ABS Lights

[Lo_Wang]

I searched and there wasn't anything really like it, and i didn't want to resurrect and old thread
Well my ABS lights kick on every now and then, sometimes when i drive through gravel. It never stays on it click on and then off. I am thinking a broken sensor, but sometimes when i hit my brakes, it gives me a little rumbling sensation. this rumbling sensation is rare and maybe like once a week and for one pedal press. kind of like ABS kicking in quite roughly, is there a way to check if ABS is busted without taking it into the shop. I went to a couple of shops already and they wanted to change out the sensor which = $$$. Thanks guys

[Nick]

well its probably one of the wheel sensors, especially when on gravel

the other day mine came on, i was driving through some pretty high snowbanks, but the next day it was fine again

[BustaRice]

check the haynes manual. you can check for error codes by the amount of flashes the abs shows. that's how i checked mines.

most likely your abs sensor is damaged and it's 250-300 to replace.

i'm not gonna fix it until i have enough cash that's too steep for me at the moment.

[csaxon]

Lo-Wang your ABS light should come on when you start the car and it does a self diagnosis and then goes out if everything checks out. While driving in situations like you mentioned it may come on but only briefly because of brake pressure drops when ABS kicks in at various wheels. THIS IS NORMAL. If the light stays on then you do have a problem. By the way, did you bleed your brakes recently?

[grapefury]

when abs kicks in, you feel the pulse in the brake pedal and you can most likely hear the abs at work. for the duration of the abs at work, the light should be on the whole time

if the abs only works for a really brief short time, the light will be on and off quick as well

[Lo_Wang]

well i bled my brakes last fall, when i had to change my brake pads at the dealer, and around that time, the ABS light began to come on at random times. they checked but couldn't pinpoint the exact problem, just that maybe the sensor went bad. so the rumbling sensation is the ABS kicking in, so am i safe to ignore the warning lights for now?

Thanks a lot guys

[csaxon]

Lo_Wang, I suspected the brake bleeding because Toyota has changed the factory recommended bleeding procedures depending on the type of ABS system and the VSC system. What year/model do you have and does it have VSC? Even some Toyota mechanics are unaware or forget that the bleeding procedure has changed from what used to be standard. Did you bleed them yourself? If the ABS light stays on you still have normal brakes but the antiskid feature probably won't work.