I have an 87 BII and had trouble with the RABS in and out of warranty and finally gave up on it. That was 90,000 miles ago and I have never had an incident where I wshed it had worked. I did get tired of the RABS light and unplugged the connector from the top of the RABS module in the kick panel behind the driver and the problem(light) went away. I'm not recommending that you do this, I'm just telling you what I did. The inspection stations in VA won't pass you if the light is on, sooo......

Good luck!

 

Here's the latest in the saga...
I rooted through my parts bin (we had a parts BII) and found another control module...I unplugged the old one (key off) and stuck in the other one.
This cleared the steady light ....for a few minutes.... I drove around and the RABS light came on... only this time it wasn't on all the time... It was randomly going on and off... (on for 2 minutes off for 30 seconds...on for 30 seconds off for 3 minutes etc...)

I tried the Diagnostics with the engine still on and the light on... still no flash codes...ARGH!

I turned the key on several different times to find sometimes the light was on and other times it was off... When it was off and I grounded the diagnostic connector the RABS light would come on steadily... Ungrounding would merely turn off the light... no DTC...

I tried your procedure above... With the RABS light on applying the E Brake brought on the "brake" light but when released the brake light would go out and still there was no code ... grounding the connector did't change the RABS light and ungrounding didin't change anything either....

I checked voltage at pin 1 we're 13-14 range (eng off-eng on).

I checked the connector at the master cylinder... one of the three pins has the tension foot broken off...
I shorted the two purple and white together and got the RABS light and the Brake light on...
I crimped the connector a little to try and insure contact with the M/C switch...but can't tell that it is making contact...wiggling the connector doesn't change the light...It is steady...

As a last resort...I'm going to look at Radio shack for a small connector insert to make sure the contact is good....

Any more ideas?

Again thanks for the help!

 

Put the new connector on... Actually found replacement ford pins from Autozone.
Installed it but still have the light.

Tried to just give up on the blasted RABS and discovered unplugging it at the module interrupts the lock up torque converter...

Any body got any more ideas?

 

At this point I would really like to have a look at a couple of technical service bulletins. See items 53 & 224 at this link: www.alldata.com/TSB/20/87202533.html I presume thase are tips for solving hardcore problems like yours. Two ways to see these bulletins are to stop by your "friendly neighborhood Ford dealer" & take a look -i've solved a couple of problems by doing this- or join alldata for 25 bucks.
Bronco-2 might have the best solution for this.

 

Could'nt agree with you more. I saw a good example of what you are saying on the 6 oclocknews a few years ago. The cops were chasing a car thief/moron & about half way thru a left turn the moron locked em up????? The car skidded about tirty feet into the curb & the chase was over. Granted this would'nt ave happened with ABS, but it also would'nt have happened if the idiot knew how to drive.

 

Greetings,
Worked at Ford from 1983 to 1991
Totally familiar with your issues, the 87-88 Bronco II"s are different, it is a black /yellow wire. by the module in the door in front of the back seat, I've seen your problem several times, it usually strats out with thinks are fine when you start it up back out of the drive and then about 5 feet in drive the light comes on, No codes. The 87 and 88 do not turn on the brake lamp with low fluid only the RABS light, and to make it even harder the light comes on when the fluid level is at the parting line on the resevoir. But thqt is the min mark on 87 & 88 take off the cap and the float is touching the bottom of the resevoir, Top off the fluid and see. That fixes all the ones I seen do that, they won't ouput codes if the fluid level is low on all RABS.

 

Greetings,
Worked at Ford from 1983 to 1991
Totally familiar with your issues, the 87-88 Bronco II"s are different, it is a black /yellow wire. by the module that is in the door in front of the back seat you ground to test. I've seen your problem several times, it usually starts out with things bein fine when you start it up back out of the drive and then about 5 feet in drive the light comes on, No codes. The 87 and 88 do not turn on the brake lamp with low fluid only the RABS light, and to make it even harder the light comes on when the fluid level is at the parting line on the resevoir. But that is the min mark on 87 & 88 take off the cap and check the float is touching the bottom of the resevoir, Top off the fluid and see. That fixes all the ones I seen do that, they won't ouput codes if the fluid level is low on all RABS 1 trucks.

 

This thread is almost 20 years old and, according to his profile, the OP hasn’t been active here since 2007.