This might be something that I may have missed in a previous post but here goes. I have an ABS idiot light that illumintes every now and then, when I plug in the OBD II code reader it gives me nothing. This is a complete reader (OBD II,chasis, body, electrical, everything. I got a buddy at a Ford dealership) and it still reads nothing. Has anyone has this problem? As I said it is a pot shot at how and when it comes on, but it seems to clear itself when you turn the engine off. Is it just an idiot idiot light, of is there a thing with my 17 inch wheels because the car originally had 16's? All electrical connections that could possibly tested have been worked over, all the ABS sensors seem to work fine as the car never locks a brake anywhere on the car. With all the said, I know the brakes are good, and so is the fluid in the master cylinder. What I would like to know is if this is normal on an almost 10 year old 4.6 platform, and if it is how do I fix it without killing the ABS sensors? Any help or opinions greatly appreciated.

 

You probably already done this, but check the brake fluid level.

Something cheap to try is the rearend speed sensor (if it has one).
I had one that was intermitent on an explorer, seems like it was $12.
Its on top of the differential, 1 screw, 1 plug, 3 min job.
Get it from ford, very common part I think the same one fits many cars.

If not it could be one of the front wheel sensors...

Or try to get it on the reader while the light is on, are you sure it can read ABS codes?

 

scratch that^^^^ you gotta run your code when the light comes on, DO NOT TURN THE ENGINE OFF...... it will reset automatically. Does you brake pedal kick back when you stoppig? at like 5-7 mph???? If it does, (as mine did) its and ABS sensor that has malfunction/died. You have to gte that code read when the light comes on for the comp[uter to be able to specify a code pertaining to the correct sensor....

 

mine did that last february. i took it in ant it turns out it was the ABS module. but i had an older lincoln mark VII that had an ABS problem and that was caused buy a bad sensor.....that got worse and worse until i had no rear brakes at all. which was lucky for me because it led to me buying my mustang.

 

mines on although thats cuz' the shop cuz my ABS sensors when the put my gears in. they said they tried 40 minutes to get it out and they couldn't[:'(] so now the traction control don't work (and i happen to like TC) and i have to pay to get them put back in. although it should only be like 30 bucks. got my underdrives put in for free though