I have a 1991 SE, at 186,500 Miles the ABS decides to come on, and stay on, only with the car moving and not a initial start up. I read the DTC's and I got a code 6, which was the left front wheel sensor. My question is, what makes these sensors go bad? They are nothing but a magnet. I checked it for damage, and there was none to the wires. I also checked the connection to the harness and that was good. How do these things wear out? Can some one help me with my problem? I live in DC, and I tired of that ABS light starring me in the face every time I drive my car. Thanks in advance. Sorry for the long post.

 

they can go bad, even though there are no moving parts. It shouldn't be all that much to buy a new one and it is very easy to replace.

 

Nissan wants $380 for that one sensor. And that's alot. I went to the junk yard. And I couldn't find any 3rd gen with ABS they had 20 MAX's there. Carparts.com has them for $305.04. Do I have an alternative, without looking at the ABS light?

 

Ok, well I thought they wouldn't be that expensive. Try cleaning the sensor and the gear thing that it gets it's signal from. It may just be dirty and can't get the signal, I hope . Matt93SE and JustinMC both have parts cars, I'm not sure if they had ABS though.

 

I doubt that they do. I guess I wil have to keep trying the junk yards.

 

They dont My ABS light for the left wheel sensor has been on for 2 months. I still is looking

 

But the big question that I have is, what makes them go bad and they still look ok on the outside. I can't even get the sensor off, Why did nissan have to put 3 bolts on it, while most other manufactures only used one.

 

I read when you change the rim size it can do break the sensor. Were is it located?

 

I wish that was true in my case. I have the stock tire size, and the rims that are on my car now, are the same ones that were on it when I brought it from the Nissan Dealer back in 94. I check the sensor rings, and they were in good shape. I guess I need to save up for a sensor

 

The sensor itself is located near where the brake calaper mounts to the suspention. The spindle gear thing, whatever it is called, is mounted on the hub itself and turns with it.

 

They are making cars so dang hard, and expensive to work on

 

Couple of questions for you:

1) isn't code 6 the right front wheel circuit. According to the service manual i got its the right front wheel circuit. Code 5 is the Left front wheel circuit.

2) When you do the resistance test on the sensor does it check out to be ok as described in the service manual.

The reason i am asking i am having the exact same problem, but i am getting Code 5 which to me is the left front wheel.
Also, when I do a resistance test on the circuit it checks out to be ok.

 

I'm getting code 5 too. I didn't do I resistance check yet. I don't have a multimeter. But let me know what you find out.

 

Madmax1991,

Check the brake fluid, the computer master cylinder
connectors are securely connected, check the electrical
connectors at the actuator assembly, check the fuses,
follow the wiring harness to each wheel and check that
all connections are secure and the wiring isnt' damaged,
and finally thorough clean the sensor rotor as well as your
front wheel sensor and see what happen. If this don't work
i'll post a detailed schematics of the ABS systems and
talk you through what to check for such as check valve,
secondary relief valve, and etc.. Good luck

mike

 

 

On my car there were a few things that I tried to do.
1) I replace the ABS computer hoping that it would fix the problem, no luck.

2) I tried another ABS wheel sensor and still no luck.

The part that I cannot understand is that when i do the resistance test on both of the sensors they came back as being ok.

The next thing that I am going to try is jumping the left front wheel to the right front wheel and vice versa. If the problem does really lie in the sensor the computer should give me a code for the right front wheel instead. If the problem lies in the computer I should still get a code for the left front wheel.

For your car do a resistance test on the sensor and see if it is within the factory specs.

If it is we probably have the exact same problem.

 

Did you check the rotor teeth? The problem could lie there too.