Bendix Abs Brakes Problem.

[Arj256]

I have been looking through the search and there isnt much in the help for fault diagnosis.
Haynes is useful as usual.

I have changed the leaking rear brake bias valve for a replacement.
(for reference you can convert a clio one)
I bled up the brakes and the pumps working.
On the first few brakes all is fine.
Then the abs light comes on and stays on.
The brakes still work fine with the light on, but i fear this will fail me the mot.
If you switch off the car and start again its no longer on.
It also did it when moving.

Im going to be cleaning up the sensors tomorrow.

What components are there in the system and whats the usual suspects i should be looking at?

Also what is the proper way for bleeding bendix abs brakes?

Unfortunatly its not viable to be converting the brakes.

Thanks.

 

[The T.I.B.]

By ABS light do you mean the one with a car skidding inside a circle (Orange)? This means it's trying to pump up the brake pressure.

If the (!)(P) light (Red) comes on while you're driving it means the fluid level's low, if the two lights are on together it's serious.

Not sure what to recommend, if the pump's pumping fine and the brakes are braking fine then that's good I guess. Is the ABS function working well to your knowledge? Are the fuses in the scuttle all fine?

If you wanted to replace the electronic gubbins I can send you all the stuff I just stripped out of my car if you want, it's easy enough to swap over. It was only my pump that 'failed'.

 

[Arj256]

Yeah its the orange light on the right hand side.
I havnt had the handbrake/low level light come on when driving. But i havnt really driven it much due to the lack of mot.

I havn't had chance to try the abs.
I tried looking in the scuttle but couldnt find the fuse box? whats it look like?

Cool. the previous owner said he had changed the pump a year ago. so it shouldnt be that.
What components are there which make up the system?

 

[Neal R19]

The pump is the most common failure, but the ECU in the scuttle gets a bath if the drainage is blocked or someone is a bit too enthusiastic with the hose.

 

[The T.I.B.]

hehe, one of these days I'm going to write a Technical Article on the Bendix ABS :roll:
I had my ABS pump set my car on fire with no warning, that's probably worst case scenario. Any idea why the pump was replaced in the first place? Sounds like it didn't fix the problem!


Anyhow... Fuses, I meant relays, if i remember correctly there's 4 relays under a screw-down cover. God only knows their purpose (I'm guessing one controls the ABS pump motor) but if one's playing up then this will give problems further down the line. Also theres an ECU to one side but I dunno if that would ever fail.

EDIT: oh yeah if you get it wet it might not be too good lol

 

[Arj256]

I will have a look at the ecu in the morning. Dont think it would of gotten damp as its got the naff plastic on top to keep it dry. Never know though.

Thats not to good, how would that of happened?

Apparently the electric motor on it stopped working so the whole thing had to be replaced.
Cheers, will have a play around with the relays. are they simular to the ones in the fuse box, under the glovebox?

 

[The T.I.B.]

er... look like 4 little matchboxes with 3 connector tabs each or whatever... similar but slightly smaller. you'll see them anyway, unscrew the knurnled knob on the square lid, lift off and behold the 4 of them together

 

[Arj256]

Ah i remember seeing that box in the scuttle.
Ah thats a shame then, wont be able to use one of the relays from another source then.
Will have a play around today and hopefull see whats causing it.

 

[The T.I.B.]

try relays from a similar system

 

[Arj256]

Had a look at the ecu and thats nice and dry.
Also had a play around with the relays and 1 fuse, and that didnt give any joy.
I cleaned the abs sensors.

And still no joy. Car brakes fine though when moving.
What resistance should i get through the sensors?

Cheers.

 

[Neal R19]

as long as they all measure the same resistance, no odd one out, they are fine.

Or all broken :lol:

 

[James]

make sure you that when you bled the system you did get the all the air out