Thread: Brake Failure ABS problem?

Originally Posted by dullbird

is the light on chops? or is it an intermittent thing?

Lights on, (but nobodies home lol) 99% of the time,, has been for the last few years,, but since having all my rotors and brakes redone, now it's doing the jittery thing and working when they shouldn't be,, as in it's trying to stop the wheels from skidding at like 5kph,,, and yet on the weekend I almost plowed through a round a bout and into a BMW X5,, on full lockup :-(
If I take the fuse out, will it stop the ABS trying to work, or will it just stuff it around anyway??

Chops

what have you got to lose I reckon try the fuse I dont know...but what I do know is get it fixed pretty quick as I had many occasions where i had to reef up the handbrake to stop...

biggest problem I had was a couple of times I put it in the shop and they couldn't find anything until it became apparent there was an intermittent problem with a wheel sensor....

a wheel sensor costs between 300 and 750...so lets hope you only need the one.

I have replaced 2 now and I have 2second hand ones sat here waiting for the others. should be able to do it your self they are a plug and a push fit I think.

Mine is also doing this but only off road. When on loose gravel or especially after water the ABS goes crazy and very hard to pull up. As it's an auto going down hill steep hill can also be hairy. I have over shot a few corners pushing harder and harder but the ABS keep releasing the wheels. I have been told to remove the fuse when in the bush but want to know if the brakes just work like a normal with the fuse removed or are there other problems.
Also has no ABS fault lights.

Originally Posted by Chops

Lights on, (but nobodies home lol) 99% of the time,, has been for the last few years,, but since having all my rotors and brakes redone, now it's doing the jittery thing and working when they shouldn't be,, as in it's trying to stop the wheels from skidding at like 5kph,,, and yet on the weekend I almost plowed through a round a bout and into a BMW X5,, on full lockup :-(
If I take the fuse out, will it stop the ABS trying to work, or will it just stuff it around anyway??

Chops

G,Day Chops

I had the same problem with my 94 Classic RR. anti lock and TC light come on when they want and had the brake jitter. Have a look at the ABS sensors on the front top swivel housings. The air gap between the sensor and the exciter ring on the CV will be to great (sensor to far from exciter ring). You can push the sensor back in but I would be thinking that the brass cage locking ring/tab is R/S.

If you push the sensor back in and take it for a drive you will probably find that the lights stay off until the sensor works it way back out (you will need to replace brass retaining cage to stop this). If you get a down load done, it will tell you what the fault code is (mine was excessive air gap on sensor).

Hope this is of help.

Cheers Gavin

Originally Posted by Landover

Mine is also doing this but only off road. When on loose gravel or especially after water the ABS goes crazy and very hard to pull up.

As it's an auto going down hill steep hill can also be hairy.

I have over shot a few corners pushing harder and harder but the ABS keep releasing the wheels. I have been told to remove the fuse when in the bush but want to know if the brakes just work like a normal with the fuse removed or are there other problems.
Also has no ABS fault lights.

oh yes done that off road yet no one would believe me......and they also never believed me when I kept saying when it happens I can't pull the car up..

I always got there "thats just the ABS working it always pulls you up slower"....

where mine never pulled me up at all.

I over shot a line once stopping for the lights hung out about a meter and a half..my heart was in my mouth and the handbrake was up the car was just no stopping I was going fast thank god as I was already slowing for the lights.

faulty sensors in the old age abs of discos can be dangerous I will no longer not let anyone else tell me otherwise as I have experienced first hand on a number of occasions.

as said above chops go to your local land rover place that has a rovacom and have them hook it up and tell you what is wrong and with which sensor

Originally Posted by dullbird

oh yes done that off road yet no one would believe me......and they also never believed me when I kept saying when it happens I can't pull the car up.. ah haa,, been there,,

I always got there "thats just the ABS working it always pulls you up slower"....

where mine never pulled me up at all.

I over shot a line once stopping for the lights hung out about a meter and a half..my heart was in my mouth and the handbrake was up the car was just no stopping I was going fast thank god as I was already slowing for the lights.

faulty sensors in the old age abs of discos can be dangerous I will no longer not let anyone else tell me otherwise as I have experienced first hand on a number of occasions.

as said above chops go to your local land rover place that has a rovacom and have them hook it up and tell you what is wrong and with which sensor

First of all,,, Thanks guys,,,

Next,,,been there, done that (rovercom thingy,,at least I think thats what it was),, The first time this happened, (1999) I was told it was the switch at the pedal,, Its a "twin" action switch, and somehow the second overides the first,, they just reset it, and said it was cool,, ( even,,,) The advice was given, "if it should happen again you could replace it,, just under $200",, pfft, four days later,, guess what,,, Found out later its actually only a $20 switch,,
Went in on a factory recall for something to do with the SRS,, and they reset it again,,, (No charge again ) While all this was happening, not once did the brakes do anything but what they were supposed to,, spot on every time,, Lights been on ever since,, (the little man must have needed to do a fridge light somewhere,, and forgot to turn my light off,,lol)
Its only since my front was done I've had any real trouble with it,, Im guessing the distance thing could be on the money,, or its just stuffed from old age,, (bit like me really ) I have been told that the whole unit might be stuffed,, (big money I'm thinking,,)

I'll try the fuse and let you know what result that gives,, then after playtime this coming weekend,, I guess I'll knuckle down and find the root cause,,,

Cheers guys,,

I posted this last week with no replys

(1996 300TDI ABS.

I have fitted new rotors and pads but have noticed an annoying problem. When I'm driving i have one good application of brakes and then they are crap. Peddle goes hard like there is no vacuum boost. Now I have read the good oil and other posts. If I let the peddle off for a bit and try again its fine for another application. In normal braking it should not be a problem but in the bush who knows. The one-way check valve works ok; I have pulled off and checked that the vacuum pump is drawing. Any thoughts or any hints What about fitted an aftermarket vacuum reservoir or am I dreaming. This problem was there before the rebuild so not sure if it’s a problem or just a Landover thing.)
Thinking its the same problem. How does one bleed the abs pump? I have also asked this one with no responce . I'm assuming that it can be all related

Originally Posted by Bazzle218

I posted this last week with no replys

(1996 300TDI ABS.

I have fitted new rotors and pads but have noticed an annoying problem. When I'm driving i have one good application of brakes and then they are crap. Peddle goes hard like there is no vacuum boost. Now I have read the good oil and other posts. If I let the peddle off for a bit and try again its fine for another application. In normal braking it should not be a problem but in the bush who knows. The one-way check valve works ok; I have pulled off and checked that the vacuum pump is drawing. Any thoughts or any hints What about fitted an aftermarket vacuum reservoir or am I dreaming. This problem was there before the rebuild so not sure if it’s a problem or just a Landover thing.)
Thinking its the same problem. How does one bleed the abs pump? I have also asked this one with no responce . I'm assuming that it can be all related

Brake vacuum for normal braking shouldn't be related to anything the ABS does. For a diagnostic, find a vacuum gauge and tee it into the booster line. How long does it take to pull up vacuum? Maybe your vac pump is dying? Might need a look-at. You might need to downshift before stopping to get the pump to speed up?

My mate's RRC with 300TDi had its vac pump freewheeling (hydraulic ABS standard) until we hooked up a cruise control, seemed awful slow for a brake pump. A reservoir is of course an option, there are many vehicles you could steal one off, an old BCF extinguisher (or out of date gas bottle) is a source for a cheap vac tank.