Armed Polite Society

Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: gunsmith on January 10, 2007, 05:32:06 AM

Title: dashboard light "rear anti lock brake"....what does that mean?
Post by: gunsmith on January 10, 2007, 05:32:06 AM
dashboard light "rear anti lock brake"....what does that mean?
As a nu yawka, the only thing I learned about cars is tipping the
Taxi Driver.
So this light, rear anti lock brake is lit up, and rear flashers
dont work...I just changed the little round thing under the dash
to fix the front flashers but it didn't help the rear.
Did changing the little round thing make the rear anti lock brake
light up?

Does this mean I've got to invest more money that I don't have into the truck?
Title: Re: dashboard light "rear anti lock brake"....what does that mean?
Post by: K Frame on January 10, 2007, 05:38:50 AM
Unless I miss my guess, there's some sort of fault in the system that requires checking.
Title: Re: dashboard light "rear anti lock brake"....what does that mean?
Post by: BrokenPaw on January 10, 2007, 05:51:26 AM
If I recall correctly, it means that the anti-lock braking system has failed, which means that the rear brakes should still work, but they're no longer "anti-lock" brakes; they're just bog-standard brakes.  The car is safe enough to drive to a repair place, probably, but Mike's right; you need to have it checked.

-BP
Title: Re: dashboard light "rear anti lock brake"....what does that mean?
Post by: Brad Johnson on January 10, 2007, 09:43:07 AM
Step one - Check the fuse to the ABS system.

If that doesn't work, try...

Step Two - Clean off the ABS sensors and make sure a wire hasn't broken or been pulled lose.

ABS sensors are easy to replace.  Usually it's a single electrical connector and the sensor can be spun out with a wrench.

Brad
Title: Re: dashboard light "rear anti lock brake"....what does that mean?
Post by: ilbob on January 10, 2007, 11:59:12 AM
Explanation with a small amount of cynicism.

It means you pay $150 for the mechanic to hook up his computer to your car's computer so he can find out you have an intermittent but undefined fault that might be related to your rear ABS system, or not. He can reset the fault as part of the $150, but it may or may not come back.
Title: Re: dashboard light "rear anti lock brake"....what does that mean?
Post by: Zed on January 10, 2007, 12:11:14 PM
Probably a Blown ABS Fuse, start with that First.
Title: Re: dashboard light "rear anti lock brake"....what does that mean?
Post by: client32 on January 10, 2007, 02:02:47 PM
What type of vehicle is this?

You might be able to grab the code yourself, and then you will know which sensor failed (which is in my experience is the probable cause).

As for the flashers, it will depend on the vehicle, but it could be the bulbs in the tail-lights.
Title: Re: dashboard light "rear anti lock brake"....what does that mean?
Post by: brimic on January 10, 2007, 03:53:37 PM
The ABS light went on in my Nissan truck about 6 years ago. I took it to a Nissan dealership, they looked at it and told me its a $1500 fix and advised me to just drive it the way it is unless I just had to have rear antilock breaks on my pickup. I've been driving it since without a problem.
Title: Re: dashboard light "rear anti lock brake"....what does that mean?
Post by: client32 on January 10, 2007, 05:29:19 PM
My light is one right now too.  I am supposed to be able to ground one of the pins on the computer read out thingy and count the number of flashes.  Most likely the speed sensor for me.  About $100 for a new one.  I haven't bothered with it.
Title: Re: dashboard light "rear anti lock brake"....what does that mean?
Post by: gunsmith on January 10, 2007, 06:50:53 PM
it is a 90 ford ranger xlt 2wd.
The light wasn't on this morning....thanks!
Title: Re: dashboard light "rear anti lock brake"....what does that mean?
Post by: cassandra and sara's daddy on January 10, 2007, 07:27:02 PM
mine's been on 3 years  about a 100 k miles so far