I just started my car today just like a normal day and noticed my ABS light is on. I have a 98 Maxima SE and the CEL isn't on. What could cause the ABS light to stay on? Could it be a sensor? Anyway to tell what is going on? This sounds expensive to fix....................................

Thanks

 

Seeing as your in Georgia I doubt this is the same scenario for you, but over the winter I was sliding everywhere in the snow and my ABS light came on for 10-20 minutes then turned itself off. Hopefully next tim you go out to your car it will have turned itself off.

If that isn't the case, then I'm assuming its something to do with sensors, however I'd assumed they'd light up your CEL too.

 

I actually do not live in Georgia and I live in a snowy climate. i will watch it next time i go out. i have used ABS a couple times this winter. will a sensor light up the CEL?

 

there is a way to pull codes from the abs. Its outlined in the hilton manual, I dont remember it off the top of my head.

Get under the car and look at the sensor. When my light came on it turned out I cut thru the wire somehow. Resoldered and all was good.

 

once the abs light is illuminated the abs system is completely disabled, so its as if you dont have abs system.

 

good information guys!!!! where are the sensors located?

 

its on the hub. you'll see one brake wire and if you look you'll see another wire, that is the abs wire, follow it and you'll see the sensor on the back side of the hub,

 

Cool, thanks for the reply. do you happen to know if the Hilton manual diagnostic mentions an OBD scanner?

 

for the abs codes it mentions using a paper clip ( to ground) it tells you what to ground in order to get the codes

 

I having the same problem on my 99 but the thing is it only cuts on with I turn my head lights on other wise its always off. Sometimes I would have to turn the car off for a minute and cut it back on and the light goes off.

 

ok it goes on once the car is running for a little bit. now come to think about it it might go on when my head lights are on. my abs did work today though. sometimes the light is off, but it's usually on

how much is a diagnostic at the dealer unless someone can open up the Hilton book!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Man, no offense but did you check the brake fluid level? On my wife's Protege ABS light came on due to low brake fluid level.

 

Yes, more than likely your brake fluid is low. Same thing happened to me. Check-check-check it out! Good luck bro!
-Jeremiah
1995 Nissan Maxima SE

 

The fluid level should be ok, but i will check it out. I know the red brake light comes on when the fluid is low, but i didn't think the yellow ABS light would. ill check it out though...thats for the replies guys!

 

low brake fluid wont cause the abs light to come on. the abs sensor would cause the abs light to come on.

 

Here is an update! I took my front wheels off today and noticed the ABS lines were rubbing up against metal so there is a "rip" in both lines because I can see metal. I did not tie them up after I installed my coilovers. I electrical taped the ABS lines up and secured them and the ABS light hasn't gone off. Do you think both sensors are bad now?

 

Yes. The damage needs to be repaired.

 

Just to let everyone know about the brake fluid, when my car had low brake fluid my handbrake light stayed on, but i have a 98 GXE, i dont know if its different for and SE

 

handbrake light is activated by a switch underneath the handbrake inside center console.

 

Thanks for the info guys.... good stuff to know

 

Does ABS light come on when the charging system is poor?

That is what I was told when I took my car to dealer.

 

the battery and break light will, but not the ABS light.

i found the problem by blinking the ABS light. the front right/passenger sensor has a short or open. so i need to buy a new one...

 

Just to reinforce your problem, I'm having the same issue and the passenger side ABS wire is ripped as well (didn't tie it up correctly when installing spring/strut). My ABS light comes on occasionally... but now more often than not. My bet is also the ABS wire/hose, I think you can replace this with a dealer part, or maybe even NAPA.

Do you hear a "humming" sound when you initially insert your key and turn it to "on?" When I do, my ABS stays on...

 

I went to a junk yard and was going to buy the whole sensor on the hub for 50 bucks. the only problem is the guy broke it when taking the sensor off the wheel hub because of the rust. it's easy to remove besides the rust. i bet i could of gotten it off.

i dont think i hear any humming my ABS light is constant now. i ran a diagnosis on it and it says the front right sensore has a short or open so i bet its that sensor.

 

My car also have code 25 corresponding to driver side Sensor circuit open.
Since code says circuit open, I am thinking its some broken wire.
Please keep us posted whenever you resolve the problem.

 

I am helping a friend and am trying to figure out how to manually find the ABS codes. How can I do that? Any advice? Also where can I find a code listing of the codes once I've retrieved them?

 

I'll check my hayness for the details, but it basically involves using a paper clip to ground a certain pin on the connector below the steering column, a few mins after the car has been turned off but still warm. the abs light will blink like the cel light and the # of blinks will reflect a certain defined code.

 

does anyone know which pin you need to ground???? Mines on as well I want to check er out.

 

yea i know what ground it is hold on i will get it for you

 

1. drive car 20+ mph for at least one minute (a quick drive around your neighborhood is fine)
2. turn ignition off
3. ground "pin 4" (shown in the picture below)
4. turn ignition to the On position while ground pin 4
5. after 3 seconds the ABS light will flash just like the CEL