TheDane
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 12
Location: Denmark
User status: Offline
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Hi guys and gals,
For approx a month and a half I bought a nice 1,4i 16V 90bhp Corsa from '99, a joy version is what it's called over here.
In the sales advertisement it did say it had Anti-lock-brakes (ALB I believe you call it in the UK). But there were no ALB light that lit up in the instrument panel when I turned ignition on. But I still tested to see if there were ALB in it on a loose surface. But it didn't kick in, so I assumed it didn't have ALB. And the seller allegedly didn't know if it had ALB or not. And given no ALB light and no ALB function, I just came to the conclusion it didn't have ALB.
But then recently my girlfriend mentioned that the brakepedal "growled" when she gently braked when coming up to a yield line, right after she left our parking ground. Don't think t has anything to say, but there were a tiny amount of snow on the road.
This weekend I was changing the suspension for the Bilstein B10 kit, and I notice a wire going down to the front brakes/hubs... And that made me realize that my Corsa DID indeed have ALB, it was just out of function, or disabled...
I somewhat lean towards it being defective, given the "growl" my girlfriend noticed, and I wouldn't say it could start to "growl" if the ALB had been disabled...
But what do I do now...?
The first thing that comes to my mind is, too check if there even is a bulb in the dash for the ALB, or if it has been removed... Going to change to a dash with rev counter, so has to get behind it anyway.
A couple of days ago, my boss told me about his daughters 306, and that had had the buld removed, and the wires cut for the ALB. It had even had the wires for the airbag cut...  Somepeople are just out of their minds! Doesn't hope the same has been done to my little Corsa 
But what do you guys and your bright heads have to say, how will I deal with this problem? What to look for first etc.?
[Edited on 12-12-2012 by TheDane]
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Jamie-C
Member
Registered: 3rd Jun 08
Location: Ballycastle
User status: Offline
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We call the anti-lock system ABS over here 
My 306 ABS light was also defective, I knew it had ABS as the unit is under the bonnet. I knew it wasn't working though as the brakes locked up under heavy braking. I put a bulb in and the light stayed on constantly so there was obviously a problem in the system somewhere. At the end of the shaft on the CV joint there is meant to be a ABS ring which is what the sensor reads from, over time they corrode and fall off though. On mine one was missing so I got a shaft from a breakers yard and it fixed my problem.
I also had a pedal that 'growled' when it was just started, almost as if it took the braking system a while to wake up, but with the ABS ring now in place this no longer happens
Have a look at the outer CV joint and make sure the ABS rings are there, if it spins its knackered, if its not there, its knackered 
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TheDane
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 12
Location: Denmark
User status: Offline
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Right Jamie, I'll try and change the bulb, and have a look at the ABS rings on all 4 corners.
But how come I never noticed any feedback from the ABS? Doesn't that sound weird to you?
A mate of mine had a similar Corsa B, just a 1,4i 16V sport, and the ABS "growled" constantly, every time you even thought about the brake pedal, but mine never says anything (apart form that one time my Girlfriend noticed a little). And I have been braking hard on dry tarmac, and on loose surface, and in snow. No signs from it.
But bulb in, if it's missing, check rings, after that paperclip trick to see if any codes comes up.
BTW:
We call it ABS aswell over here, must be the Americans that call it ALB then
[Edited on 11-12-2012 by TheDane]
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Jamie-C
Member
Registered: 3rd Jun 08
Location: Ballycastle
User status: Offline
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If there is a fault in the system the system disables itself which will be why your not getting any feedback.
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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First thing is to look for the ABS modulator in the engine bay, that will tell you definitively because the brake pipes will route through it.
Metal box with the green pipes coming out of the top -
Sensors in the arch does indicate it should be available though.
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TheDane
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 12
Location: Denmark
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Jamie-C
If there is a fault in the system the system disables itself which will be why your not getting any feedback.
Oh okay, I see. I just thought the system would continue with the fault coming on/off.
But will definately have a good look at the ABS this weekend.
quote:
Originally posted by Ian
First thing is to look for the ABS modulator in the engine bay, that will tell you definitively because the brake pipes will route through it.
Metal box with the green pipes coming out of the top -
Sensors in the arch does indicate it should be available though.
Check * Got one of those in the engine bay  
Exactly what I was thinking Ian regarding the sensors.
Thanks guys, will let you know what I figure out this weekend, will probably get started Friday, so I can get spare parts saturday if needed.
Why do I all of a sudden have a feeling that my dash will light up as a christmas tree when I paperclip it
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TheDane
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 12
Location: Denmark
User status: Offline
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Right...
I have now gotten around to change my instrument cluster with one with a tacho, and found out the bulbs had been removed for the ABS light AND for the airbag light...
And now the ABS light comes on, and sadly stays on 
So next plan is to measure the resistance in the the sensors, and see if they are functioning correctly. And then give them a good cleaning, and while I'm there, have a look at the sensor-rings too.
But I seem to remember having read somewhere, that cause the light stays on after ignition, it could very well be a faulty relay. A surge arrester relay, but where is that?
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