ABS and Traction control turning themselves off!!

[blu falc]

Sometimes after a full power gear change my ABS and/or traction control will de-activate (traction control light turn's on, abs light turns on)
This isn't just some warning as I slammed the brakes and they all locked up which proves that ABS was definately off.
Also when this happens I can't turn traction control back on using the button, I have to turn the ignition off then back on, after that the ABS and T/C are activated again and I can turn the T/C on or Off at will.

Why are the hard shifts doing this?

I have the S5 bypass shiftkit installed, but I ran it for at least 1.5months without any problems.

The problem started after I installed a K&N pod filter, this problem was just with T/C staying de-active.
Then just this week after installing the superlow springs the ABS problem has surfaced.

Help :(

[AUXRVIII]

The fault is with the ABS system, traction control works with ABS which explains the trac light coming on.
Fault could be a wheel speed sensor but without code testing I could only guess, maybe someone else has seen this happen and they could help.

[blu falc]

where can I take it to get a diagnostics reading cheap? this would have lodged a fualt code right?

[AUXRVIII]

Yes there should atleast be a memory code present.

[blu falc]

thanks for your insight

Does anyone else have anything to add?

[blackers10]

mine started out as both lights comming on intermitently
now both abs and t/c light are on constantly..

only thing i have is a spongy brake pedal..

has been fine for the 6 months plus the lights have been on for ...
so dont worry too much

[blu falc]

my biggest concern is I don't have ABS when the light comes on, I usually turn T/C off anyway

what event/mod started your woes blackers?

[blackers10]

im not sure what started mine..

[AUXRVIII]

I should have made it a bit clearer, if there is an ABS fault the traction crontrol system is automatically switched off, hence the T/C light coming on.

[blu falc]

but the T/C light was coming on a few weeks before the ABS light was coming on, does that still prove your theory?

[eXi7w0unD]

that what my car does, so im taking it to ford next monday :S

[AUXRVIII]

Originally Posted by blu falc

but the T/C light was coming on a few weeks before the ABS light was coming on, does that still prove your theory?

Could be some sort of ABS malfunction which was bringing on the light. Without seeing the car it's not really possible to diagnose the fault, could be wiring rubbed through causing a short, water entering a connector or even low tyre pressure or different brand/size tyres fitted. I have seen different brand tyres front to rear in the same size cause this fault.

[Brisbane ghia]

My traction and abs lights came on every now and then, took it to ford and had a rear wheel speed sensor replaced, i think it was approx $150.

[blu falc]

cheers guys, my front-rear tyres are different size and brand. I've had 18's sitting here for months but was holding out untill I got the car lowered. Hopefully the new rims sort the problem

[blackers10]

but the size of tyres shouldnt change the speed the abs sensors roll at...
as the rear is at the diff
the front is at the wheel.

so it should roll the same??

[blackers10]

deb had my wheels on(225/30/20 and 245/35/20) for about a week and her abs and tcs lights never came on

[AUXRVIII]

Originally Posted by blackers10

but the size of tyres shouldnt change the speed the abs sensors roll at...
as the rear is at the diff
the front is at the wheel.

so it should roll the same??

The ABS sensors read off the tone wheels on the axles or drive shafts, if the rear wheel/tyre outside diameter is smaller than front then this can be read by the ABS module as loss of traction as the rears will be spinning faster than front or a fault can be logged as the ABS module thinks there is a correlation fault between the front and rear wheels.

[blackers10]

fair enough
would be nice if the speedo ran off them too eh!! then we wouldnt need to get creative when we change diff gears hehe

[AUXRVIII]

Originally Posted by blackers10

fair enough
would be nice if the speedo ran off them too eh!! then we wouldnt need to get creative when we change diff gears hehe

You would think so but the speedo is still affected as the speedo is calibrated with the wheel/tyre size. If wheel/tyre size is changed on BA/BF the applicable modules need the parameters changed.

[TickfordTiger]

Recently I finally had my ABS / Traction Control fault FIXED finally on my AU2 Ford Fairmont 280,000kms plus ( with LPG). After a couple of years with both the ABS & Traction control light on (note: Traction light always ON which denotes turned when LPG selected) and checking all 4 wheel speed sensors / abs tone rings that fault was with the Bosch ABS module itself. After plugging in a Snap On tools EU device it showed that it could not communicate to the ABS unit or 'was not present'. I found a auto elect guy on ebay who repairs these unit ( plus Bosch ABS units for other cars also). I sent the unit to him and had it returned repaired with LIFETIME warranty! The fault is with ABS & TRACTION models for AU 1 2 3. Apparently the wire connection inside the ABS control unit is weak over time inside the ABS control unit ( where the loom is plugged into) on the side of the ABS pump. Other Fords during this AU era that have ABS only were not affected with this issue. Available on ebay : https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Ford-AU-...r/183771054714

[NorfyXR6]

I recently bought a 98 AU S1 Fairmont Ghia. Both the ABS and TC lights are on and the TC button doesnt seem to do anything. Mechanic said not throwing any codes and suggested replace the master cylinder as it is leaking.

Quote is $610 + labour

My questions are:

-would a leaking master cylinder cause the abs/tc lights to come on? (My own research seems its more likley a abs module or abs sensor)

-are the abs module and master cylinder a single unit or separate? (Mechanic said it is a single unit but im not so sure)

-if a master cylinder is leaking can the washers or whatever be replaced or is it a case of chuck the full part?


Thanks for any advice.

[TickfordTiger]

Hi NorfyXR6,

The master cylinder will have nothing to do with this problem I dont believe.

When your mechanic says " not throwing any codes " is probably because the ABS unit is faulty and will not communicate with the Scan tool device - ie will not detect or recognise the ABS module.
Feel free to do that test first and see if it can detect an ABS system.
If it cant see it -the module is faulty and should be replaced or repaired (better with lifetime warranty) as per the Ebay ad on my last post. only $150 !
Once my unit was repaired it worked perfectly immediatley and the lights cleared on start up and could be seen by the Scan tool when connected.
Good luck.

[NorfyXR6]

Thanks for that.
Yeah i had a look at the ebay link before! Would much rather $150.

So the abs module is separate to the master cylinder?

As i said i was told they come as a unit for $610, but from reading around and what you wrote it appears they are separate parts?

A lot of money to spend on a 'it might fix it'.

As for the codes i took it to the mechanic and he tried to diagnose and just said no codes so he didnt know. Never mentioned about the module not communicating so assume he didnt consider that. And i dont have a scanner. Might have to get a second opinion.

Thanks for your help. Im new to the AU series


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