ABS Dash Light
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New User
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Aloha, Oregon
ABS Dash Light
I have a 1999 F-250, 4x4, automatic. I replaced the front brakes and one rotor 3 weeks ago. Everything was fine and I went on a trip from Portland Ore to Phoenix Arizona for a couple of weeks. On my way back yesterday I stopped for gas in southern oregon. When I started the truck to leave I noticed that the ABS light came on as normal and went off when all the other dash lights did, as normal. A few seconds later it came back on and stayed on the rest of the way home.
To avoid taking it to a shop, is there something I should or could check for to fix it myself? Can't afford the high prices of the dealers right now.
Thanks, any info would be appreciated.
To avoid taking it to a shop, is there something I should or could check for to fix it myself? Can't afford the high prices of the dealers right now.
Thanks, any info would be appreciated.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Chesterfield, Mi
Ottof, Did you use your parking brake on your trip? I had a rubber stopper on the parking brake pedal arm pop off and fall behind the trim panel next to my left foot. When I disengaged the parking brake, the pedal traveled "too far" and caused the light to come on. Hopefully it is nothing serious!
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New User
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Aloha, Oregon
No I didn't but will check that just in case. One more thing, yesterday my Service Engine Soon light also came on. Not sure what is going on but it appears that it will need to visit a shop. dammmm..... any ideas would be appreciated.
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Joined: May 2004
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From: Mirror, Alberta
Possibility
Originally Posted by ottof
I have a 1999 F-250, 4x4, automatic. I replaced the front brakes and one rotor 3 weeks ago. Everything was fine and I went on a trip from Portland Ore to Phoenix Arizona for a couple of weeks. On my way back yesterday I stopped for gas in southern oregon. When I started the truck to leave I noticed that the ABS light came on as normal and went off when all the other dash lights did, as normal. A few seconds later it came back on and stayed on the rest of the way home.
To avoid taking it to a shop, is there something I should or could check for to fix it myself? Can't afford the high prices of the dealers right now.
Thanks, any info would be appreciated.
To avoid taking it to a shop, is there something I should or could check for to fix it myself? Can't afford the high prices of the dealers right now.
Thanks, any info would be appreciated.
Junior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 81
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From: White City, Sk ,Canada
There is ABS sensor wires that run down to each front rotor. They are atached to the brake hose with clips. The end of the sensor can get dirty with mud, or grease in your case since you just had the rotor off. They can sometimes give you greif and cause the light to come on. Check for damage and clean the tips.
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From: Aloha, Oregon
thanks for the replies, will check out the front brake connections, that could very possible be it. I did test them by jamming on the brakes on a straight stretch of wet pavement. Sure enough, they locked up without the antilock side working so I do got something wrong there. The check engine light appears to be the egr valve, had a code checker do it and came up with an insufficient air flow to the valve. Now I got something to keep me busy in my spare time.
thanks again for all the help, it is greatly appreciated.
thanks again for all the help, it is greatly appreciated.
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Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: BC, Canada
Before you replace the EGR valve take a look around more in the forum. The most common causes of EGR codes are a bad DPFE sensor and plugged EGR ports in the intake manifold. It's very rare that the EGR valve goes bad.
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Hotshot
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From: St Louis
Originally Posted by Racerguy
Before you replace the EGR valve take a look around more in the forum. The most common causes of EGR codes are a bad DPFE sensor and plugged EGR ports in the intake manifold. It's very rare that the EGR valve goes bad.
Pay attention to this! Save the money you were going to use for an unneeded EGR valve.
Steve
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From: Aloha, Oregon
Ok, guys, here goes. Thanks for all of the advice, it is greatly appreciated. I am going to start digging into this today and over the weekend. A couple of quick questions tho',...
If I check for the plugged EGR port, where exactly should or would it be?
Is the DPFE sensor the one located on the throttle body in front of the EGR valve?
Is the EGR valve cleanable as far as knocking out the carbon deposits?
If I mess with the EGR valve, taking it off, are there any things that I need to be concerned with in removing or cleaning it?
Info update, since I cleared the codes on wednesday, this is friday, I have not had the dash idiot light come on and the truck has been running normal. Should I even mess with it now or wait until it plays with my mental blocks again?
I am also going to crawl around under the truck and try to ascertain the ABS problem source and hopefully take care of that one too. I just hope that I don't cause more problems than I am able to fix.
Thanks again for all of the help. Have a great weekend and thanks for putting up with this old, decrepid souls goofy questions.
If I check for the plugged EGR port, where exactly should or would it be?
Is the DPFE sensor the one located on the throttle body in front of the EGR valve?
Is the EGR valve cleanable as far as knocking out the carbon deposits?
If I mess with the EGR valve, taking it off, are there any things that I need to be concerned with in removing or cleaning it?
Info update, since I cleared the codes on wednesday, this is friday, I have not had the dash idiot light come on and the truck has been running normal. Should I even mess with it now or wait until it plays with my mental blocks again?
I am also going to crawl around under the truck and try to ascertain the ABS problem source and hopefully take care of that one too. I just hope that I don't cause more problems than I am able to fix.
Thanks again for all of the help. Have a great weekend and thanks for putting up with this old, decrepid souls goofy questions.
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Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Aloha, Oregon
Originally Posted by Merculous
There is ABS sensor wires that run down to each front rotor. They are atached to the brake hose with clips. The end of the sensor can get dirty with mud, or grease in your case since you just had the rotor off. They can sometimes give you greif and cause the light to come on. Check for damage and clean the tips.
I am not sure but is there something different if this is a 4wheel drive? Is there anything else that I can look for? This is really making me lose more hair than I can afford, getting thinner by the day..... Thanks again, if anyone can help with this I would really appreciate it.
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,679
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From: BC, Canada
If you don't have wires running down to the front wheel then you probably just have rear wheel ABS.
The most common cause of the ABS light to come on is a bad rear wheel speed sensor on the rear diff. It is in the center of the top of the housing. If you unplug the sensor connector and check the sensor with an ohmmeter you should have approximately 1500 ohms across the 2 terminals.
To check the EGR valve you can just apply vacuum to it with the engine idling. Use a piece of vacuum hose and just suck on it. The engine should stumble bad or stall when you apply vacuum to the EGR if the ports are clear. If the idle doesn't change then the ports are plugged or the EGR valve is stuck closed.
If it stumbles or stalls then it's a pretty safe bet that the DPFE is shot.
The DPFE is just in front of the EGR valve. It has 1 electrical connector and 2 small hoses that run down to the EGR tube which goes from the exhaust manifold to the EGR valve.
The most common cause of the ABS light to come on is a bad rear wheel speed sensor on the rear diff. It is in the center of the top of the housing. If you unplug the sensor connector and check the sensor with an ohmmeter you should have approximately 1500 ohms across the 2 terminals.
To check the EGR valve you can just apply vacuum to it with the engine idling. Use a piece of vacuum hose and just suck on it. The engine should stumble bad or stall when you apply vacuum to the EGR if the ports are clear. If the idle doesn't change then the ports are plugged or the EGR valve is stuck closed.
If it stumbles or stalls then it's a pretty safe bet that the DPFE is shot.
The DPFE is just in front of the EGR valve. It has 1 electrical connector and 2 small hoses that run down to the EGR tube which goes from the exhaust manifold to the EGR valve.
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New User
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From: Aloha, Oregon
Hey thanks, appreciate the good info. I did locate the rear one yesterday when I was crawling around under the truck. I unplugged it and the connector appeared clean and all that goood stuff. It didn't make any difference when I plugged it back in tho'. Oh well, will mess with it some more today, if the rain stops. In Oregon it never rains until you don't want it to rain, then it lets you have it. thanks again.
Last edited by Racerguy; Mar 19, 2005 at 08:15 AM.
Senior User
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Hmmn this may be a long shot, but its worth a try ottof. I was faced with the same issue with my abs before i lifted my truck. Anyways when i took the bed off the truck i noticed that the drivers side wiring for the abs was settign up against the exhuast pipe and had caused it to malfunction . I repaired the wires and sealed them up, then tied them back away from the pipe. that's been 3 weeks ago, and to this day the light Has been out and has not come back on, May be worth a shot looking at the wiring