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ABS Light On? The 7 Secrets Mechanics Don't Want You to Know
Mar 26, 2025
Is your ABS warning light driving you crazy? Automotive expert David reveals the definitive guide to understanding, diagnosing, and fixing ABS system problems without breaking the bank! 🚨 What You'll Learn: 7 exact reasons your ABS light is on How to diagnose ABS issues yourself When to DIY vs. call a professional Prevent costly brake system failures Save money and stay safe on the road Recommended Tools & Products: #CarMaintenance #ABSLight #AutoRepair #MechanicTips
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0:00
hey everyone David here from Auto
0:01
Insight garage ever been cruising along
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when suddenly ding that ABS light pops
0:07
on your dashboard that little light
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might seem innocent enough but it's
0:10
actually warning you about a critical
0:12
safety system in your vehicle today I'm
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breaking down everything you need to
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know about your ABS light what triggers
0:19
it what's actually happening inside your
0:21
braking system and most importantly how
0:23
to diagnose and fix the problem yourself
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stay with me because understanding this
0:28
system could literally save your life on
0:30
the road let's dive in what is ABS and
0:32
why it matters before we jump into why
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that pesky light comes on let's
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understand what ABS actually does for
0:39
you every time you hit the brakes ABS
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stands for antilock braking system think
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of it as your personal brake assistant
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that prevents your wheels from
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completely locking up during hard
0:49
breaking without ABS slamming your
0:51
brakes especially on wet or icy roads
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turns your tires into skis sending you
0:56
sliding with zero steering control
0:57
here's what's fascinating about how AB s
1:00
works the system constantly monitors
1:02
each wheel's rotation speed through
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special sensors when it detects a wheel
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about to lock up it does something
1:08
counterintuitive it actually reduces
1:11
brake pressure to that wheel momentarily
1:13
then reapplies it up to 15 times per
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second that's why you feel that pulsing
1:17
in your brake pedal during emergency
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stops it's not your brakes failing it's
1:21
your abs working perfectly giving you
1:23
the best of both worlds maximum stopping
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power while maintaining steering control
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and trust me when you're trying to avoid
1:30
an obstacle while breaking hard that
1:32
ability to steer is absolutely critical
1:35
this technology has saved countless
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lives since becoming standard in
1:39
vehicles the seven most common ABS light
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triggers now let's get to what you came
1:43
for the seven most common reasons your
1:45
ABS light might be illuminated starting
1:47
with the most frequent culprits I see in
1:49
my shop one wheel speed sensor failures
1:52
the number one cause I encounter daily
1:54
is faulty wheel speed sensors these
1:56
small magnetic sensors sit near each
1:58
wheel and read the r rot ation speed
2:00
through a tooth ring these sensors take
2:02
a beating from road debris salt extreme
2:05
temperatures and moisture when one fails
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your abs computer can't accurately
2:09
monitor that wheel speed anymore and
2:11
boom on comes the light a single bad
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sensor can run anywhere from $20 to $180
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depending on your vehicle plus labor if
2:19
you're not doing it yourself the good
2:21
news they're often accessible and
2:23
relatively simple to replace with basic
2:25
tools second damag tone rings working
2:27
together with Those sensors are tone
2:29
rings also called reluctor Rings or ABS
2:32
Rings these toothed metal rings can
2:35
crack corrode or get damaged especially
2:37
in northern states where road salt reeks
2:40
Havoc see these damaged teeth even a
2:41
small section of damaged teeth means the
2:43
sensor can't read wheel speed accurately
2:46
during that portion of rotation the
2:48
computer detects the inconsistent signal
2:50
and triggers the warning light three low
2:52
brake fluid level your ABS system relies
2:55
on hydraulic pressure which means it
2:57
needs sufficient brake fluid to function
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many vehicles have a sensor that
3:00
triggers the ABS light when fluid drops
3:02
below a specific level low fluid is
3:05
often a symptom of another problem like
3:06
worn brake pads or a leak in your brake
3:08
lines never ignore low brake fluid it
3:11
could indicate brake pad wear or a
3:12
dangerous leak that could lead to
3:14
complete brake failure fourth ABS module
3:17
failure the brain of your ABS system is
3:19
the control module the computer that
3:21
processes sensor information and
3:23
controls the hydraulic valves when this
3:25
module fails it often takes your entire
3:27
ABS system offline mod ual failures can
3:30
happen due to electrical issues moisture
3:32
intrusion or simply age unfortunately
3:34
these are among the most expensive ABS
3:36
repairs sometimes running $700 to $1,200
3:39
for parts and programming five brake
3:41
system component wear severely worn
3:43
brake components like pads rotors and
3:45
calipers can indirectly trigger your ABS
3:48
light when mechanical braking becomes
3:50
compromised it affects how the ABS
3:51
system functions regular brake
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maintenance is your best prevention here
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replace pads before they're metal on
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metal and resurface or replace Road s
4:00
when they're below minimum thickness or
4:02
severely grooved six wiring problems the
4:04
ABS system relies on a complex network
4:07
of wiring connecting sensors to the
4:08
control module these wires are exposed
4:11
to road debris heat from exhaust and
4:13
moisture a perfect recipe for damage
4:15
I've seen everything from rodent damage
4:17
to wires rubbing against suspension
4:19
components until they short out
4:21
diagnosing wiring issues requires
4:23
patience and methodical testing but it's
4:26
often less expensive than replacing
4:27
major components seven AB ABS pump
4:30
hydraulic unit problems the hydraulic
4:32
control unit contains solenoids and a
4:34
pump that physically control brake
4:36
pressure during ABS activation when this
4:38
unit fails it often makes unusual
4:41
buzzing or grinding noises during ABS
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engagement pump failures typically come
4:45
from age contaminated brake fluid or
4:48
internal corrosion unfortunately this is
4:50
another component where replacement can
4:52
be costly typically $500 to $900 plus
4:55
labor how to diagnose Abes problems
4:57
yourself now let's talk about how you
4:59
can diagnose these issues without
5:01
necessarily running to a shop right away
5:03
step one check your brake fluid start
5:05
with the easiest check pop your hood and
5:07
verify your brake fluid level is between
5:09
the minimum and maximum marks while
5:11
you're there check the condition of the
5:13
fluid it should be clear to Amber if
5:14
it's dark brown or black it's time for a
5:17
fluid change regardless step two use an
5:19
OBD2 scanner next you'll want to
5:21
retrieve the specific error codes you
5:23
can pick up a basic OBD2 scanner for $30
5:26
to $50 but make sure it reads ABS codes
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many basic scanners only read engine
5:31
codes ABS codes start with a c and will
5:33
point you to exactly which component or
5:36
wheel location is causing the issue for
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example a code
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c0035 typically indicates a problem with
5:42
the right front wheel speed sensor
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circuit step three visual inspection
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once you know which component is suspect
5:49
perform a visual inspection for wheel
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sensors remove the wheel and look for
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damage wiring connector corrosion or
5:55
debris around the sensor check all
5:57
electrical connectors for corrosion
5:59
water intrusion or loose pins about 30%
6:02
of the ABS problems I diagnose end up
6:04
being connector issues that can be fixed
6:06
with cleaning and dialectric grease step
6:09
four electrical testing if visual
6:11
inspection doesn't reveal the problem
6:13
you can test sensors and wiring with a
6:15
multimeter wheel speed sensors should
6:17
show specific resistance values
6:19
typically between 900 to 2,500 ohms
6:22
depending on your vehicle you can also
6:24
check for continuity in the wiring
6:26
between the sensor and the ABS module
6:28
your vehicle's service manual will list
6:30
the specific values to look for in your
6:31
make and model DIY fixes VSS when to see
6:35
a pro some ABS issues are totally DIY
6:37
friendly While others require
6:39
specialized tools and knowledge let's
6:41
break down what you can tackle yourself
6:42
and when to call in reinforcements DIY
6:45
friendly repairs wheel speed sensor
6:47
replacement typically accessible with
6:48
basic tools cleaning sensor connections
6:51
often just requires connector cleaner
6:53
and Di electric grease break fluid top
6:55
off or replacement just be sure to use
6:57
the correct fluid type basic wiring
6:59
pairs if you can access the damage
7:01
section some tone ring Replacements
7:03
though this varies widely by vehicle
7:05
design professional help needed ABS
7:07
module replacement and programming
7:09
requires dealer level scan tools
7:11
hydraulic unit repairs special tools
7:13
needed for proper bleeding internal tone
7:16
ring Replacements often requires bearing
7:18
press equipment extensive wiring harness
7:20
issues may require Factory diagrams and
7:23
specialized testing system bleeding
7:25
after component replacement improper
7:27
bleeding can cause dangerous brake
7:29
performance remember your brakes are
7:31
literally your life-saving equipment if
7:33
you're uncertain about a repair
7:34
investing in professional help is always
7:36
worth it one crucial note after any ABS
7:39
repair the system needs to be properly
7:41
bled and often requires a scan tool to
7:43
run activation tests that Purge air from
7:46
the hydraulic control unit skip this
7:48
step and you might have a soft brake
7:50
pedal or ABS that functions erratically
7:52
driving with an ABS light on so your ABS
7:55
light is on and you can't fix it
7:57
immediately can you still drive yes but
7:59
with important cautions when your ABS
8:01
light is illuminated your normal braking
8:04
for typical stops remains functional
8:06
however your emergency braking
8:08
capability is compromised your wheels
8:10
can lock up during hard braking
8:12
especially on slippery surfaces this
8:14
means you need to increase following
8:16
distance significantly reduce speed in
8:18
adverse weather conditions practice
8:20
threshold braking applying firm pressure
8:22
just short of lockup pump your brakes
8:24
manually during emergency stops if you
8:26
feel the wheels locking remember that in
8:28
many vehicles the ability control system
8:30
also relies on ABS functionality when
8:33
your abs is disabled you may also lose
8:35
traction control and stability control
8:38
critical for maintaining control in
8:39
adverse conditions prevention tips the
8:42
best way to prevent ABS issues is
8:44
through regular maintenance flush brake
8:46
fluid every 2 to 3 years to prevent
8:48
internal corrosion keep Wheels clean of
8:50
excessive dirt and debris that can
8:51
damage sensors address any brake
8:53
performance issues immediately have ABS
8:55
codes read and cleared after maintenance
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to verify repairs listen for unusual
8:59
usual noises during ABS activation early
9:01
warning of problems understanding your
9:03
ABS system is more than just knowing how
9:05
to turn off that annoying Dashboard
9:07
Light it's about maintaining one of your
9:09
vehicles's most important Safety Systems
9:11
remember your abs doesn't just stop your
9:13
car it helps you maintain control during
9:15
emergency situations when every fraction
9:17
of a second matters if this video helped
9:19
you understand your ABS system better
9:21
hit that subscribe button and
9:23
notification Bell so you don't miss our
9:25
upcoming videos on braking systems and
9:27
DIY Diagnostics drop a comment below
9:29
with any ABS issues you've encountered
9:31
or questions you still have this is
9:33
David from your motorcare reminding you
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that understanding your vehicle isn't
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just about saving money it's about
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keeping you and your family safe on the
9:41
road thanks for watching and I'll see
9:42
you in the next video if you found this
9:44
helpful check out our complete brake
9:46
system playlist for more in-depth guides
9:49
and remember knowledge is power
9:50
especially when it comes to your vehicle
9:52
safety systems
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