It's simple: if the ABS icon lights up on the dashboard, then the brake assist system is defective. This does not mean the failure of the entire brake system, but we consider it necessary to understand the reasons for this and the consequences.

What is ABS

The anti-lock braking system does not allow the wheels to "get up" during hard braking, dosing the force of deceleration. ABS usually increases the stopping distance, but leaves the driver with control. A modern ABS system can also include traction control, dynamic stability control and emergency braking assist (BAS). The complex of such systems works for the benefit of active vehicle safety.

The ABS device includes several main components, including:

• Wheel speed and acceleration sensors located directly on the hubs;
• Hydraulic block including solenoid valves, pump and accumulators (actuators);
• An electronic control unit (ECU) that ensures the system operates in the most efficient mode. Based on the information collected from the sensors, the device sends commands to the ABS actuators.

Causes of the anti-lock braking system light coming on

Normally, the ABS indicator on the instrument panel lights up for a few seconds and goes out every time the engine is started. If the icon is not displayed at this moment, the system is inactive and needs to be checked. There can be several reasons why the ABS light came on:

1. Broken wires;
2. ABS sensors are dirty, disabled or out of order;
3. The toothed rim on the wheel hub is damaged;
4. The electronic control unit of the system does not function.

Regardless of the reason why the ABS is on, the on-board computer collects information about the problems and analyzes it to generate an error code. The detection of a specific malfunction is indicated by the same warning lamp.

Why is ABS breakdown dangerous?

If the indicator does not light up due to a burned out light bulb, it will not be difficult to solve the problem. Just replace it with a new one yourself or with the help of service staff. In the event that the anti-lock braking system indicator comes on while the vehicle is moving, be extremely careful when braking hard. Of course, a complete loss of control will not occur, but the car can skid. A failed system will not allow the car to move when the brake pedal is pressed, all the more carefully to go around obstacles.

What can you do before going to the car service?

If any irregularities in the ABS operation are detected, it is necessary to carry out a visual inspection of the system elements.

1. Checking the electronic control unit for water inside the device and damage to the case is carried out after disconnecting the brake pipes and wires. The ECU is located next to the brake force distributor. If you find liquid, the device must be purged and dried. It is important to disconnect the battery for safety.
2. The serviceability of fuses can also be checked on their own. Several electronic components related to the anti-lock braking system are located on a common panel under the hood.
3. It is advisable to inspect the wires connected to the sensors on the wheels. To do this, raise the car body with a jack so that the wheel hub area is clearly visible. Such a check allows you to detect wires that have flown off the mounts or ground wires.

If, after the described actions, the ABS lamp remains on, check the activity of the system in motion. Accelerate the car to 40 km / h and sharply press the brake pedal all the way to the floor. When the ABS is working, vibration is felt, when the anti-lock braking system is turned off, there are no twitching. To conduct a thorough examination of the ABS components, the car must be delivered to a proven car service. The technicians will use an auto-tester to carry out computer diagnostics and analyze the anti-lock braking system error code. Sometimes you can fix the problem by “clearing” the error by removing the battery terminal.

In the event of any malfunction of the car, contact the official service centers of FAVORIT MOTORS Group of Companies. Qualified specialists provide a full range of services for maintenance, diagnostics and repair of cars of foreign and domestic brands. Our masters undergo regular training at authorized training centers, which guarantees high quality service at affordable prices. We use only original spare parts and reliable consumables in our work. Take care of the safety of your car, trust the professionals!

In order to exclude the occurrence of errors during braking, because many drivers have no idea how to properly brake on a car, the ABS system was created. It allows you to effectively, without leaving even in icy conditions. Modern motorists are already so accustomed to this system that getting them behind the wheel of a car that is not equipped with this option will not lead to problems. Therefore, for many it is a great tragedy if one day a light bulb comes on.

System normal operation indication

On all vehicles fitted with the system, the ABS indicator comes on when the ignition is switched on. This is a kind of system check and demonstration to the driver that the system is active. Then, after a few seconds, the light should go out. If this did not happen, or if during the movement the ABS lamps suddenly light up, then there are clearly problems that need to be solved in the near future.

So answering the question why the ABS light is on? - we will give advice - look for a problem in the braking system or in the electronics that provide assistance during braking.

The most common reasons why an ABS light is on

1. A very common problem is a malfunction of one of the ABS. An ABS sensor is installed near the caliper of each wheel. And if at least one of them fails, the system will immediately inform you about this by highlighting the ABS symbol on the dashboard.
2. A similar problem is a break in communication between the ABS unit and the sensors. It can be a short circuit in the contact wires, problems with the contact itself.
3. Malfunctions associated with the control unit itself. Error in its work, or failure.

What to do about this problem?

Perhaps this section of our article is what you expect the most. Well, let's try to give you some useful tips.

As noted, the problem may lie in unreliable contact. To establish this, all connections must be checked. There are 4 pin plugs for each wheel, i.e. directly near the sensor itself, and contact 5 is in the engine compartment, it will not be a problem to find it, be guided by the VUT.

Disconnect each contact, clean any dirt if necessary, then reconnect. If that doesn't help, move on. If an on-board computer is installed on your car, you can find an error in the system using it. True, the computer will only give you a kind of code. Using this code, you can find information about the malfunction on the Internet. If there is no on-board computer, then nothing can be done.

A modern car is equipped with various vehicle status indicators. Most of the systems are electronically controlled, but the reverse reaction by which the computer communicates with the driver is the flashing of lights or some kind of light elements.

Young drivers may be alerted to a situation in which the ABS light is on. In this case, there is no reason for critical panic, because the main braking system must remain normal.

The anti-lock braking system assists in minimizing driving and road accidents when the brake pedal is depressed. There is no blocking of the wheels, causing the car to turn or loss of control. The car brakes and continues to move in a straight line.

The ABS assists with impulse braking by rotating / locking the wheels in sequence. Skidding during system operation is practically excluded, and a smooth decrease in vehicle speed occurs.

The ABS system includes the following elements:

• hydraulic block;
• electronic sensors located on each wheel;
• an element that monitors the implementation of the correct operation of the hydraulic unit;
• indicator light on the dashboard.

Identifying problems

If the ABS light comes on while driving, then this is a signal that the entire system or its individual elements are not working properly. A normal sign of operability is when it lights up at the start of the car, and after a few seconds it should go out.

At this time, the ABS is being tested. Signals are sent to all sensors, and response pulses are received from them.

When the ABS icon lights up and does not go out even while driving, this may be a consequence of such problems:

• communication problem with any sensor on one of the wheels;
• breaking in the control unit;
• poor quality contact in connecting cables;
• glitch in all sensors.

Broken wires happen while driving, as well as with intense vibrations on a bad road. The connections in the connectors loosen and rupture occurs. These malfunctions are solved independently without contacting the specialists of the car company.

Also, the reason why the ABS sensor is on may lie in the fact that debris or dirt has got on the working surfaces of the sensor located on the wheel. It is enough to wash the car with high quality, and the indicator will go out.

You need to remember how long you visited a car service, because inexperienced craftsmen diagnose the wheels, throwing back the wires from the sensors. After that, would-be experts forget to return everything to its original position, and the light on the panel continues to burn.

Malfunctions with the control unit will be more problematic. You can identify them using the on-board computer, which will issue a system error code. Based on such data, the problem with anti-blocking is calculated. It is unlikely that it will be possible to resolve the issue on your own, so a trip to a car service is required.

Solving the problem yourself

For those who are accustomed to acting decisively, you can advise to open the hood and find the electronic control unit. After disconnecting the battery, we inspect the case for damage or water ingress. If necessary, you can dry everything from excess moisture.

In the fuse box, we check all the connections. In this case, it is necessary to know that several fuses can be used simultaneously for the operation of the ABS.

It is worth checking the wires going to the wheel from the ECU. They can come loose or frayed during use. Such diagnostics are carried out on a jacked-up car.

In some cases, it is enough to accelerate on a flat empty road and brake sharply. In this case, all systems must work correctly, and the indicator must go out if there is a temporary failure in the ECU.

In cases where the ABS is working normally, but the lamp is still on, it is enough to open the battery terminal for a few minutes to reset the system. Everything has to come back to normal.

When none of the proposed cases of putting the display in order helped, you need to feel free to go to the car service in order to identify and eliminate the error with the help of computer accurate diagnostics.

If the ABS light on your dashboard lights up in your car, then you should not panic ahead of time. There is no particular fear in this, the problem is not serious, and its elimination in most cases will not require serious financial investments.

The ABS indicator light comes on: what to do?

All modern vehicles are equipped with the ABS safe braking system, which has a sophisticated design to slow the vehicle down. In European countries, automakers complete all new models with the ABS system, but not every car can be found with a truly practical system.

It works like this: all four wheels of the vehicle are equipped with ABS sensors, which begin to work at the moment of hard braking. To prevent skidding, the system does not completely block the wheels and gradually reduces the speed of their rotation.

But, this is possible only on well-made ABS systems, which are installed on models of vehicles of the middle and higher price categories. As practice shows, the system on budget cars is often a useless addition that does not affect the braking process in any way. In addition, another annoying feature of the functioning of the ABS on used cars is noted - this is the spontaneous lighting of the ABS and ESP system malfunction indicator on the dashboard. Naturally, such an indication distracts the driver from driving a vehicle, constantly forcing him to think about a serious malfunction.

Let's hurry to reassure the car owners who are faced with a similar problem. The thing is that the ABS indicator lights up may not at all indicate the presence of problems and system malfunctions. Often, the reasons for this are caused by malfunctions of other elements not related to the anti-lock braking system.

Reasons for spontaneous activation of the ABS malfunction indicator

In a vehicle with properly operating components and assemblies, the warning lamp comes on to indicate that the wheels are unlocked. This indicates that the system is functioning completely properly. The sensors detected the need to activate the safe braking system and initiated this process, as a result of which the indicator on the dashboard came on. In this case, reducing the impact on the brake pedal to stabilize the vehicle is ideal.

If the car has several high-tech security systems (for example, ABS and ESP), then you should not be afraid, since they will do all the work for the driver. Other reasons for the activation of the ABS warning indicator include the following:

• clogging of ABS sensors, as a result of which a corresponding error occurs (its code can be determined during computer diagnostics);
• incorrect operation of the system caused by the presence of foci of corrosion on the working elements of the sensors;
• breakdown of the on-board computer caused by the spontaneous activation of various indicators;
• malfunctions of elements of the chassis, during which the positions of the ABS sensors are violated;
• the system fuse has blown.

Do not exclude the presence of various problems with the car's electrical network, in particular the failure of some of its consumers, which can also provoke an erroneous activation of the ABS warning lamp, regardless of whether you have a mono-drive car or 4WD.

For example, on some Volkswagen models, the release of which fell on the late 90s, there is one feature associated with the inclusion of the ABS error indicator, in the presence of a malfunction in other mechanisms.

In such cases, the process of self-diagnosis of the braking control system is only partially justified, since the car owner does not have the necessary diagnostic equipment to correctly determine its malfunction. And the "poke method" is not suitable in this case.

Options for self-diagnosis of the system if ABS is lit on the instrument panel

Experienced diagnosticians recommend starting an independent troubleshooting in the ABS system with a visit to a car wash for high-quality and complete cleaning of rims and hubs. As a result, it is possible to clean the sensors of the system as much as possible, for further correct operation of the system. If after that ABS is on, then proceed to the steps described below.

You can also determine the cause of the ABS system malfunction signal by performing a simple test: you need to accelerate the vehicle, and at a speed of about 100 km / h, turn off the car radio and close the windows. If, as a result of the manipulation done, it is possible to hear outside noise in the area of \u200b\u200bthe front or rear wheels, it is most likely that the bearing of one of the hubs has critical wear and needs to be replaced.
Additionally, you can perform the following manipulations:

Naturally, the last item on the list will be fully justified, but also the most costly, since this is the only way to correctly identify the source of the problem, to determine the subsequent tactics and budget for repair measures. Experts will test all systems of the car using a special scanner and find any errors. Thus, in a short period of time, all important information about the state of vehicle components is collected, possible errors are determined, which will help to determine the malfunction as accurately as possible.

What to do if the ABS system starts to work incorrectly, the indicator blinks?

This situation is one of the most difficult system breakdowns. The thing is that the sensors read the wrong information and transmit it to the control device, which for this reason gives the wrong commands to the actuators. Unfortunately, most vehicle owners, during the detection of this malfunction, simply turn off the ABS system, since this is an effective measure to prevent serious consequences while driving. For example, spontaneous activation of the system while driving at a speed of more than 90 km / h can lead to serious damage to the suspension, which can trigger an emergency situation as a result of loss of control of the vehicle.
In this case, you need to do the following:

• perform system diagnostics in a car service;
• if the ABS system is installed on a domestic car, you must turn it off;
• it is quite possible that after the repair of the ABS, the ECU will need to be flashed, but this measure is applicable mainly for foreign cars;
• disabling the anti-lock system is not a solution to the problem, since on most vehicles its presence is simply necessary and is due to the design features of their chassis, body and frame;
• you should not completely exclude the presence of malfunctions in other parts of the car that cause interruptions in the operation of the ABS.

It must be remembered that only carrying out diagnostics on special equipment will help to establish the real reason for the incorrect operation of the anti-lock system, which may consist both in a malfunction of its components and other vehicle units. Therefore, you should be prepared for anything. But, in many cases, the problem is solved quite simply. The cost of restoring the performance of the ABS system will depend only on its design and the make of the car. But the need for these works is dictated by the safe operation of automotive equipment, the design of which includes a similar system.

The problems caused by the ABS system cannot be called difficult to solve, but in any case they require immediate elimination. As you can see, a banal system shutdown, which most car owners consider a panacea in the event of a malfunction, is not always just this magic remedy. All that needs to be done is to correctly identify the malfunction and eliminate it, because in most cases, it is not related to the functioning of the anti-blocking system.

If you saw that on the dashboard the ABS light is on, this can happen for two reasons:

1. It turns on every time you start the engine - this is how the system indicates that it is operational. Normally, after a short time, the light will go out. If the ABS lamp does not light up when the engine starts, then the indicator is most likely out of order;
2. If the light does not go out after a while, this indicates some problems in the ABS system. The on-board computer, detecting a failure, generates a malfunction code, stores it in its memory and turns on the warning indicator.

Typically, this indicator is displayed on the panel as an ABS lettering icon highlighted in yellow, but some vehicles have green, red or orange lights.

There may be several reasons:

• problem with the ABS control unit;
• there is no connection with the sensor on the wheel, that is, a problem with the wires;
• the sensor itself is broken;
• problems with the crown on the hub.

All described malfunctions can occur both when starting the car and directly while driving.

If the ABS indicator is blinking:

Chances are, the anti-lock braking system sensors are malfunctioning and sending the wrong signals to the computer. This means that the computer will give the wrong commands to the car. Of course, in order to avoid trouble, you can simply turn off the ABS, but it is better to go to a car service - it is possible that the complex on-board electronic system of your car will have to be "reflashed".

Why did this happen:

• the wires could break off or fly off the mountings and rub against the wheel due to the unevenness of the road and simply due to the long-term operation of the car;
• also, the contacts could get moisture, or they rusted;
• sensors can be clogged with sand and mud, and therefore are not able to transmit the received information to the ABS unit;

• remember, you did not go to the service station to repair the wheels? Sometimes the sensors of the ABS system are turned off there, and they forget to turn them back on. Another option - the wheel is incorrectly installed.
• problems with the ABS control unit are more complex and can only be diagnosed in a car service.

What threatens a malfunction of the ABS system

If the matter is in the burned out bulb of the indicator itself, then nothing. Replace it and go.

If a aBS signal lights up while driving, do not panic and do not suddenly stop - in most cases it is safe to go further. But you need to be aware that you cannot count on an anti-lock braking system, as well as on automatic traction control and adequate operation of the stability control system, because all these components and systems are interconnected. That is why it is important to take a close look at how the car behaves and whether the brakes work normally, and then make an informed decision whether to go to a car service or call a tow truck.

What you can do yourself if the ABS light is on

Most ABS problems require specialized knowledge and equipment, however, there are a few things you can do yourself.

• Check the fuses (there are several of them, all are in the engine compartment mounting block), and replace the one that has blown;

• Using a lift or jack, lift the car and inspect the integrity and contacts of the wires going to the wheel sensors;
• Inspect the wheel speed sensors. Wipe and dry them if necessary;
• Check the brake fluid level;
• Inspect the electronic control unit for fluid. To do this, first disconnect the battery, then disconnect the harness with connectors and inspect the unit. If moisture is found in it, dry it;

• If you can read a diagnostic error code (for example, using a diagnostic device), google about it on the Internet in the forums.

The rest is beyond your power to do. Go to the service station, order diagnostics and repairs, because the safety of you, your relatives and other road users depends on the operation of the car's brake system.

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.