ABS Light
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,595
Likes: 52
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Make sure you check your brake fluid level as well. Some systems will flash the brake light and abs light on when low fluid level is detected. If the level is just on the border line of low enough to trigger the light, it may occur only on hard braking or stopping at a light when the fluid sloshes enough to trigger the lamp. If it is low, you might want to check the condition of your brake pads, they may be worn pretty thin to allow fluid to drop that low in the reservoir
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
Mine is on and has been for some time. I tested the ABS in a parking lot and they worked. so never worried about it. then last night in some bad weather they locked up. this morning tried to get them to lock and the abs worked fine???????????
New User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Last week my ABS light came on for about 5 mins. Then it went off but now when I come to near a comlpete stop, I can feel the brake pedal fighting its way back up for a few seconds. This all happened right after I went through a deep mud puddle on a trail so I assumed that a sensor of some type was plugged. Is there an easy way to clean them?
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,679
Likes: 15
From: BC, Canada
Hi Methost and welcome to the forum 
The connectors are pretty waterproof but you could pull them apart and see if they are clean or not though.
Any chance that you tore a wire off to one of the sensors? The light should be on steady though if that happened.
The connectors are pretty waterproof but you could pull them apart and see if they are clean or not though.
Any chance that you tore a wire off to one of the sensors? The light should be on steady though if that happened.
New User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Hmm, actually, yesterday after I posted, I took off the wheel and cleaned all the mud from the area. When I put it back together, the ABS light was on and stayed on solid, and now I dont feel the pedel fighting me anymore. So the light it on and I dont know if the ABS is working or now. I will try to reset the light by disconnecting the battery this morning.
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,679
Likes: 15
From: BC, Canada
As long as the light is on the ABS wont work. The brakes will work like normal old non-ABS brakes.
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New User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
I'm not sure if anybody cares anymore, but I had this exact problem recently. I Replaced the RABS Sensor that plugs into the top of the differential, and it fixed the problem. The For dealership keeps them in stock. Apparently they go bad quite often.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 88
Likes: 1
From: Garden City Kansas
where exactly is the rabs module located at? One manual says its located behind the center of the instrument panel while another one says to remove the instrument panel relay cover located on the top right side of the dash? I removed my cluster and the only thing i could see was another panel behind that that you would have to remove that has like 15 bolts on it?? I have to get to the rabs module cuz our ngs wont communicate with the module for some reason and my light is on. And also when i ground the diagnostic connector the light flashes 16 which means there isnt any problems with it??? Im starting to get mad at the thing. 
Thanks
Richard
Thanks
Richard
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,679
Likes: 15
From: BC, Canada
Thanks for the tip Big Kev
Richard the RABS module is located behind the center of the dash and you access it by removing the relay cover on the top of the dash. Well you can sorta access it there. With a mirror you can see it and maybe get at the connector. To actually do anything else with it you need to remove the whole big cover around the instrument cluster.
NGS wont communicate with RABS no matter what you do. With 4WABS you use NGS, with RABS you just ground the connector. To clear the 16 code you can try removing a battery terminal for a while. I seem to recall that a blown fuse can also cause the code 16.
Richard the RABS module is located behind the center of the dash and you access it by removing the relay cover on the top of the dash. Well you can sorta access it there. With a mirror you can see it and maybe get at the connector. To actually do anything else with it you need to remove the whole big cover around the instrument cluster.
NGS wont communicate with RABS no matter what you do. With 4WABS you use NGS, with RABS you just ground the connector. To clear the 16 code you can try removing a battery terminal for a while. I seem to recall that a blown fuse can also cause the code 16.
New User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by StorminTexan
how much ?!?
thats what im worried about.. no body else seems to carry the sensor!
thats what im worried about.. no body else seems to carry the sensor!
Does anyone know of a good OBDII tool to get. I borrowed a friends Super Chip Micro tuner to pull the codes, but apparently it didn't have the guts to pull ABS codes. I struck out with AutoZone too. I was looking into possibly getting an AutoTAP System, but didn't really want to spend $300 on the system and extra $100 for the Ford upgrade. Is there a less expensive system out there that still reads all the same systems?
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
The rabs module is pretty easy to get at. What you have to do is remove the snap on cover around the top of the steering wheel, remove the cover around the radio(it snaps off also). Remove bolts on the right side of instrument cluster, You'll be able to see which ones need removed. Then remove bolts around radio area. You'll be able to tell which ones here also. About 7 total. Then lift up dash and you will be able to see it. Remove the two bolts holding it in. Pull it forward a little and that will give you plenty of room to unplug it. I replaced mine and that wasn't the problem. during a diff fluid change, I removed the sensor on top of the diff. Should I do an ohms check between the two prongs? Right now it reads open.( no read)