Warning lights: ABS, traction control & tyre pressure

[Coventry Mark]

Hi.

My 56-plated 114,000 mile 2.0 TDI 140 Leon has just started showing the amber ABS, traction control and tyre pressure lights. I see from other threads that this is likely to be linked to the ABS in some way because the tyre pressure sensors work off the same system as the ABS and the traction control.

I have booked it into the dealer for a diagnostics but would like to get a bit clued-up in advance. I see that there is some division of opinion about where it is likely to be just a sensor (hopefully cheap) or need a new ABS pump or something else (looking more expensive). I wonder please if anyone has a view on how confident you can be in a dealer's diagnosis. Also, from the exact problem does anyone have a view on what it is.

When I start the car just the ABS light shows. This goes after driving a few feet. After a longer distance - a quarter of a mile or sometimes five or six miles - all three lights (ABS, TC & tyre) appear at once.

Views welcome! Thank you.

Mark

 

[Nath.]

Rusty ABS encoder ring or faulty ABS sensor.

Both are DIY jobs but you need VCDS to find out what wheel is throwing the error.

 

[Masterkm]

As above, use VAGCOM/VCDS to find out which wheel, if electrical fault, change sensor, if mechanical then change the hub/bearing then codes should clear.

£20-80 job depending whats at fault.

 

[Coventry Mark]

Thank you to Nath and to Masterkm for your help. I thought I would update to help others finding the same problem in due course.

The dealer quoted £80+VAT just to diagnose so I have tried an independent. The diagnosis was free - rear right ABS sensor - and I have accepted a quote of £80 all in for the replacement. I am sure a DIYer could do it cheaper but I have negligible mechanical skill and it is great value compared to the dealer.

I will only post again if that doesn't turn out to be the complete solution. Thanks again Nath and Masterkm for your responses.

 

[Coventry Mark]

Unfortunately changing the ABS sensor has not solved it; there is still a fault being sent back from that wheel. It's booked back in for further investigation during January but one suggestion is that the cable to that wheel is corroded. Any views on this please? Thanks again. I will post again when there is news.

 

[BenSRG]

Coming from a BMW, I'd say ABS RING/SENSOR.

Same issue, throws up DTC/ABS/Hand Brake lights 'm guessing mine is ABS too

 

[Nath.]

ABS encoder ring is the next step after a visual check of the wiring.

 

[Coventry Mark]

Interesting conclusion to this one in the end.

The problem started with the ABS (& related lights) showing and changing the wheel speed sensor failed to resolve it. All that did was change the warning light illumination from being intermittent to always showing within a few yards of each journey.

The garage then reported that a brake caliper was sticking, causing the wheel speed to fluctuate, and thus providing illogical information to the ABS. They suggested a change of calipers with new discs and pads as part of this. I wasn't entirely persuaded, but had previously been warned by another garage that the discs and pads would soon need doing, so went with it.

It hadn't crossed my mind that brake wear was relevant to the ABS detection. Anyway, problem solved. Cost £267 + the original £80. First repair I have had to pay for with this car in 100,000 miles of motoring! Thanks again for your help.

 

[optim8]

Interesting conclusion to this one in the end.

The problem started with the ABS (& related lights) showing and changing the wheel speed sensor failed to resolve it. All that did was change the warning light illumination from being intermittent to always showing within a few yards of each journey.

The garage then reported that a brake caliper was sticking, causing the wheel speed to fluctuate, and thus providing illogical information to the ABS. They suggested a change of calipers with new discs and pads as part of this. I wasn't entirely persuaded, but had previously been warned by another garage that the discs and pads would soon need doing, so went with it.

It hadn't crossed my mind that brake wear was relevant to the ABS detection. Anyway, problem solved. Cost £267 + the original £80. First repair I have had to pay for with this car in 100,000 miles of motoring! Thanks again for your help.

I was getting this problem a lot last winter but cleared up by the summer. I've got it back again now but much less regular. All 3 lights come on together stay for a bit and then got off. My power steering stops returning after a corner whilst the lights are on too.

Frustrating but live with it nowadays though your comment on brakes makes sense as I have noticed the lights come on after braking and they were on for 30mins once on the motorway and as soon as I came off at the junction off they went!!!

 

[ECB]

I had this issues, mean I had no abs and traction control. It out to be an issue with the abs system, tried to reset it and it wouldn't go out. In the end I needed Abs unit which I think was on the front near side. Wasn't cheap mind but subs and traction control work all ok now.

 

[riz92ali]

Abs, traction control and tyre pressure light

My car recently went in for a full service and new tyres put on. Eagle f1's.

After a few days after I noticed my ABS, traction control and my tyre pressure light came on all at the same time. It stays on for a while and then sometimes goes away. Notice the longer drives it stays in permanently.

I've noticed on a few threads that this could be due to wheel bearing/ sensors but as it was recently serviced nothing was flagged up on the wheel bearing side.

I put it in a garage recently and again nothing was flagged up on the ecu to show if a code has been flagged up. Only that showed a code change was heated wing mirrors which is strange as I thought I didn't even have them.

Don't know if it's a intermittent electrical issue??


Any help would be ideal

Cheers

 

[powly1621]

Hi all
I've got the same problem on my cupra sometimes if the wheels spin up all three lights come on and I get limited power like the traction control is stuck on and the car will go back to normal if I switch the car off and on again.
Also the car does it randomly sometimes I'll have no issues then others days this will happen.
I've had a code read done and there's no faults with the braking system and I've checked all the wheel sensors and these all seem to be working fine.

The only codes that came up were to do with the evac emissions system, throttle position angle 2, terminal 30 low voltage(which I believe is the steering angle sensor) and some other codes to do with the ignition switch.
I re calibrated the steering angle sensor have checked fuses and wiring to the abs pump. My discs and pads need doing but haven't got any calipers sticking.

Would the throttle angle position cause a problem like this?

I don't know where else to check for faults and any help would be much appreciated I've got a bloke from seat who's going to code read it with there machine on Friday but I don't think it's going to show up anything that I don't already know.
Thanks