Hi:

On my E350 cube van, the rear ABS light is on constantly. I have checked the usual suspects and have not found any problems. Fluid level is up, brake pedal is hard, no leaks can be seen around the wheels or master cylinder, brake light is out.

So now I would like to take a code reading but I need some help with the wires. I found the EEC Test connector (passenger side engine compartment) and it has three wires. I believe one is the wire I need to ground out to start the process. I have what looks like a Grey wire with Red stripe on the far left (when looking at the connectors) and then in the middle top row an Orange with Red stripe and below that and over two connectors a Grey with Red stripe wire. Can anyone here Id these wires as to what they do?

Van has diesel with automatic transmission.

Thanks

 

Abs is over rated. I have no idea how to test it. Does it lock the rear brakes often or are you just trying to fix it before it becomes more of a problem. What year is the van.
Back to first page for more help.

 

Hi:

Thanks for the reply. Brakes work fine. Pedal is firm and high. No signs of locking brakes and brakes do not grab.

I need to fix the problem to pass inspection.

 

What year is the van.

If you need the abs light off for inspection, do they even test it or are they just looking at a light. If they only look for the light on, just pull the bulb. If they check it, then ask them to hook their machine to it and tell you what's wrong. There is an abs test port usually.
But without any abnormal symptoms we can't really help you...
I don't think the abs works the same as the ecu on being able to jumper it into test mode. It needs codes read by a scanner I'm pretty sure.

 

On the trucks, there is a wire under the glove box you ground to get the abs comp to flash the light for codes. What year is your van?

 

Hi UNTAMND, bashby:

Sorry, I meant to say Van is a 1991 cube van and does not have a clove box. I will have to check under the dash to see if the wire is there. I have read about how the ABS light will flash a code when the ECC is triggered but as of yet I have not found the wire that is needed to trigger it.

For our area the inspectors check to see what lights are on when the key is turned on and then check to see what lights go off when the van is started. So Unless I happen to catch a sloppy inspector they will notice the ABS light missing (if I remove the bulb) or on constant (if if leave the bulb in) and in either case fail the van.

Thanks

 

Unplugging the abs module will turn the light out also.

 

I'd grab the codes and see what you get. My RABS (version 1) valve went bad a few years back- the Haynes manual gave me the tests to run. Your van should be very similar to my F250. Here are some videos that I took of the tests.

Worst case you'll have to replace the RABS valve, which I think it a few hundred with a core deposit- the codes will tell you for sure.

The problem:
1RABSSymptom_zps85dd9eff.mp4 Video by tschrubb | Photobucket

The test connector (note it's for a 1990 F250, not a van):
2RABSTestLeadConnector_zpsa6afad1b.mp4 Video by tschrubb | Photobucket

Getting the codes:

NOTE: You may get codes that have nothing to do with the RABS valve. It depends on what the computer is picking up. There may be things happening that don't have a light or indicator that you can see...

3RABSgettingcode_zps81ca3349.mp4 Video by tschrubb | Photobucket

And the test results:
<a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/tschrubb/media/RABS/658b3e65-e4cd-454b-83b9-77d7aad59e7c_zps3dcda751.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t390/tschrubb/RABS/658b3e65-e4cd-454b-83b9-77d7aad59e7c_zps3dcda751.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 658b3e65-e4cd-454b-83b9-77d7aad59e7c_zps3dcda751.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/tschrubb/media/RABS/6d701823-72e0-4b97-a4ac-153a18645291_zpsb51ef7e8.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t390/tschrubb/RABS/6d701823-72e0-4b97-a4ac-153a18645291_zpsb51ef7e8.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 6d701823-72e0-4b97-a4ac-153a18645291_zpsb51ef7e8.jpg"/></a>

Hope some of that will help... I have videos of the actual tests as well, but they are pretty dull. Let me know if you want them and I'll post.

Most importantly however- if it is the RABS valve the computer will by-pass the anti-lock function, BUT YOUR BRAKES WILL STILL WORK. You'll just be able to lock the rear axle up more easily.

 

Hi tschrubb:

Thanks for video links and the scanned pages listing the codes. The problem I am having is to find the trigger wire. Last couple of days have been real busy and I have not have a lot of time to dig under the dash. I am assuming that the wire location should be the same as your truck even though I do not have the glove box. So I just have to get under the dash and try not to rip everything apart in frustration.

 

Yes, find the ABS computer in your van and try and fine a wire that goes to the ABS computer, might look similar to this. - http://www.imgur.com/5B1Ouax.jpeg

One thing to note, when you turn off the key, any codes will go away. I had an issue where a code was generated after driving and if I turned off the motor I couldn't retrieve the code.

 

Hi RIKIL:

Thanks for the picture. Tomorrow I will see what I can find that matches.

My ABS light does not go out unless you turn the key off. So code should always be available.

 

Today I had a chance to do some looking. Since the van has a stub front the dash is different than a regular cab. There is no room for a glove box as the AC unit is located there and very few wires are in that location.

The picture RIKIl does not seem to match any wiring in the van cab or under the hood. So, either I have already found the wire and I do not recognize it or the wire is buried deeper in the engine compartment.

Does anybody have a wiring diagram for the van? Should the trigger wire be part of the wiring harness where the EEC TEST plug is? Would the trigger wire be far from the test plug? I did find a black round two wire capped connector near the test plug. Any idea what it is for? Also, in the cab passenger side, I found a rectangular Grey 4 wire connector which is not connected to anything. It shares the wiring harness with the speaker wire. Any ideas on that connector?

Thanks

 

Hi:

Short of taking the dash apart I have not located a black with red stripe trigger wire for the ABS light. The only wire I can find is part of the EEC TEST housing. There are three wires there. Two are wired to the housing and the third is an un-mated grey ended with an off white wire with a red stripe. I figured "What the ..." I may as well try ground on that wire. Well, I do not get any ABS flash codes but I did change the behavior of the ABS light. So progress in a way.

Up till now the ABS light was on solid. If I turned the key to the on position (without starting) the ABS light would remain on until I turned the key off. If I started the van then the ABS light would go off while the starter was engaged but come back on solid when the key returned to the on position. The ABS light would remain on until I turned the van off.

Now the ABS light comes on when I turn the key to the on position and remains on for about 3 seconds and then goes out. Looks like normal behavior. After about 25 seconds the ABS light comes back on and remains on until I turn the key off. The behavior is the same when I start the van. ABS light goes out while starter is engaged, remains out when key returns to on position and after about 25 seconds come back on solid and remains on until I turn the key off.

Grounding the un-mated grey ended wire from the EEC TEST connector does not cause the ABS light to flash. So is it the trigger wire and there are no codes to flash?

Looking for more ideas.
Thanks

 

Mine looks more like an orange stripe on a black wire. Have you located the ABS module? It shoulldnt matter where you ground the wire, so you could just ground it near the abs module. Slice a spot of insulation off of it if you have to then tape it up when done.
FWIW, my ABS light is on also, I could not get the computer to flash codes when grounding the test plug.

 

Hi basby:

I have been doing some reading on the net. One thread states that if there is no code set then the light will not flash. The problem may be related to something else. Another thread I read was for a person who changed to LED tail lights and their was not enough current draw on the brake light so the abs thought the unit was malfunctioning.

Once the rain stops again I will dig for the module and see what I can find.

Thanks