Sorry to bore you guys with the ABS light question again, but after reading the threads on this for about an hour, one question goes unanswered. Where do I go to find out what the code means? My Haynes manual for my 93 3.0 Ranger SC is completely useless for ABS issues. Any relevant info I got has come from all of you. My son is away at college with the Ranger so I am troubleshooting from afar on his behalf. He can check the fluid but I'll have to figure out where the RABS PCM is and read the codes next time the truck is here. Any help is appreciated.

 

There used to be tech articles..."sticky's"...at the top of each forum. You would have found the info you needed there. Unfortunately, your timing is bad since the site has removed all the stickys for all vehicle models in this site, and they are being placed in (what I understand) a common area that can be searched. I'm doubtful that it will be as easy to find as at the top of each specific forum, but we'll have to wait and see. Check out this link within FTE:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...-79-forum.html

Sorry I can't help you with pulling RABS codes, I've never done it. I've read that you can sometimes clean or replace the sensor mounted on top of the differential. It seems that most of the RABS issues are fixed this way.

 

Yeah, there were quite a few references to solving this problem by changing the RABS sensor. I'd rather try to read the code than just replace parts and hope I get lucky. Some references were made to the Chilton book having the code info. I'm probably going to get one. You can never have too much info when you do your own work.

 

Check your local Libraries 620 section, for repair manuals. Mine carry Chiltons, Clymer, Haynes, & a few others.

I recall reading a thread, on this forum, this year, that described how to jumper the ABS DLC connector, count the flashes & read the code. Otherwise it's likely you'll have to pay the Dealer to do it, as most scantools will only read the drive train computer.

I'll look through my notes on thread links & see if I saved it, if so I'll repost post it.

 

You are correct. I did find a thread about how to make the light flash the code. There seemed to be some conflicting info as to where the connector with the black/orange wire is located. My guess is it's hanging off of the PCM connector under the dash center. Thanks for the library tip. I can check the local and the county for the book.

 

If ou need to troubleshoot the RABS here is an old post of mine that might help.
You may have a leaking RABS dump valve. Locate the valve(usually on the frame rail under the drivers foot. Identify which valve you have either square or round(most likely round) If it's square: Locate and remove the small rubber cover at the end of the RABS valve. Straighten a metal paper clip and insert it into the hole covered by the rubber cap until it bottoms out. While watching the paper clip have someone firmly apply the brake pedal. If the paper clip moves at all the dump valve check ball seat is leaking and you must replace the RABS valve. There also should not be any fluid at all that runs out when the rubber cap is removed. If you have the round valve(larger). Use a 1 1/4 box end wrench and remove the end cap from the valve. there is a spring under the cap but it doesnt have a great deal of pressure on it. You can easily control the end cap while removing it. Visually observe the piston inside the area covered by the cap or place your finger near the end of the piston( dont press on it). While having someone firmly apply the brakes check for any movement of the accumulator piston. If it moves at all the dump valve is leaking and you need a new RABS. No fluid should spill out when you take the cap of either. There is also a possibility that you wont have these access ports on your vehicle. Did the fromer owner replace the Master? If so did he bench bleed it? If he didnt that could also be the problem
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I'm the original owner. The ABS light came on once this past summer when my son was home from college. I moved the Ranger so I could get my Sport Trac out of the driveway and asked him when it came on. He said he didn't see it and the next morning it was off and never returned. Last week he got it back from the body shop after getting minor hit and run door damage repaired. The light was on and stays on since he picked it up. He's mechanically challanged (ha ha) so troubleshooting skills are lacking. I can't imagine the body work had anything to do with it but they did disconnect the battery. Since the ABS PCM for the 93 Ranger does not store codes, I have to assume there is a hard failure of a componant. Perhaps all the banging loosened a connector or somehow jarred the RABS valve into failing. I'm just guessing at this point. I have to wait a few weeks for the truck to return home. I need all the info I can get so I can check everything before he goes back. The RABS valve was replaced in warrenty when it was a year old. Your info is a big help. Would not have known how to check the valve.

 

I am assuming that your ABS light is staying on. I had the same problem on my 91 and had a mechanic pull what codes he could from an antiquitated system. He found that it was the switch within the master cylinder and stuck a screw driver down into the cylinder and moved the switch and the light went out. He states the fix was a new master cylinder. Since I am kind of cheap, I didn't do anything and eventually the light came back on. I tried the same thing he did and still had no luck. Then I took the plug apart for the switch and spayed WD-40 on it. The light went out and hasn't been on for almost a year.

 

Good idea. I might have missed that. I'll add that to a checklist I'm compiling.

 

how are the brakes working as we speak??

 

No mention of a problem. I just sent a text to find out. May take an hour to get a reply.

 

My brakes are working fine. My mechanic told me that just because the light is on it doesn't mean the brakes are not working. The ABS may not be working but if it wasn't when my light was on, you would never know it.

 

Well lets see, the thread that listed how to pull the ABS codes was back in August of this year.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...coming-on.html

Chassis codes can be found in the FTE Forum specs for Chassis decoder article for, trouble codes, charts, ect.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/article/...s_Chassis_html
Hope this helps some on your preparation.

 

feel free to post your codes and mabey someone here can look them up for you.

Matt

 

i had a 1996 chevrolet corsica, my abs light was on, had the brakes worked on and it still didnt go away, the only thing that it did was lock up sometimes in wet conditions usually coming to a stop. 10mph slowing done and right before you would come to a stop at about 1-2mph, it would lock up it was strange. but it worked fine other than that.