ABS problem

[WeeC]

Have a problem in that my ABS light has now been on for a few days. It used to come on intermittently and then go off again but this week it has been on pretty much constant. It did go off the other day but when i braked from about 20 quite gently in traffic the ABS kicked in straight away and i got that horrible feeling through my pedal. After doing this a few times the light came back on. Ive checked the sensor on the driver side at the front and its in ok (not able to do the other yet as it got dark) but is there anything else other than the sensors that could possibly be the problem? I cant imagine there being anything wrong with the brakes as they are all relatively new. another thing is that the brakes seem to be much better (more responsive) when the ABS light is on then when it is off. Could this mean anthing?

Cheers

 

[Fl@pper]

sticking caliper ?

 

[Krishen]

Ive got this problem. Well its intermitent. Was told it may just be dust on the sensor and last time after a good blast with the jet wash the light went off!

 

[WeeC]

It could be a sticking caliper. When i changed the pads just before the MOT there were sticking a bit. I got them wokring again ok but possibly this has happened again. I gave the front a good blast with my dads regulator/pressure thing he uses for painting (obviusly no paint in it ) just the pressured air comin out. It got a fair bit of dust and crap from the discs and calipers away and this morning the light has gone off. Once i finish exams on Wed think ill check the calipers again thoh
Cheers

 

[Jamin Berry]

How would one find out that his calipers were sticking?

 

[WeeC]

Firstly i had the problem of the car pullin slightly so i thot it was posibly the tracking or caliper slightly seized on. Then every morning when i went started the car and reversed out the drive way for the first time i would hear a clunk from the wheels as though the disk was freeing itself from the pads and i thought it must be because the caliper was seized on a bit. This was confirmed when i changed my brake pads and checked the movement of the calpier

 

[Krishen]

Firstly i had the problem of the car pullin slightly so i thot it was posibly the tracking or caliper slightly seized on. Then every morning when i went started the car and reversed out the drive way for the first time i would hear a clunk from the wheels as though the disk was freeing itself from the pads and i thought it must be because the caliper was seized on a bit. This was confirmed when i changed my brake pads and checked the movement of the calpier

When you say 'clunk' what do you mean. I get an odd noise sometimes from the rear. More like a deeper screeching noise. When i changed my rear pads one of the calipers was sticking.
How do you fix it?

 

[WeeC]

Hard to describe but was quite a distinct noise, not a screeching definitely. like the pads and discs were freeing themselves. The only way i tried to un-seize them was bit undoing the caliper liek you would when changing the brakes and then pumping the brake pedal in so the caliper expanded then i would push the pressure plate on the caliper back in and then pump the brake pedal again so that it came back out. Kept doing this for a good wee while and sprayed loads WD40 on it (not sure if thats good though). I also gave the carriers, caliper and general surrounding area a good clean.

 

[Krishen]

Hard to describe but was quite a distinct noise, not a screeching definitely. like the pads and discs were freeing themselves. The only way i tried to un-seize them was bit undoing the caliper liek you would when changing the brakes and then pumping the brake pedal in so the caliper expanded then i would push the pressure plate on the caliper back in and then pump the brake pedal again so that it came back out. Kept doing this for a good wee while and sprayed loads WD40 on it (not sure if thats good though). I also gave the carriers, caliper and general surrounding area a good clean.

When you pumped the brake and the piston thing shoots forward is it not dangerous?? I thought that if yiu just pumped the brakes without the pads on the the piston would shoot out?

 

[WeeC]

Em na dont really see how could be dangerous having done it now as the piston didnt come out that quick. There is a wee metal plate thing over the end of the piston which took off just incase. Im talking about the front here though, not too sure about the back

 

[Smithy]

Hard to describe but was quite a distinct noise, not a screeching definitely. like the pads and discs were freeing themselves.

Mine's done the *clunk* once, after I returned from a 3 week holiday in winter. Assumed it was the caliper unsticking. If you've never heard it before, you do wonder what the hell that sound is.