ABS C1185 trouble code

I just returned from a eight hundred plus round trip with my van and I am lucky to be alive.

First off, 2002 Windstar 131,000 miles, code c1185 presented prior to trip, only yellow ABS light was on during the trip.

After the first four hundred mile leg the van was parked and off. After fifteen minutes of being off large amounts of smoke came from under the vehicle.

I quickly looked and noticed smoke pouring out of the ECM (ABS electronic control module). I very quickly disconnected the battery, this stopped the fire.

I removed the two 40 amp ABS fuses as was able to continue with the conventional system only.

On the way back the cruise was flaky (would not stay engaged), so I disconnected the pressure switch on the bottom of the master cylinder installed a bypass and all was normal (including brake deactivation of cruise control). A note, the wiring harness had brake fluid on it, indicating that switch under the master cylinder was/is leaking. How does this switch relate to the ABS system?

I did report to NHTSA and Ford.

Beware (as far as I can tell) c1185 may be a precursor to a fire in the ABS ECM unit.

Steve,
I disconnected the speed control servo connector and started the van and the check traction control and associated lights came on.

I will keep monitoring, I appreciate you knowledge and experience- a donation is on its way.

Chris

Steve;

What switch are you referring to for disconnecting immediately? The ABS/ECU or the cruise control disconnect on the master brake cylinder.

As a follow up to your question, the cruise control functioned normally on the whole trip. We traveled from 50 degree wet weather in WI to 90 degree humidity in KY.

I have also filed the complaint with the NHTSA.

Thanks.

John

Steve;

Now that I have disconnected the brake switch, will the cruise control still function correctly?

John

Steve, I replaced the original switch with a brand new one which is slightly different from the OEM part. Revised Ford part was used. I no have sign of any leakage and all systems work properly accept the two brake lamps that are either lit or not. I hope Ford gets off their butts and recognizes that there is a problem here. My son has an extended warranty from Lubico which covers the ABS Module. We are going to make a claim for a replacement on the grounds the original unit is throwing a code.
Let you know what happens.

Or remove the 40 amp fuses and the cruise still works. But ABS does not.

What came first ABS or cruise?

So that switch gets to the ABS module, does anyone have a schematic?

Scott

Steve;

If I understand correctly, it is the ABS module that may have smoked on Scott's van. If I remove the 40 amp fuse for the module or disconnect the module wiring harness and reconnect the cruise disabling switch am I okay? I do not look forward to driving seven hundred miles without cruise on my return trip, but I will do what is best for safety.

John

Thanks Steve. Let us know where to go from here.

John

Hello everyone. I stopped by the Ford dealer today to get a price on replacing the ABS electronic control unit. The cost of the ECU was $600.00 (Canadian) and the labor was 1.5 hours if the bolts that connect the ECU to the hydraulic control unit came out. If the bolts broke, they advised that the HCU would have to be replaced as well. The cost of the HCU was about the same as the ECU and the total labor would be four hours. The overall cost would be either $800.00 or $1,700.00. I did not have it replaced. The weather is cooler here now and the light has not come on in over a week. When the weather was hot, the light came on daily.

The fire was coming from the connector as pictured. I believe the liquidy substance under the connector is brake fluid. What do you think Steve, shoud I have it tested somewhere? What other suggestions do you have?

Scott

Steve,

This morning I disconnected the ABS module and removed fuses 101 and 102. Now my odometer does not register, straight lines appear in the window. So, I replaced the fuses, but the odometer still does not register. Now what?

John

Mine has the 40 amp fuses out and a jumper installed.

Everything but the ABS works, including the cruise and cruise deactivation by brake pedal.

I am going to put a zip lock baggy under the unconnected pressure switch with a rubber band and see how much that switch is leaking.

PM with VIN on the way.

ScottM

I reconnected my ABS unit, took out the 40a fuses and my odometer reads correctly now. I have left the brake switch connected for now since it is not leaking and my cruise functioned correctly with it jumpered or connected. PM sent with VIN.

John

I have a 1998 Windstar GL with 3.8 Liter engine and traction control, 107,000 miles. The Trac Off light has been flashing for a few weeks. It has done this for short periods in the past but now it is continuous. The same day that this problem started, the service engine light came on as well. I have checked the P codes and get a P 0340 error code, "camshaft position sensor A bank 1 circuit malfunction".

I understand that the traction control reads wheel speeds and reacts to them. Does it relate the wheel speeds to engine speed as well? Is it likely that the 0340 code is causing the traction control error?

I checked the wheel speed sensors visually and cleaned them. None appear to be damaged.

I tried to check the CMP as described in my Haynes manual. It says that I should get at least ten volts reading on the positive wire at the connector but I only get five volts.

Any advice would be welcome.

My two cents.

Replace the sensor if not too expensive. If too expensive, use your imagination.

ScottM

John

I think you will be okay. I believe the leaking sensor on my master cylinder and the "wicking" effect explained by Steve in combination with the 40 amp (times two) circuits involved at the ABS ECM unit caused the problem.

I have no intention to fix the ABS at this point. I will remove and plug the sensor connection point at the MC and leave the 40 amp fuses out until the car dies or Ford issues a recall (if ever).

For me to fix right would require a new sensor, wiring harness, ABS ECM unit, maybe an HCM unit also to the tune of plus $1,000.00 for parts only. Not worth it for a luxury as ABS.

Am I disappointed in Ford, you bet, anytime a fire is reported and there is not a total loss and point of origin can be determined Ford should jump all over it to determine what if anything may be wrong and send out TSBs to "be on the lookout". One life saved by a TSB or maybe a simple recall is priceless to owners of these family transports.

ScottM

Hi Steve,

Just making sure you received my PM with the VIN.

John

2001 Windstar 3.8l, 49,000 miles. Many people have listed their abs light and brake light illuminated. I have same problem but trac off light also illuminates with other two.
Here is a list of error codes. I hope this helps out until ford gets off the dime and recalls this trouble.

C1236, c1185, c1198, c1194, c1254, c1246, c1250, c1242, c1214, c1210, c1410, c1404, u1262.

Troubles started after aggressive stop. Found drivers side wheel cylinder leaking and replaced it. Three lights (ABS, brake, trac off) still come on intermittently but always together

This is a repeat message. I accidentally started a new thread with the original.

I drove the vehicle for a few days after the above correspondence ( August 6) both lights (brake and ABS) did not come on. I connected a jump wire to the harness of the speed control deactivation switch light did not come on for a few days. Then it was hot and humid outside and both lights came on. Disconnected the jump wire, lights went off.
Checked all brake ABS sensors and tone rings (all normal) cleaned (compressed air) and applied dielectric grease to the connector of the ECU - both male and female sides. (No corrosion or liquid substance visible on harness or connector). Re- connected speed control deactivation switch and drove the car for about 800 km (highway driving cooler weather temperature in teens oC) and no lights came on.
Few days later, both lights come on again during city driving. Weather was again hot and humid.

I then purchased a new speed control deactivation xwitch from Ford (upgrade) installed it properly, again cleaned the ECU connector (electronic control cleaner and compressed air), reapplied dielectric grease to ECU connector, but not on connector pins. Drove vehicle for few days. Everything appeared normal until both lights came on again.

Note: The warning lights (brake and ABS) on the instrument cluster can be turned off by turning off the ignition and then restarting the engine.

I then had a repair shop read the error codes. They are as follows:
C1185, C1214, C1198, C1254, C1250, C1194, C1246, C1242, C1210, U1262.
?

Thanks ScottM. Here is some feedback for anyone who has a similar problem. It turned out that the camshaft position sensor fault was triggering both the service engine light and the flashing trac off light. That answered my question about whether or not the camshaft position sensor supplied input into the traction control.

The fix was a lot more complicated than I expected. The CMP fault was due to the magnet inside the sensor coming adrift from the cover. The loose magnet fouled the rotor inside the base, which bent from the impact, then destroyed the rest of the inside of the sensor. I ended up with many bits inside the sensor and no way of fitting the new sensor because of the bent rotor.

Removing the base to repair the rotor involved dismantling much of the top of the engine and removing the upper and lower cowl covers, purely to get enough clearance for the long shaft and gear that extend into the engine below the base.

I straightened the bent rotor as much as possible so that there was no conflict with the new sensor. After all of the dismantling and re-assembly, I was very relieved that the problem lights were both off when I restarted the engine.