ABS and Trac lights illuminated - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

aznlunatic206 · 10-21-2010, 07:22 PM

Hey guys, this issue only occurred a couple times, i searched the thread but didn't find anything that i could relate too. I was leaving bank of america and when i turned on my car, the ABS and i think the traction control light lite up and stayed lite without blinking, so i turned off the car and turned it back on and everything is fine again, anything should worry about? it only happened twice since i bought the car 6 months ago.

11LE · 10-21-2010, 07:28 PM

If you mounted hid ballasts on the abs/trac unit or near it, then it'll damage it. Ballasts are to be mounted as far away as possible due to the electromagnetic waves they gives off.

aznlunatic206 · 10-21-2010, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 11LE

If you mounted hid ballasts on the abs/trac unit or near it, then it'll damage it. Ballasts are to be mounted as far away as possible due to the electromagnetic waves they gives off.

thats why, i had it directly mounted on the abs unit since i never really though it could affect anything. i moved it to the top of the windshield washer reservoir, is this a ok place to put it? my ballast wont melt through it right? its about 6-7inches away from the abs unit now. so did i permanently damage my abs unit? or it just wouldnt function right with the ballast on it?

thanks

11LE · 10-21-2010, 07:48 PM

We won't know, only time will tell. Yes, it should be far away enough. Is that as far as you could get it? Where's your other one located? I'll try and get a picture of where mine is located. For now, unplug your battery so everything resets. If you drive for a while and the light doesn't come back, then you're golden.

EDIT: I think you should be alright if this has been happening only recently. If a ballast is mounted on the unit for a long, long time, damage is unavoidable.

aznlunatic206 · 10-21-2010, 07:53 PM

as far as i can get it for the time being. it wont melt through the windshield washer reservoir right? it only happened twice and each time being like 2 months apart so hopefully it isn't permanently damaged.

11LE · 10-21-2010, 07:53 PM

It won't melt through. Ballasts aren't that hot. How long has the ballast been on the unit?!

aznlunatic206 · 10-21-2010, 07:58 PM

id say for a good 4 and a half months, but i drive during the day a lot more than at night, id say i do like like 20% night time driving, and if i do drive at night its on for no longer than 10-15mins at a time.

11LE · 10-21-2010, 08:01 PM

Ah. You might be good. Just reset everything, have your ballasts clear of the unit, and hope for the best. I'm going to take the pictures soon.

aznlunatic206 · 10-21-2010, 08:06 PM

kk, as long as its far enough away from the unit i should be fine *knock on wood*. i dont think 4 months is any where near long term and for the amount that i use my headlights for the unit to have permanent damage.

BlackCamSe · 10-21-2010, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 11LE

If you mounted hid ballasts on the abs/trac unit or near it, then it'll damage it. Ballasts are to be mounted as far away as possible due to the electromagnetic waves they gives off.

u sure about this? I have mine mounted on the ABS actuator as well. I talked to pawel and he said it should be fine. If not ill go out and move it right now

11LE · 10-21-2010, 08:19 PM

Here are where my ballasts are mounted.

Driver's side- right in front of the battery.

Passenger's side- It's hard to see.. but it's on the chassis, towards the front, under the ac pipes/tubes. You can see a hint of the yellow sticker on the ballast.

11LE · 10-21-2010, 08:28 PM

I'm very sure. I take it most abs/traction control units are similar. On my '02 C-Class, the esp/abs module was very sensitive and I had to mount the hid's on the wheel well. On mbworld forums, I've seen many uninformed members mount too close or right on the unit, thus having to fork out another 600 or so bucks to replace an esp unit by bosch.

On the Camry, I find it no different. In fact, if you take it in for warranty due to the abs light on, they'll void it because you have a ballast mounted on it. I'm aware dealerships like to blame, but this is some true stuff. Ballasts radiate signals which interfere with other components.

Shoot, it took out this guy's power steering on his IS. It's some freaky stuff, the car's steering is possessed.
http://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-s...ing-out-4.html

Lower grade ballasts, like most of the aftermarket ones out there, are not protected, thus the signals/waves/EMI/whatever you want to call them, are free to radiate, and can be negated with tin foil, so I heard. Even so, I'd keep the ballasts away. OEM hid ballasts are well insulated and do not have this problem.

BlackCamSe · 10-21-2010, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 11LE

I'm very sure. I take it most abs/traction control units are similar. On my '02 C-Class, the esp/abs module was very sensitive and I had to mount the hid's on the wheel well. On mbworld forums, I've seen many uninformed members mount too close or right on the unit, thus having to fork out another 600 or so bucks to replace an esp unit by bosch.

On the Camry, I find it no different. In fact, if you take it in for warranty due to the abs light on, they'll void it because you have a ballast mounted on it. I'm aware dealerships like to blame, but this is some true stuff. Ballasts radiate signals which interfere with other components.

Shoot, it took out this guy's power steering on his IS. It's some freaky stuff, the car's steering is possessed.
http://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-s...ing-out-4.html

Lower grade ballasts, like most of the aftermarket ones out there, are not protected, thus the signals/waves/EMI/whatever you want to call them, are free to radiate, and can be negated with tin foil, so I heard. Even so, I'd keep the ballasts away. OEM hid ballasts are well insulated and do not have this problem.

after reading that, i went outside in the dark and moved the ballast to the washer fluid tank. Thanks for the heads up, bro

aznlunatic206 · 10-21-2010, 08:52 PM

so just as a precaution, could i put a small square piece of tin foil over the ballast? not too tightly covering the ballast.

11LE · 10-21-2010, 09:00 PM

No problem. Honestly, I don't think it would help that much, but it may provide piece of mind.. I wouldn't do it because it may fall off and touch something electircal/spinning/moving. So long as your ballast is moved, then you're fine. If you must incorporate tin-foil, cover the ballast up, not he abs/trac unit.