ABS chatter and low pedal

[Quantumfog]

This one has stumped three garages, the last being one of the local Toyota dealerships. I've seen this question posed before here, but the response doesn't solve the problem.

The symptoms are a low pedal; the abs kicks in during a stop when traveling at any speed, even 5-10mph. ABS light does not come on to indicate a problem. The Camry is a 95 model, 4cyl.

The first garage couldn't figure the solution; the second garage replaced the master cylinder; then the toyo dealership replaced the pads, machined the rotors and bled the lines. The dealership has had the car for three days without coming up with an answer.

I've seen this problem posted on several forums, all give the same pat answers about the cylinder, pads, lines and rotors. There is no follow up past this point giving a solution that works.

Anybody here smarter than the mechanics I've been dealing with?

[Venom_5]

i have a 95 LE (4cyl) and this happened to me over the summer after a brake job (replacement of pads & rotors)

it ended up being a $500 expense at my local toyota dealer - they knew how to fix it right away, and it was some part of the ABS system ... i do not remember what, but i mightve mentioned it in one of my own previous threads

if i get a chance later, ill check the printout and see what they replaced

[Quantumfog]

Originally Posted by Venom_5

...do not remember what, but i mightve mentioned it in one of my own previous threads

if i get a chance later, ill check the printout and see what they replaced...

Thanks; between these idiot mechanics I've spent $650 on this problem so far. It would be nice to tell them how to fix it.

[dc_98_cam]

The Gen 3 Brake section of the repair manuals says to do this first:
When the ignition switch is turned ON, check that the ABS
warning light goes on for 3 seconds.

If you don't get the 3 second ABS warning light, there is an ABS trouble code procedure that is described on p. 93.

Did the problem which you describe initially appear immediately after any brake maintenance or repair procedure?

[Quantumfog]

Originally Posted by dc_98_cam

...When the ignition switch is turned ON, check that the ABS warning light goes on for 3 seconds.

The car is still at the dealership; if I get it back in the same condition I'll give it a try.

Originally Posted by dc_98_cam

...Did the problem which you describe initially appear immediately after any brake maintenance or repair procedure?

Dunno. It's the wife's car, she usually doesn't mention any problems until 30,000 miles after it occurs. It did work okay after the previous brake job.

The dealership called this afternoon saying its the ABS actuator. Also said they want another $400. We'll see.

[dc_98_cam]

Originally Posted by Quantumfog

The car is still at the dealership; if I get it back in the same condition I'll give it a try.

Dunno. It's the wife's car, she usually doesn't mention any problems until 30,000 miles after it occurs. It did work okay after the previous brake job.

The dealership called this afternoon saying its the ABS actuator. Also said they want another $400. We'll see.

Just curious ... who did the previous brake job?
There is a special technique that is supposed to be used when replacing ABS brake pads/calipers .... Requires opening the local bleed valve when spreading calipers so that dirty brake fluid does not foul ABS sensor.

[Quantumfog]

Originally Posted by dc_98_cam

Just curious ... who did the previous brake job?
There is a special technique that is supposed to be used when replacing ABS brake pads/calipers .... Requires opening the local bleed valve when spreading calipers so that dirty brake fluid does not foul ABS sensor.

It was done by an independent garage called Stellar that specializes in Toyota. Don't think I'll be using them again considering all the recent garages commented on Stellars choice of cheap pads and not machining the rotor. They may have goobered something in the ABS that took a while to show up.

[Eye8Pussies]

it's an abs sensor problem, probably the sensor that counts the abs splines on the axles

I don't see why the garages had to do all that other work when it's obviously a sensor problem (as seen by the abs coming on at all speeds when the wheels don't lock up)

[Venom_5]

yeah, i had my sensor replaced ... and i also had like some sort of gear or something replaced because something was stripped, idk

[Quantumfog]

The Toyota dealership has had the Camry for 13 days. It took them 4 days to define the problem as the "ABS Actuator".

To their credit, they agreed to the fix at no additional cost, since they gave a verbal guarantee the first time around.

Now, the problem is they can't find the part. Anywhere. If my internet protocol is up to date, here's where I'm supposed to enter a bunch of !!!!, some ???, followed by WTF. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I find it hard to believe the giant Toyota Corporation can't find a part. Anybody here run into a similar problem?

[Quantumfog]

Two weeks passed after they diagnosed the problem as the actuator, the dealership said they couldn't find the part anywhere. I called the Toyo helpline in California and they found it within a day.


But, it took another week for various parts of the actuator to be delivered.

When the dealership installed the part, the pedal was still soft. They finally gave us a car to use for free while they figgered this one out.

Another week later, they found a bubble at the actuator end of the brake assembly. My suspicion is that may have been the problem all along.

The dealership said the parts cost $1,400 and they weren't charging for labor. I also suspect that at that price they weren't worried about labor cost.

But the car is fixed, even though it wasn't worth the time, money and effort. We would have traded had we not been slammed with a confluence of unusual bills at the time.

I hope you have better luck and astute mechanics.