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The car in question is a model year 2000. Two weeks ago I had a lockup at the track. Flat spotted my drivers side front tire. ABS light came on. ABS light went off on the drive home. This past weekend I swapped my street pads back on, cleaned all the ABS sensors and axle/hub rings. On the next street drive I noticed a strange vibration in the pedal and a grinding like noise (maybe from the ABS unit? ABS light still off). This only happens right before I stop (sub 10 mph). As my driving got more spirited, the ABS light would come back on. When the ABS light is on, the noise/vibration goes away.
My crappy code reader isn't showing any codes, even when the light is on. My guesses at this point are either a bad ABS unit or a failed wheel speed sensor. Before I go and replace all the sensors, is it possible to narrow down which one it might be? Does the fact that only one tire locked up help narrow down my efforts?
Any chance that the grinding noise could be a mechanical component of the ABS sensing system which has failed and is rubbing?
Maybe a really bad wheel bearing or partially broken sensor?
Interestingly someone suggested checking all the bearings for play. I just had all four bearings/hubs replaced within the last 600 miles/few months. He thought maybe if a hub nut wasn't torqued correctly it could be affecting the sensor.
The noise is really hard to describe. It's not a metallic noise and honestly it sounds like it could be coming from under the hood (where the abs pump lives) or in the pedal area, not one of the wheels.
When the ABS light is on. You should be able to read the fault code. Probably your code reader just isn't compatible.
Maybe the grinding noise is just the ABS pump working? When ABS kicks in the brake pedal vibrates and ABS pump starts working.
When ABS light is on the ABS system is off.
I wouldn't start replacing parts before getting the fault code.
When the ABS light is on. You should be able to read the fault code. Probably your code reader just isn't compatible.
Maybe the grinding noise is just the ABS pump working? When ABS kicks in the brake pedal vibrates and ABS pump starts working.
When ABS light is on the ABS system is off.
I wouldn't start replacing parts before getting the fault code.
I'm thinking the noise is the pedal vibrating/abs pump kicking on. I noticed just now that the vibration/noise is happening below 10 mph even without applying the brakes.
Wonder why my code reader isn't working. I plugged it in last night when the light was on and got nothing. Any recommendations?
You have to use a jumper between two pins on the OBD2 connector and read the flashes of the ABS light to get the ABS codes. There is a Honda tool for reading them that most people do not have by they tell you the jumper method too. They will not show on an OBD2 reader. There is a thread around here for that and it is in the shop manual. I did a bunch of tesing and troubleshooting on mine when the module died on me. Is this a US AP1? I can try to get you pics of the pages with the info from the shop manual with the info you need on the codes. It has some recommended test procedures too.
You short pin 9 and 4 of the OBD2 port (be very careful to do the correct 2!!) on a USDM AP1, then the ABS light will start flashing codes. But again, I will try to get you pics from the manual with more info. Manual is down in my shop so will have to grabit later. There are some useful troubleshooting tests in there that help isolate the issue.
Also as you may have noticed, the ABS module controls the brake bias on this car So when ABS is not working due to an ABS code being set, the brake bias shifts significantly to the rear, making it sketchy as hell on the track if not used to it! Been there, done that !
You have to use a jumper between two pins on the OBD2 connector and read the flashes of the ABS light to get the ABS codes. There is a Honda tool for reading them that most people do not have by they tell you the jumper method too. They will not show on an OBD2 reader. There is a thread around here for that and it is in the shop manual. I did a bunch of tesing and troubleshooting on mine when the module died on me. Is this a US AP1? I can try to get you pics of the pages with the info from the shop manual with the info you need on the codes. It has some recommended test procedures too.
You short pin 9 and 4 of the OBD2 port (be very careful to do the correct 2!!) on a USDM AP1, then the ABS light will start flashing codes. But again, I will try to get you pics from the manual with more info. Manual is down in my shop so will have to grabit later. There are some useful troubleshooting tests in there that help isolate the issue.
Also as you may have noticed, the ABS module controls the brake bias on this car So when ABS is not working due to an ABS code being set, the brake bias shifts significantly to the rear, making it sketchy as hell on the track if not used to it! Been there, done that !
That sounds like fun. So I can't read any ABS related codes from a regular OBD2 reader?
Thank you engifineer! I used a paperclip to jump the OBD port and read one long flash and eight short flashes of the ABS light. Which indicates code DTC18 "Left rear wheel sensor (electrical noise/intermittent interruption)". I will try cleaning the plug before just replacing it. I found the below video helpful.
Yep on mine, I had multiple codes with many conflicting ones which all led to a bad ABS module. I just got a used one from A Solutions for $90 vs spending $1500 for a new one from honda. Just in case, I am posting a few screenshots of the shop manual pages to assist in how to troubleshoot. Sorry, my manual has been through a bit so the pages are not super pretty
02-02-2024, 07:10 AM
ABS Issue
So when ABS is not working due to an ABS code being set, the brake bias shifts significantly to the rear, making it sketchy as hell on the track if not used to it! Been there, done that !
