ABS and Brake lights on dashboard

[hymileage]

Hey folks, the wife says these two lights have started to come on the dashboard a few times lately. It's an 03 sienna with 118000 miles on it. Book says to take it in immediately. What's the story. What will the shop say and how much are we talking about here. Any help will be helpful. Wife is now nervous to drive.

[arabianobsession]

Check your brake fluid....is it low? Many times the brake and ABS lights will come on when the fluid is low. Also, how does the fluid look? Is it black and dirty, or clear and yellow? If it's black, get it changed out for new fluid.

If that's not the issue, it could possibly be a sensor of some kind, like a speed sensor. That's what happened with my last car, and I drove it around like that for over a year, and didn't have any other problems.

The only issue with both those lights on is that your ABS is no longer working. However, your regular braking performance won't be affected (despite what everyone says!!!!), so that's not an issue.

[Black Sunshine]

I thought that the 'Brake' light was only connected to the reservoir to tell you when it had run low on fluid. At the same time I have thought that it may be connected to the computer because if your alternator fails the 'battery' light will come on in conjunction with the 'brake' light. So, maybe the computer turns the 'Brake' light on when the 'ABS' light comes on.

The 'ABS' light usually indicates that a wheel speed sensor has stopped working. There is one at every wheel. The 'ABS' system works by pulsating the brake pressure when the sensor detects that a wheel has stopped moving way to fast or while other wheels are still moving. I think that the electronic portions of the system are the sensors, a control module, and the part that all of the brake lines run through that actually pulses the brakes.

You could check the fluid level and cross your fingers but I doubt you will find the solution there. My Sienna has run low on fluid from using up pads and the 'Brake' light comes on without the 'ABS' light. For that reason I doubt the fluid level is the problem.

The airbag system and ABS system both create diagnostic codes but I don't think that the scanners that Autozone has will read them. The sensors are really easy to replace but you would need to know which one it is.

Don't forget to post the outcome. No matter what path you decide to take to resolve this.

[SiennaCruza]

Brake, Steering, and radiator along with atf are often neglected and only checked for adequate quantity. It's tough and dirty work to flush these systems.

[Black Sunshine]

Where is the ABS light? In need to get my manual out and see where all of the lights are supposed to be because when I turn the key on I don't see an ABS light.