[qman]

I broke the ABS sensor replacing the LBJ. It was stuck and broke off. I had to drive the car out of the way with no sensor in place. This set the ABS light in the dash. I bought a new sensor and installed it but the light doesn't turn off. Is there something special I have to do too get the light to turn off or do I have a bad sensor?

 

[Ronch]

Can you reset it with an OBD scanner...?

 

[chris918]

I'm sure autozone could reset it for free.

For future reference it's a more simple to disconnect the sensor from the wiring harness under the hood and remove the wire still attached to the knuckle.

 

[qman]

Can you reset it with an OBD scanner...?

I couldn't. I also disconnected the battery for 90 min and the light is still on when i started the car.

 

[Miker]

Have you tried simply driving the car around and see if the ABS relearns that an operational speed sensor is now available?

Safely test the ABS to see if it might actually be working and just waiting to reset the DTC

 

[Dr. Acula]

Edit; stole this from Acurazine, I’ve used it often and it works unless there is some other issue going on.

but before you do the procedure use the paper clip method to flash the abs codes and you can decipher them from the service manual or you can post them and I’ll look them up

edited again for clarity: this method is enabled by using a paperclip to bridge terminals 4 and 9 on the OBD2 port. I’ll edit a third time and add a picture of the port with numbers.

1) Jump pins 4 and 9.
2) Press and hold the brake pedal and switch on the ignition.
3) Wait for the ABS light to turn off and then remove your foot from the brake pedal.
4) Wait for the ABS light to turn on, then press and hold the brake pedal again.
5) ABS light should turn off, then remove your foot from the brake pedal.
6) Wait for two flashes of ABS light. If it flashes it means that errors are erased. codes cleared

Check the errors (with the pins jumped as in dont remove the paper clip yet) - just turn the ignition on, if ABS light does not flash, no errors are in memory. Turn key off leave paperclip in.


next step VSA neutral position setting
Do not touch the brake pedal anymore.
1) Jump pin 9 (brown wire) to chassis ground (I have used a bolt on a door hinge, some people say they just left pins 4 & 9 jumped and it worked, I used a paperclip and wire to make it reach the door bolt). just leave the paperclip in and don’t worry about grounding to the door or whatever
2) Turn the ignition on, after ABS light turns off, quickly press the "VSA off" button (or tcs button).
3) After ABS light turns on again, quickly press the "VSA off" button.
4) Now shoud be a lot of different **blinks and fashesand all lights ABS, VSA and triangle should turn off. The problem's solved.
I hope this helps someone

so I’ve used this method many times when I did wheel bearings and speed sensors and if it works and shuts your lights off and then they come back, there is some other problem going on whether it be at the sensors, the wiring, the bearings being covered in gunk or something that is in the cummunication hub for all these systems. If it works and shuts your light off there is possibly still a lingering problem that may come back… possibly corrosion or compromised connections from the water damage.

third edit: here’s a diagram of the OBD port and corresponding numbers

 

[Dr. Acula]

@qman : did you have to drill it out at all or did the broken pieces come out relatively clean?

When I had to drill one out I had an electrical “noise” code from particles of crap on magnetic encoder. I used a paint brush and a magnet to get the crap off of it and that was a terrible idea as I messed up the field or induced a field that shouldn’t have been there and had another code. Eventually I got lucky and it went away over time but I highly suggest not bringing a magnet near the bearing.

If you suspect particle interference compressed air may be your best bet

 

[qman]

@qman : did you have to drill it out at all or did the broken pieces come out relatively clean?

No I did not. I lightly tapped on it from above and cracked the plastic body and eventually broke off the main shaft from the bolt flange. I was able to tap it out from below after removing the spindle but it was too late. Too bad I didn't think of that first.

BTW what is the VSA button?

 

[Dr. Acula]

Traction control off button. Should be to the left of the steering wheel besides where the fog light and moonroof switch is.

 

[qman]

1) Jump pins 4 and 9.
2) Press and hold the brake pedal and switch on the ignition.
3) Wait for the ABS light to turn off and then remove your foot from the brake pedal.
4) Wait for the ABS light to turn on, then press and hold the brake pedal again.
5) ABS light should turn off, then remove your foot from the brake pedal.
6) Wait for two flashes of ABS light. If it flashes it means that errors are erased. codes cleared

That right there did it bro. Took less than a minute. I really appreciate it. Thank you so much.

I thought I was gonna have to remove the damn $12 amazon sensor and get another one. What a relief.

For future reference it's a more simple to disconnect the sensor from the wiring harness under the hood and remove the wire still attached to the knuckle.

That's nowhere near easier.

 

[chris918]

That's nowhere near easier.

By replacing the sensor you literally did the same as I did and more. And spent more.

 

[qman]

By replacing the sensor you literally did the same as I did and more. And spent more.

Not when I did the other side and the sensor came right out of the spindle.

If I could go back in time I would still have just tapped it out. Never would I have chose to unplug it from the harness. That's not even maybe easier.

 

[Dr. Acula]

just a note this paper clip method will also flash OBD codes, transmission codes, tcs, and possibly airbag codes(not quite sure on this one)

Glad it worked. Did you test drive it to make sure they stay out? I think abs self test actuated around 11mph?