


Thanks
-Dan</TD></TR></TABLE>

As a tech in the field I can tell you that when a customer comes in with a ABS light on.... 99% of the time it is a failed ABS sensor. They are pretty common. Failures occur for a couple of reasons.... the most common being corrosion and road salt. An ABS wheel speed sensor is basically a pulse magnetic generator. Without getting too technical, voltage or electricity can be produced by a moving a magnet near a piece or ferrous metal. This principal is used in alot of different automotive systems.... from an ignition pick-up coil to the Vehicle Speed sensor, to the motor revolution sensor on the Ody power sliding doors. In simple terms, they produce alternating current voltage that gets higher as speed increases... there by creating an effective manner in which to measure speed. All that aside, the quickest wat to test an ABS sensor is measure the resistance of the sensor. A good sensor should be anywhere from 600-1600 ohms... depending on the spec. When a sensor fails.... it fails bad. You will usually see resistance over 1,000,000 ohms.... or 1megaohm. Just check your sensor, and when you get the high reading that I expect.... replace the sensor. Good luck.

Also, ABS is not overrated. It is a great addition to the braking system of the modern automobile. If every driver had the ability to modulate the brake pedal when in a skid, at several hundred times a second.... we would not need ABS. However, no one can do this. The best driver's in the world are still limited by the traction on the road surface, ABS helps you maintain control in low traction situations.
Old 10-17-2005, 04:31 AM
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Default Re: Do Abs sensors really go bad? (HondaTechPro)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HondaTechPro &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

As a tech in the field I can tell you that when a customer comes in with a ABS light on.... 99% of the time it is a failed ABS sensor. They are pretty common. Failures occur for a couple of reasons.... the most common being corrosion and road salt. An ABS wheel speed sensor is basically a pulse magnetic generator. Without getting too technical, voltage or electricity can be produced by a moving a magnet near a piece or ferrous metal. This principal is used in alot of different automotive systems.... from an ignition pick-up coil to the Vehicle Speed sensor, to the motor revolution sensor on the Ody power sliding doors. In simple terms, they produce alternating current voltage that gets higher as speed increases... there by creating an effective manner in which to measure speed. All that aside, the quickest wat to test an ABS sensor is measure the resistance of the sensor. A good sensor should be anywhere from 600-1600 ohms... depending on the spec. When a sensor fails.... it fails bad. You will usually see resistance over 1,000,000 ohms.... or 1megaohm. Just check your sensor, and when you get the high reading that I expect.... replace the sensor. Good luck.

Also, ABS is not overrated. It is a great addition to the braking system of the modern automobile. If every driver had the ability to modulate the brake pedal when in a skid, at several hundred times a second.... we would not need ABS. However, no one can do this. The best driver's in the world are still limited by the traction on the road surface, ABS helps you maintain control in low traction situations.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Exactly what I needed to know. Thanks
Old 10-17-2005, 04:26 PM
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Default Re: Do Abs sensors really go bad? (HondaTechPro)

Cool, my ABS light comes on everytime I move my car for the first time after start-up. The person who owned the car before me had the cv joints replaced, and I heard that the sensors could go bad after that, but I wanted a second opinion before I worried about something worse. Like the ABS module being bad.
Old 10-18-2005, 06:21 AM
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Default Re: Do Abs sensors really go bad? (fw190bvi)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fw190bvi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i believe it is not the sensor, but rather an issue with the vacum lines that cause the sensor to show a failure...</TD></TR></TABLE>I don't know what car that's on, but out of all the ABS cars I've owned (3 Hondas & 2 Saabs), none have any vacuum lines associated with the ABS system at all.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ThagAnderson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Cool, my ABS light comes on everytime I move my car for the first time after start-up. The person who owned the car before me had the cv joints replaced, and I heard that the sensors could go bad after that, but I wanted a second opinion before I worried about something worse. Like the ABS module being bad. </TD></TR></TABLE>First you should read the ABS error code. Common or not, there's lots of other things that it COULD be.
Old 10-18-2005, 09:07 AM
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Default Re: Do Abs sensors really go bad? (JimBlake)

with ABS the most prob you'll come to is wheel sensors just replace and you should be fine........but if your ABS light is on no matter what the isssue it disables your abs.....so........let us know (as far as I know)
Old 10-18-2005, 02:54 PM
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Default Re: Do Abs sensors really go bad? (Bendy817)

reading about the teeth and sensors i took a random picture behind my wheel while taking pictures for another thread(brake pads and tire pressure???) would this be the abs sensor?....




if not please disregard anything i just said. thought it may be a cool coincidence
Old 10-18-2005, 04:46 PM
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my 95 has the abs light on too but my mechianic said nothings wrong with it and since you're already driving without abs might as well keep it like that..
Old 10-18-2005, 09:04 PM
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Default Re: Do Abs sensors really go bad? (RnEpmc)

yep that is the abs wheel sensor
Old 10-18-2005, 09:09 PM
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Default Re: (Negronese)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Negronese &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my 95 has the abs light on too but my mechianic said nothings wrong with it and since you're already driving without abs might as well keep it like that.. </TD></TR></TABLE>

wow i cannot believe that ur mechanic said what he did,( nothing wrong with it ??) well if lite is on there is something wrong with system , did he pull the abs code??,,,, considering that u live in snow country Boston Mass,, i would have the abs fixed as soon as possible if u plan on driving car in winter time......it could save u from an accident in case u might need to make a panic stop
Old 10-19-2005, 06:04 AM
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Default Re: Do Abs sensors really go bad? (RnEpmc)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RnEpmc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">... would this be the abs sensor?...</TD></TR></TABLE>Yes that's a front ABS wheel-speed sensor.

The rear one is back behind the hub somehow. I think you have to take the brake rotor off & look for the toothed ring under the hub flange.

Whichever one is giving you trouble, check it for crud. It's a magnetic sensor, so if it has a bunch of metal shavings stuck to it, clean it off. Check that the toothed ring is OK, for example if you put the wrong axle it might not have teeth or they might be in the wrong position. Then check the distance between the sensor & the teeth. The Helm book has a specification for that distance, but I don't remember what it's supposed to be.

Then check the wire from the sensor. Cut open? Dirty/loose plugs? Stuff like that...

And the rest of you guys who haven't tried to find out what ABS error code is showing in YOUR car, READ THE CODE! It's useless to read about how someone fixed their ABS, because yours might have a different problem.
Old 10-25-2005, 12:15 PM
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Default Re: Do Abs sensors really go bad? (citrus3000psi)

Ok... I am having the same problem with one of my rear left sensor. Now here is my questions:

How you you accually test the resistance on the sensor? Do you unplug it or leave it plugged and run the car?

Can the rear sensors be switched? or/and the front ones?

Does anyone have a pic of the sensor of the back?

Thanks in advance.
Old 10-25-2005, 04:48 PM
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Default Re: Do Abs sensors really go bad? (foxfai)

to test the sensor just unplug it... the connector should be under the car somewhere.... colored orange. Test the sensor side of the harness for resistance... there are only two terminals in the connector, easy to test.
Old 10-26-2005, 03:47 AM
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Default Re: Do Abs sensors really go bad? (HondaTechPro)

On my '95 Integra all the orange ABS plugs were inside. The sensor wire goes into the trunk somewhere & the orange plug is way forward at the trunk floor. I think there was a thin metal shroud over the ABS wires, sorta near the back seat hinge.

I don't remember whether they're interchangeable side-to-side. I kinda think not, because the mounting brackets are backwards from each other.
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