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After sitting undriven in the driveway 4 - 5 days (no rain), I started her up - & the ABS light stayed on. Drove around a bit, & everything seemed fine. Smooth braking, no pulling, etc..
Usual mechanic tried everything he could think of - but no cigar. Finally said needs an ABS control module, but unable to locate one.
My "daily driver" is now at another shop, that has done some auto electric work for me in the past, & they are coming up with the same thing. Ford says "obsolete" (no surprise), & it appears that no one is re-building these items - which is surprising.
Vehicle is a 95 Bronco, EB Ed., 5.8, E4OD.
Part number I've been given is: F3TZ2C215B
Any thoughts, or possible solutions appreciated. Thanks in advance!
On a side note I might add, with the exception of EFI, ignition, & trans, this vehicle is relatively low tech - compared vehicles produced today. Makes me wonder if current gen vehicles will have any service parts support at all - in 10 to 15 years...
2C215 is the base part number for the "Anti-lock Hydraulic Control Unit", aka 'modulator' or 'pump', which is distinct from the "Anti-lock Brake Electronic Control Module", where the latter is the electronic brains of the operation and the former is the pump and valves that do the actual work. The part number for the control module isn't jumping out at me. Neither appear to be cheap on the used/refurbished market.
Controller or modulator, you've just convinced me to pull the next few of both that I find at the JY (warning to others of a like mind: there can be some very high pressures in these systems). I very much like the Bronco's 4-wheel ABS and it's one of the reasons that I've held on to mine.
FWIW, I used to have a Lincoln MVII and when the ABS went out on it I somehow stumbled into the information that the same system was used in a lot of other cars, not just Fords. Ford wanted $300 for a new accumulator but GM only charged something like $80 for the exact same part. It would be worth trying to find out how widely used the Bronco's ABS system was, both for seeing if there are any new parts still left in non-Ford pipelines as well as to know what might serve as a JY donor.
Makes me wonder if current gen vehicles will have any service parts support at all - in 10 to 15 years...
.
It looks worse than that: they're lacking parts now
I respectfully suggest that you put off looking for another ABS Controller for a bit... and run the ABS code read procedure. The ABS light staying ON says that the ABS controller is seeing something it doesn't like, and has turned off all possible ABS-controller initiated action. To wit - if you get another controller, you may still have the same problem!
Checking for ABS codes is really simple on 1994 and 1995, maybe 1996 too. Locate the orange ABS test port underhood between driver's side firewall and hood hinge, it's right next to the black PCM test port. Take the orange cap off, and turn the connector to face you, with the wide side down, narrower side up, sort of like a pyramid. The connector has 6 "cavities" in it, but only 4 cavities have sockets in them. If the sockets are all green and crusty, need to clean them with contact cleaner. Holding the connector like I said, note that there are only two sockets that are one right over the other. Use a large-sized paper clip, clip off the largest part of it, so you have a long "U" with equal length legs. File burrs off of the clip's legs from cutting. Then:
With ignition OFF, insert the U clip you made so as to short together the two sockets that are one over the other. Then get inside, and turn key to ON, not Start. After a bit, the ABS light should blink out a 2-digit code, may be multiple codes of 2-digits spaced out with a lot longer time between the code pairs than the two digits of a code. A single code of "16" means OK, the ABS Controller is happy with what it can see and do. To repeat the code(s), just turn key to OFF, wait 10 seconds or so, and turn key ON again. Do that as many times as you want to get it read and recorded. When done, key to OFF and remove U clip. Codes will be stored for 50 On-OFF cycles of the ignition key, or to when the battery is disconnected. So if in working on it, the battery was already disconnected, then you will need to drive it to set any codes again.
It can diagnose quite a bit of stuff, but I think things like a leaky valve in the HCU it might not. But it gets pump, wheel signals, etc. etc.
As far as the code descriptions, you can probably find them online, but only look for 1994/1995, NOT 1993! Starting in 1994 they used 2-digit codes instead 1-digit, and code coverage is higher. If you can't find them, I can post them, I'll have to look them up and it will be a bit of typing to enter.
FWIW - found it: the electronic control module's base part number is 2C279
That you were given part number 2C215 implies that it's not the electronic control module they think is bad, but the Hydraulic Control Unit, or modulator, which sounds enough like 'electronic control unit' - esp if they just said 'control module' or something as weakly descriptive- to mistake one for the other. 'control unit' vs 'control module'
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...ulic+unit,1588
Others are listed on google per your part # , dealers may have one and possibly many other years used this same part # with the front characters being different . You cant search junk yards online! TR
I don't think that Cardone 122025 is the right one for a '95 Bronco: the Bronco uses one that is 4WD, while that Cardone 122025 is rear-wheel only (which I think applies to the trucks, and Rockauto probably just mindlessly listed it along with the Bronco). Comparing pictures of the two, they aren't close.
Also, FWIW, in the HCU installation portion of the '96 OEM manual, there's this note:
CAUTION: Bronco anti-lock hydraulic control unit is not interchangeable with other units. Be sure to replace with correct part.
Appreciate everyone's input here.
The RABS units seem to be readily available. Not what's needed here though.
Still puzzling over 4WABS availability issue. Only thing that makes any sense to me, is that Ford must have used this particular system, only in the full size Bronco - and for a very limited number of model years. '93 - '96 maybe?
Occurred to me over the weekend, that even though it runs & drives as is, it won't pass inspection with the ABS light on. No inspection / no 2022 license renewal.
The search continues...
As Torky2 suggests, getting the code for whatever the ABS controller is complaining about would be useful in making decisions.
Also, though it's a bit of a hail Mary, if the brake fluid hasn't been changed in the last, say, two years, it would be worth your time to flush that out with new stuff. Old fluid can really degrade performance of just basic brakes, so I could imagine it screwing with more complicated ABS systems.
In CO, I'm pretty sure the emissions testers only care about the CEL staying on, and the ABS light is distinct from the CEL - I don't see an ethical problem in pulling the bulb, perhaps temporarily, if it's something that might irritate or distract yet another confused and meddlesome government bureaucrat.
In the following post on fullsizebronco, the OP claims to have swapped the 4WABS HCU from a 93/94 Explorer (F3TZ-2C215-A) into his 95 Bronco (F3TZ-2C215-B), requiring that a few wires in the connector to the controller be swapped (in reply #12 of this same thread, another poster describes making an adapter harness instead):
The next gen Explorer HCU, F5TZ-2C215-B (95 to 97?), also looks a lot like the F3TZ-A and -B and might also be adaptable (I'd be surprised if there weren't more like this too). If nothing else, the F3TZ-A an F5TZ-B might be a parts source for fixing a F3TZ-B.
Does anybody know who the 'Ate' symbol in this image refers to? This is a photo of the sticker on the side of an F3TZ-B's pump and the F3TZ-A and F5TZ-B have similar stickers with the same symbol. I'm guessing that it's who made these HCUs for Ford. Knowing who made them could lead to finding out what other HCUs they made like this, leads on a company that re-manufactures them, or possibly a source of repair parts.
Assuming that one knows that the HCU is bad (dumped controller's codes, then done Ford's pin-point troubleshooting to make sure that something in the HCU is bad) It looks like these guys have had some experience in re-manufacturing Bronco 4WABS HCUs:
Never mind - it's ATE Brakes, and they make a lot of HCUs ...
I gagged a few weeks ago when I brushed the dirt off the label on the top of my HCU, and saw the stylized "ATe". That's Albert Teves, the UK maker of some really horrible stuff. The 1993, and maybe 1992 Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth minivans had 4 wheel ABS as an option. It was by Albert Teves. They died so fast, so many problems. The only way these vehicles stayed on the road was to remove the whole thing, and re-plumb for regular brakes, using parts for non-ABS vans. We waited till the 1994s were out to factory order ours with ABS, made by Kelsey-Hayes. I think the Pentastar realized after the first Albert's were out, that they had a disaster on their hands, and started over with a design of a different system. Our 1994 Grand, that we had for 16 years, had zero brake problems, and the ABS worked great on ice and on northern trips. Our 1997 F-150 that we early-ordered has Kelsey-Hayes for it's 4 wheel ABS, which was an option in 1997, otherwise it was RABS, if I remember correctly. It might have been part of the Lariat Package. It's been some years...
I gagged a few weeks ago when I brushed the dirt off the label on the top of my HCU, and saw the stylized "ATe". That's Albert Teves, the UK maker of some really horrible stuff. .
Well, there's another piece to the puzzle. The ATe P/N on this unit, is: 10-0202-0183
No slam on the Brits, but I normally try to avoid their automotive electronics. Used to ride British twins in the late 60's, & the big joke was "Lucas: the Prince of Darkness"...
Somehow at this point, I get the feeling that if Ford had opted to use a domestically produced 4WABS for their '93 - '96 models, we wouldn't be having this availability problem.
Assuming that one knows that the HCU is bad (dumped controller's codes, then done Ford's pin-point troubleshooting to make sure that something in the HCU is bad) It looks like these guys have had some experience in re-manufacturing Bronco 4WABS HCUs:
Yeah the tech that is working on this, has been through the usual easy fixes (to include fluid flush), & the code 25 PP T/S you refer to.
I tried contacting BBA Reman (thanks for mentioning), in MA last week. No one manning the phones. Did leave a VM, but no response to date. Probably try them back.
To me, it's hard to understand a service company, that doesn't answer the phone. IMHO, it's just **** poor management. I've been self employed nearly 30 years (field service), & personally answer my business line 24x7.
