ABS light coming on

The are dozens of different reasons for the yellow warning light turning on, so to say it is all over the internet can apply to a lot of different causes but most of the problems can be related to the wheel speed sensor that is out.

Here is a guide that can help you test and get the problem fixed:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/abs-wheel-speed-sensor-test

and

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

and

https://youtu.be/Pb6nXV-iamI


If you cannot find the wheel sensor that is out the place to start is by having the diagnostic fault code(s) read. Those will get you into the right circuit, not necessarily to the defective part. The fact that the red light is also on is likely related. That light turns on if the parking brake pedal is not all the way up, there was unequal hydraulic pressures in the two circuits, or if the brake fluid level is low in the reservoir.

Ford is the only manufacturer that uses a non-spring-loaded pressure-differential valve to turn the light on when system pressures are unequal. That valve and switch can trip during brake bleeding or even just from pumping the pistons out of the calipers to contact the new pads right after installing them.

That valve can be real frustrating to center so the light will go off. You have to unplug its electrical connector to see if that is the cause for the light being on. Usually when the red light is on, the yellow one will also turn on and the computer will disable the ABS system because it does not know why that red light is on. It assumes the cause will prevent the ABS system from working properly.

As for a recall, that is only done when there is a known common problem related to safety or emissions. Pattern failures which are common ones that you hear about over and over are just that; common problems. Every manufacturer has them but that does not mean they warrant a recall. There was nothing defective about the parts. They just wore out real fast.

What a great test! I found the problem to be an right front wheel speed sensor that has gone bad so I replaced it using this guide.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-an-abs-wheel-speed-sensor

and the jack guide was equally as good, which I have never done before.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/jack-up-and-lift-your-car-safely

Now the light is out and all is good again.

This site rocks! I love 2CarPros :)

I have a sticking problem with my tachometer?

We are glad you fixed the problem I have been with 2CarPros for over ten years now and we have helped fix more cars for people just like you.

the correct reading is counter-clockwise. After that, it will follow engine speed back down like normal. A brief tap on the accelerator pedal seems a much more logical choice than taking the cluster apart.

I will take the cluster apart to see what up. Thanks again for the awesome site, I will tell my friends.

The issue still remains that if you indeed found the cause of the warning light to be electrical in nature, that defect is going to prevent the ABS system from working properly either due to incorrect input information or because the computer detected it, set the fault code, and shut the system down.

If your power assist comes from brake fluid pumped up to very high pressure, you need the system functioning to have power brakes. I am not recommending disabling the system. If you were to do that, your safest bet would be to remove everything in the hydraulic system, then install the combination valve made for that vehicle without ABS.

Part of that valve limits brake fluid pressure to the rear to prevent rear-wheel-lockup under hard braking. The valve is carefully calibrated to maintain balanced braking, front-to-rear, based on vehicle weight distribution and weight transfer. Also, without ABS you have a split-diagonal hydraulic system. The insures that if there is a leak in one half of the system, the other half is working one front brake.

Thanks again for using the site.

Six cylinder front wheel drive automatic 71,000 miles.

Hi,
While driving the ABS and brake light both come on if the car is stopped and shutoff and restarted the light goes off but after a while it will come back on. Is this a sensor?


Thanks

Hello and thanks for the donation!



First you may want to inspect your vehicle's brake fluid level in the reservoir. Let me know how that looks.

I checked the reservoir and it was a little low above the minimum line. I did fill it.

Did this cause the ABS and brake warning lamps to go out?

Hi,
I filled the reservoir and drove it around no lights came on so far. It was intermittent I will keep an eye on it and let you know.

Thanks a lot!

The ABS and brake light came back on again.

Okay, you will need to have the ABS system scanned for the trouble code(s) it has stored. This will pinpoint the cause of the lights and where the malfunction is in the system.

Six cylinder two wheel drive automatic 81,000 miles.

Hi all,
I have the LX model, and when it is hot outside my ABS and brake light comes on at eight five plus degrees outside. code c1185 plus many others.
What do I need to do to fix this problem. I live in South Carolina.
Thanks,
Bill

Hi scooter1998, Thank you for the donation. What other trouble codes are showing? Code C1185 = Power Relay Output Circuit Failure.

I have an odbII tester can i use this tool to scan the ABS?

If the manual for your tool indicates how to go into ABS scan mode then it will be fine. If there is no ABS scan mode on your tool then you may have to go to a shop to have it scanned.

Do not forget to find out why the brake fluid was low.
you may need pads or shoes, or have a bad slave cylinder. That is what I had. My rear slave was leaking.

To all the Windstar owners, my name is Michael better known as Nevada Tbird. I have owned several ford throughout my Airforce career plus others. I enjoy working on my cars and built my Mustang's engine myself. The problem with the Windstar's lights coming on is due to your computer that is under the hood on the passengers side. This is a problem with a lot of Windstars. It is a defect in the computer, that when it gets hot, the circuit board in the computer malfunctions because of the design. The problem is Ford knows this but has yet to do a recall on it. I have had two Windstar's a 1995 new and now a 2003 that has the problem. I will be replacing my computer when i get the time off work. Just like all of you several shops told different things but I like checking on things myself. After a lot of research i found out that this was the problem I think the research page was national highway safety and recalls or something like that.

Automatic 47,000 miles.

Hello all. I have been searching the internet for answers to the problems I have been having with my Ford Windstar. I also have problems with the ABS and brake lights going on and off for no apparent reason. It only happens when the engine is warmed up, but not every time I drive it. A few weeks ago, I had a fuse blow that knocked out my odometer, speedometer, fuel computer info, etc. I replaced it, and all of that worked fine. Yesterday, I had to have a new battery put in, and now, that same fuse has blown three times. I read on another board that a master cylinder leak could be causing the blown fuse. Is it possible that when the battery was replaced, it moved something around that is causing the leak to more directly hit the wires, causing the blown fuse? Or could it be the battery itself? So, I have the brake light problem, and now a fuse blowing repeatedly. I read in some of the other posts about putting a jumper between the relays. Here is my problem: I have no experience with mechanical repair, and my husband is not much better. I hate to take it into a shop, because I know I will be taken for a ride. Any ideas for someone who needs to do it themselves, but does not want to cause further damage?

Thanks!
Deanne

Six cylinder two wheel drive automatic 69,500 miles.

My wife was driving down the road and the odometer went to - - - - - - -, the speedometer went to zero and the AC started blowing hot air. The ABS and brake lights came on and the O/D light started flashing. I checked the fuses and one was blown. I replaced it and it blew the next day. Any ideas?

Thanks!

D

It is probably not the master cylinder leaking. Instead it is most likely the brake pressure switch. It is located on the bottom of the master cylinder and has a bad reputation of leaking. When it leaks it shorts the wires and pops the fuse. Check your Ford dealer. If you have heard of the recall involving F and E series Fords, they recently added several other models to that recall. Call them to find out if your vehicle os part of that. Otherwise replace that switch and clean everything completely. It should solve your concern.

my ABS and brake lights come on sometimes.

There will be a diagnostic fault code stored in memory. Have your mechanic read those codes. They will indicate the circuit or system with the problem, not necessarily the defective part.

Pushing the brake pedal the pedal jumps a little. Make a noise in the front brake think the driver side. The noises is like a grinding sound all most. New brakes and rotors were replaced.

Sounds like the rotors are warped. If those were new Chinese rotors, a single, light machining will solve this. When we make parts from cast iron, we let them age for ninety days before they get their final machining. When the Chinese make them, they cast them, pack them, and ship them, then they age on your car. If you insist on having them replaced under warranty, you will have the same problem. Just return to the shop that did the work and let them machine the rotors.

Sorry, overlooked your comment about the ABS light. That means the computer detected a problem, set a diagnostic fault code, and turned the system off. Start by having the code(s) read and recorded. That will indicate the circuit that needs further diagnosis.

The ABS and brake light on the front board turn on after drive a while. It shows normal when I just start the engine with car keys.

we need the code for the ABS. it could be a wheel speed sensor.

The trac will come back on line when the ABS is repaired.

Roy

My van has 56,000 miles. the van runs great, but recently the ABS and brake lights will come on after about ten minutes of driving. The brakes continue to work, and the fluid level is good, but the light will stay on. I have to get the oil changed in a few weeks, and I am "sure" the dealer will have an explanation. I did not find this problem listed in your forum area. Any ideas?

Hello, I am Bobbi Jo. I have recently purchased a 2002 Windstar. It had 54,000 miles and runs great. however ,about two weeks ago, it too started this ABS/brake light thing. Same as everyone else intermittent possibly when warm. Brake fluid was a little low, topped it off. Brakes could stand to be changed did a front brake job, the rear were still good to go. It is extremely hot here in south Texas and humid. The problem is getting much more frequent. Once or twice I did smell a faint odor of burning plastic, it was so faint that I was not certain if it was coming from my vessel or not. I am at a loss.

Bobbi Jo

Hello,

It sounds like you have a wheel speed sensor that has gone out. Here is a guide that will show you how you can test them:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/abs-wheel-speed-sensor-test

If you find a bad one this guide will show you what you are in for when changing it out.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-an-abs-wheel-speed-sensor

Please run this test and get back to us we are interested to see what it is.

Cheers, Ken

I took my 2003 Ford Windstar to the Ford Dealer on Friday to check to see if my car was included in the ABS recall. My brake light and ABS light always come on (even after I had a brake job) and my cruise control stopped working. They installed my new wiring harness and then told me that I qualified for 'Phase 2' of the recall. They took several pictures of the car and told me that they would call me when the had the 'Parts' in to fix my car. On Monday they called me and told me to bring my car in immediately. They offered me a rental car and told me that they had no idea how long it would take to get fixed. I have yet to know exactly what they are about to do to the car but they must have noticed some pretty extensive damage to put me in a rental. Has anyone else gotten their car fixed as part of the recall. Also- when they did 'Phase 1' the ABS and Brake lights still came on. Is there anything that I need to request or check to make sure my car was fixed properly?

Thanks!

K

i had abs, brake light and track light coming on on me. i had the abs module replace. $ 1600 later no problem. have them change the abs madule. i have an appointment for the recall and i am hoping that they will pay me back my money. i think that this is provable your phase 2 problem.

Just want to share my story/info.
I have an 02 winstar with 97,000.
Like everyone else on this forum the ABS and brake lights are coming on after 5 minuets or so of driving. I purchased this van from an individual 30 days ago. Before purchase my brother ran a code check on it and nothing was found. After the first 7 days of ownership the A/C compressor went out and was replaced with a new one and the alternator was replaced. The next day the problem started with the abs/brake lights coming on for the first time. Then the next day the check engine light came on. I live in the St. Louis, MO area. It has been unseasonably cool and rainy here for the last month. The brake code comes up C1185 just like everyone else and check engine code came up EGR Valve. That has now been replace but engine light is still on. I will be running a new check in the next couple of days to see if there are more codes, because it obviously wasn't the EGR like the code said. I've noticed in a couple of post that others were having the engine light on also. Were those able to be resolved? Thought there might be a link to all three lights especially since my van has higher miles than most reporting the problem.

I will pull the fuses and have listed a complaint via the web site. I received an Acknowledgement from NHTSA of my complaint via email . Should I be looking for a letter to sign in the mail also?

One more question. I bought this van because it has the factory tow package and I have added a tow hitch and synchronizer for the electric brakes on my pop up camper. Does anyone for see any additional problems with me pulling my camper cross country with the current brake/ABS problem?

In the last 30 days I have sunk a huge amount of money into this van and the problems seem to just be getting bigger!

The ABS power relay that code c1185 refers to in inside the abs control module. If all powers and grounds are good, replace the abs module.

On the CEL, check the DPFE sensor. Have seen many of these as well. It will eventually cause runnibility problems.

I recommend resolving both of these before your trip or the expense and inconvenience may make for a less pleasant trip.

Brakes problem
2000 Ford Windstar 6 cyl Four Wheel Drive 107655 miles
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My ABS brake light came on April 21, 2008 about two or three times. On April 22 I took it to a mechanic to have him look at it. I told him that the ABS light came on once or twice. He put it on the machine since he said it wasn't still on. He told me that I needed :
1. PARKING BRAKE SWITCH $417.68
2. ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM $518.65
3. ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM $28.82
He also indicated that he would need to remove and replace the ABS acceleration switch $44.50
and remove and replace ABS control module $62.30.
I'd read somewhere on line where the light could come on if the brakes or something are dirty. What is your advice. They did not tell me what codes were indicated. Thank you for your help.

Where do you stand on this?
Was the work done?

IF you have not authorized the work, you are not obligated to pay for the work. IF you authorized the diagnosis, you are obligated to pay that, but in return you should be privy to the codes.


My gut feel is that the parking brake switch is not needed at the least. I have not heard of an accelerator switch, but that may be just a terminology difference.

IF they will not release the codes, take it to another shop. That is just not good business.

I did not authorize them to do the work and they also said that they would have to order the parts so I told them that I would probably be back. Personally, I didn't think I needed all of what they said I needed. My light has not come back on since. I will take my car to another mechanic.

IF no lights are on and there are no other symptoms, you really need not do anything at this point.

The red brake warning light and the yellow ABS warning light on my instrument panel will occassionally light up SIMULTANEOUSLY, and remain lit until I shut off the enigine and restart the car. These lights turn on rarely (every several days) and although both warning lights always light up simultaneously, the conditions under which they light up seem totally random.
I observed the following:
1) The brakes p;ads and shoes are like new (7000 miles).
2) The brake fluid level is near the full mark on the master cylinder reservoir.
3) I bled all brake lines so there is no air in the lines.
4) I disconnected the electrical connector from the brake fluid level sensor on the master cylinder reservoir and thoroughly cleaned all contacts with electrical contact cleaner.
5) I disconnected the negative terminal of the battery for three (3) minutes to clear all error codes and reset the computer.
6) Before this problem began, I had the front passenger side wheel bearing replaced. Prior to having this wheel bearing assembly replaced, this problem did not exist.

Please let me know what you think the problem could possibly be. Thanks so much.
Regards,
Mike
Phone: (408) 425-6587