my abs light is off when i start up, but after driving a little bit it comes on. i just finished a 5spd swap recently (new thread once i take some pics and stuff) and have had no lights come on except the ABS when i start driving.
i'm thinking it's the sensor, anybody know how to remove it (i'll try to clean it or something). thanks.

 

Did you use an axle that has the ABS ring on it?

 

if it comes on after you start moving, it is most likely to do w/ the speed sensor. As stated above, an non-abs axle could do it, or if the sensor itself isn't seated properly, or is dead.

 

what does the abs ring look like? i used axles from a '01 AE, those had lsd and i guess i just assumed that they would have abs as well.

i don't know how a 5spd conversion could make the sensor go dead. i'm thinking that while doing the conversion the lines were pulled or perhaps maybe it does have something to do with the axles.

 

The sensors are mounted near the axles (on the splines to be specific). They might have been damaged during the axle swap. The ABS ring basically looks like a gear... The sensor basically uses the grooves to detect rotation. At least thats my understanding.

Look at your old axles (if you still have them) and you'll see what I'm trying to explain.

 

Here is some more info on the sensor locations:

http://autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker...3d801f5a31.jsp

Here is an example of the ring (toothed rotor) on the half-shaft - this is not a pic of our cars, just an example:
http://www.sjmautotechnik.com/troubl...ensor_Late.jpg

 

thanks njmodi for all your help. hmm, i just looked @ my old axles. i know what you're talking about now, but i'm pretty sure all 01 AE's had abs, so i'm thinking the problem now is probably the sensor may have been damaged.

would it be worth it to try to run a diagnostic and try to pull abs trouble codes? it says in my haynes manual to ground the terminal L, how do i ground that? thanks.

 

Run the codes and find out which sensor is faulty. You could have stretched/damaged the sensor during the swap. Then pray a boneyard has an used one. You DON'T want to know what a new one costs.

 

Would be a good idea to pull the codes... I don't my haynes in front of me - I'll get back to you tonight if someone else hasn't already given you the info.

 

IIRC, there were some ABS sensors for sale in the 4th Gen Classifieds...

 

I bet the axle you put in doesn't have the ABS ring on it.

If a sensor was bad, the ABS light would come on immediately upon start up.
Being it comes on only after the car moves means the signals are screwed up.
The ABS system is not "seeing" all 4 wheels spin and it's most definately caused by an incorrect axle exchange when you did your 5 speed conversion. There is no way you could have damaged the sensor, it's inserted into a hole in the hub assembly. Pretty much out of the way of ever getting tampered with and again if the sensor was bad, the ABS light would come on immediately after start up, not just after the car moves.

 

i ordered axles from an 01 AE maxima, so would it be possible they sent me axles with no ABS rings?

is the ABS ring something i can remove from my old axles and put on my new ones if my axles don't have them? i'll have to jack my car up again to check to see if the axles on my car now really don't have the ABS rings. thanks

 

I am going to be doing this fix for a friends 98 SE. Can you believe the dealer is trying to gouge her for 169 for the sensor and TWO hours for labor, bringing the total up to 329 plus tax!

Is there some kind of alignment or other "detail" that is being missed by me here during installation?

To me it looks like, disconnect sensor connector (with battery disconnected) unscrew the old one. Clean threads with wire brush, install new one, connect connector, connect battery and wah lah. I didnt even think there was a "computer" reset involved? Is there?

Am I missing something?

 

I think you'll have to reset the ABS light with the procedure explained in the stickies. I've heard that the sensor can be really hard to take out - just from the age/rust - but since you don't care if it breaks, it shouldn't be a big deal.

No alignment necessary.

 

colonel- where are you getting your abs sensor from? and can you let me know how it goes? i already tried taking off the sensor, there's a 12mm (i think) bolt holding the plastic sensor in but once i got that unbolted, i didn't know how to take off the actual sensor. it wouldn't come off.

-njmodi, thanks for the help. do you know if the abs ring is something that i can remove off an axle and transfer to another? how do you take out the sensor? mine didnt' seem to want to budge, but i was trying to pull it out. is it screwed in?

 

Aznsap - I was looking forward to meeting you tomorrow! too bad you can't make it.

Yes the ABS ring can be moved (according to the FSM). PM me your email address, I'll send you a present that will get you going...

 

my email is aznsap@hotmail.com

ya i was looking forward to meeting you guys as well. some other time hopefully.... i'll actually be moving up to chicago in a few weeks (i'm starting medical school @ uic) so if there's anything going on feel free to let me know. thanks njmodi.

 

wow you guys were right. njmodi- thanks for the abs info.

so i fixed the problem today, no more abs light. my driver side axle had the abs ring, but the passenger side did not--the fix: pull the abs ring off my old axle and put in on the new passenger side.

thanks guys

 

no probs... glad you got that problem fixed... don't want you driving across the state w/out ABS

 

Did the ABS ring come out without any probs? Swapped my rear beam with Dave's wrecked car and it didn't have ABS so I'm currently driving with ABS in the front and no ABS is the rear (ABS light on)

If they come off with ease then I'll probably take them out of my old beam and put them in the new one

http://autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker...3d801f5778.jsp doesn't look too bad

 

abs ring came out super easy. i used a gear puller i rented from autozone, and the ring came off without any problems. however, removing the abs ring is different on the rear, but i don't think it should be much more difficult than the front.

 

when my ABS light came on it was because I needed a new clockspring.. guess no one else had that issue before? Switched the clockspring in my steering wheel and fixed the ABS light