Thread: ABS Brake Drama

Mark, just went through this on my 1989 Vogue with ABS. Same symptoms and in my case after panicking about a failed brake pump, it was just a stuffed relay - the one forwardmost under the passenger seat, however all three are involved in pwoering up the system. For a while I just flicked the relay with my fingers to get the pump going when the relay stuck but was simple to replace - $15 for a relay from the auto electrician.
I tested that the pump was ok by feeding power to it with a jumper wire from the battery to the connector feeding the pump.
You can also tell if the pump's not working by the absence of the electrical whirring sound from the pump when you first turn on the ignition - usually goes for 30 or 40 seconds until the system reaches operating pressure - this is what gives you brake power assistance. The pump is just in front of the brake fluid reservoir unit.

Yeah, it's either a fuse or the accumulator/pump assembly. It's not very common on classics, but it's not unheard of either.

Make sure you look up the correct bleeding procedures if you do the job yourself.

If the fuse is fine, you will need a special gauge to test the pressure being built up inside the pump, I don't have the exact specs on me, but it will probably be close to 0 psi if it's carked it.

We do accumulator/pump replacements at work with the exact same symptoms very regularly. Mainly on p38's.

Another way you can tell if the accumulator is stuffed is by putting your hand on it (it's a large sphere in the left hand side of the engine bay) and while the car is running and the car has built its initial pressure, have someone step on the brake pedal untill the pump starts going again and get them to stop. If it keeps going for more than a few seconds it's probably stuffed.

Originally Posted by LRTech23

Yeah, it's either a fuse or the accumulator/pump assembly. It's not very common on classics, but it's not unheard of either.

Make sure you look up the correct bleeding procedures if you do the job yourself.

If the fuse is fine, you will need a special gauge to test the pressure being built up inside the pump, I don't have the exact specs on me, but it will probably be close to 0 psi if it's carked it.

We do accumulator/pump replacements at work with the exact same symptoms very regularly. Mainly on p38's.

LRTech, where do you source your brake pump/accumulators? (assuming they're the same on classics as P38s). Last time I read a thread on them people were sending them to some guy in Arizona who'd rebuild them and return them a month later!

I work for a dealer, so we get brand new genuine parts.

There are a lot of spares places around, like Rover Spares, there's a lot of uk websites ad stuff you can get them off. Sorry I cant help any further

Hi Thread

You are right, the problem is the acumalator, I took to local garage and technition traced fault to pressure pump connection, cut out conector and hard wire, note pump running constantly, possible cause faulty acumalator, he replaced electric connection, and brakes are working again, but recomends I get new accumalator this should fix problem