Why is my ABS light on?

Tiny
EMERALDSONLY
  • MEMBER
  • 2007 FORD FOCUS
  • 65,000 MILES
I just had a complete set of front and back brakes put on car yesterday. Also the back drums and bearings had to be replaced and new ones installed. The abs light does not go off and the mechanic checked and cleaned the sensors in back and used some kind of hand held device to test the car as well. How do I get that light off? I am concerned about driving as a disabled person and I don't want to have my ABS not working correctly.
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Friday, September 27th, 2013 AT 3:57 AM

17 Replies

Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,758 POSTS
The light is not going to go off until you repair the issue that triggered it in the first place. The first thing you need is the code number being set in the ABS module. It sounds like you may have a wheel speed sensor that is out. These videos will help us find the problem.

https://youtu.be/rTtAnsOlZU4

and

https://youtu.be/Pb6nXV-iamI

and

https://youtu.be/ANWVTh2RQoQ

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/abs-warning-light-on-easy-repair-guide

Please run down these guides and report back.
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Friday, September 27th, 2013 AT 7:23 AM
Tiny
FOREVERWHALERFAN
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
  • 2007 FORD FOCUS
  • 120,000 MILES
Changed rear brake drum and bearing and removed ABS ring from old drum and placed on new drum. Now ABS light is on continually. I was told that the light should go off after turning the ignition switch on 50 to 75 times. It may have been 50 by now and the light still stays on. I touched no other parts related to ABS. What could be the cause?

Thank you.
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:49 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 107,922 POSTS
Since the light is on, have the computer scanned for trouble codes. That way you will know where the problem is coming from. You can also try disconnecting the battery for about 20 minutes to see if that shuts if off. However, I would start by scanning the computer to see where the cause is coming from, then I would check to see if something is disconnected, damaged, dirty.
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:49 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RICKRAB
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  • 1 POST
  • 2007 FORD FOCUS
  • 140,000 MILES
Abs light is staying on, all new brakes rotors and drums and new wheel cylinders, done by the Ford dealership were car was purchased! Brakes work fine but light is still on they say they don't know why. They have even tried bleeding the entire system again and light went out but came back on as soon as it was driven and the brake was applied.
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:49 AM (Merged)
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,758 POSTS
The ABS light really has nothing to do with the pads and rotors. It means the ABS computer has sensed an electronic malfunction, shut the system down and stored a trouble code to identify what it saw. You need to have the ABS module scanned to retrieve the stored code and that will give you a starting point. My guess is that you will find a problem with one of the wheel speed sensors, possibly damaged during the brake repair or maybe a brake rotor with a missing or defective sensor ring.
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:49 AM (Merged)
Tiny
ANDREW SCHNEIDER
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  • 2 POSTS
  • 2007 FORD FOCUS
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 13,000 MILES
Just replaced front and back brakes. They seem to be working great but now the ABS and brakes lights are on at the dash when driving.
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:49 AM (Merged)
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 12,869 POSTS
What did you replace? Pads and rotors? The normal reason for those lights are a bad ABS sensor or bad sensor wiring. What you need is a scan tool that can read the ABS codes and the actual speed data from the sensors. That way you have a place to start from and a way to confirm that it is repaired.
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:49 AM (Merged)
Tiny
ANDREW SCHNEIDER
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Yes. Replaced pads, rotors and drums. I will have to go to an auto part store or mechanic for scan right?
I should be alarmed though if brakes are working great right?
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:49 AM (Merged)
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 12,869 POSTS
The light being on just means no ABS. Yes either a good shop or dealer. The parts stores usually do not do ABS scans because of the liability concerns.
As long as the brakes work okay it is not an "oh my god the car's going to blow up" thing but I would get it looked at when you can, not having ABS when you are used to it can be an awakening moment.
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:49 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BOYERTH1988
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2006 FORD FOCUS
  • 2.0L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 121,300 MILES
I am having an issue with the check engine light and abs light fadeing in and out slowly. They only get to about 30-40% brightness and then dim back down. I've hooked up my OBD2 reader and nothing comes up. I've tried replacing the spark plugs, transmission fluid, oil change, and coil pack boots and it still continues to do the same thing.
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:49 AM (Merged)
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 12,869 POSTS
Hello and welcome to 2CarPros.
That sounds like you have a problem with the cluster and not with the rest of the vehicle. When you first start it and it runs the bulb test do the lights come on bright and go off as they should? Unfortunately you need to have a good scan tool that can actually "talk" to the cluster to test it and see if it's internal to the cluster or if there is a communication error on the network.

When the lights fade in/out does anything else happen with any other part of the car?
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:49 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BOYERTH1988
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
No, it just seems like they stay fading in and out and when I push the brakes in feels like a warped rotor, but I just redid the brakes.
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:49 AM (Merged)
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 12,869 POSTS
Okay, so they fade on/off in a regular cycle? Does this happen when you just turn on the key or does the engine need to be running? As a test you can go to the under-hood fuse box and look for the ABS module fuse and remove it. If the problem is in the module or related to it the ABS light should change. If it does but the CEL still acts like a disco then it is more than likely a cluster error. Ford uses the cluster to do a lot more than just the gauges so anything can effect them. The attached diagram shows the possible fuse locations depending on the build date. Ford made a few changes depending on model and engine. The cover should tell you which it actually is.
For the brake pulse, I would pull the wheels and then the rotors, clean off the inside of the rotor and the surface of the hub, then carefully tighten the lug nuts to torque and see if it stops, a tiny bit of rust or dirt on that mating surface will cause the rotor to have serious run out at the friction surface.
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:49 AM (Merged)
Tiny
TILER77
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  • 2 POSTS
  • 2004 FORD FOCUS
  • MANUAL
  • 65,000 MILES
My focus airbag and abs lights stay on
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:50 AM (Merged)
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,758 POSTS
That indicates that the corresponding control modules have recognized a malfunction in the system and set a trouble code to identify the issue. You will need a professional scan tool, not just a generic code reader to retrieve the codes and that will give you a starting point.
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:50 AM (Merged)
Tiny
TILER77
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thanks. Is it expsensive
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:50 AM (Merged)
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,758 POSTS
That depends what the problem turns out to be. The diagnostics average about $100
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Friday, March 19th, 2021 AT 10:50 AM (Merged)

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