ABS Speed Sensor replacement cost...(grab a brown bag for vomit)
 

I'm leaving from CT tomorrow to drive to North Carolina. Moving company picked up my things yesterday (including my jack/jackstands, and all tools)...so of course, right after they pull away, I get in the car and the ABS light comes on.

Drove around with it for a day in light to moderate rain, no ABS function, and soon realized I'd better get this fixed before making the 650mile trip.

Long story short, local shops either didn't have the tool to pull the code or they couldn't get a new sensor immediately. So in desperation, I went to the dealer. :rolleyes:

$398.35 and 2hours later, they replaced my rear drivers side speed sensor and "calibrated it". Hopefully nobody finds themselves in a jam with no tools to get this thing replaced because the part is a mere $130. :goofy:

Too bad you didn't have any down time to wait for it. I would have sold you one for 50 shipped. All good, that's alot of money though for just a sensor that takes 30 mins to replace and that's taking the wheel off and without a lift. Faster if you have a lift.

I brought my car (2001 Maxima) into the shop for a diagnostic... the brakes and rotors needed to be replaced, but there were a couple other things I needed to have the mechanic check out. I drove it home (6 miles), and parked it until I had the parts to replace my coils and plugs which was about a week later. When I turned on my car to move it to a spot in my driveway that had better light, my ABS light was on, and it hadnt been before I brought it into the shop.

First of all... what could the mechanic have done to trigger this light? Autozone said they can't check these lights... but do you guys know of any store that might be able to for free? What can I check/clean on my own in regards to censors, etc?

I want to address this repair, but things are so tight and I just put $1000 worth of work into my car... no way I can afford another $400, especially when I have to deal with a transmission flush/fluid replacement and evap valve repair in the upcoming weeks.

ABS light comes on immediately when it detects a fault (with the sensors anyway). I don't think you could rig it so that it happens later.

I would have waited till you had all your tools and sh!t back. Your car will stop just fine without the ABS activated.

^^^+1. My abs light has been off for years and many panic stops and no problems. the only difference is that you dont get the ABS function, which is for n00bs anyway :wall:

If the sensor comes out of the hub, or if the wire is cut, spliced, or ripped by some dumbass who doesn't know how to use an air impact while doing your alignment snaps the ABS line from forcing the socket off the strut bolt, then your ABS light will come on and you will have to pay for a fockin new one. No I'm not bitter at all about it.

Even though generally only dealers can read the manufacturer specific codes, there are some things to determine the problem.

First, notice when the light comes on. If it turns on immediately, it likely means the abs system detects an open or short (cut wire, bad sensor, etc..). If it turns on once the car is moving, it likely means the signal from the sensor is off (dirty or broken speed gear or bad sensor).

Second, inspect the condition of the wires under the car (broken or frayed).

Third, test the resistance across the sensors at the connectors. The FSM will have a set of criteria which I believe differs between the manuals and automatics.

If you can find the problem, the cost is only the price of the sensor (~$120 from an online dealer).

You couldn't splice it?

That was the plan until I drove about 5miles in the rain and two assholes pulled out in front of me...nearly slid into both of them. Doesn't help that the tires on there right now are complete garbage. If they had some decent grab, I would have waited it out.

^^^ if this is the case... i would buy 2 new front tires.. which will cost less than paying someone to do it .. and you will benefit from tires long after your ABS is fixed, then just take the drive w/o ABS.. and fix it asap without spending an arm and a leg.. just a suggestion..

Tires only have about 15k on them, they sucked to begin with in the rain/snow. But regardless, its already been replaced. Just wanted to throw out that repair cost for anyone who may run into the same problem.

The light came on immediately after starting my car, so I'm assuming its a bad wire, sensor, etc.

Is there a write-up on here regarding ABS sensors? I could use a picture or two identifying a front and rear sensor, as well as an explanation as to how I would go about checking the resistance.

I just replaced all my coils/plugs, pads, rotors and rear calipers... last thing I need is a $300 bill from the mechanic to fix this issue, so any help is MUCH appreciated.

The core of the wire ripped out of the sheath. I would have had to cut the fray off then it would have been way too short. I wasn't gonna rig it with jumper wire or anything.

what part of NC u moving to?




HAHAHAHA that viper was cool tho.

u ever been back there?

Winston-Salem

Same here.

My abs light has been on for about a year and half and have had no problems whatsoever.

And if I had bad tires in the front, no matter the mileage, I would've definitely replaced them before forking over $400 to the stealership, as the cost would've been about the same.

By the way, I called my local mechanic shop and they said $50 labor to replace my rear left abs sensor + the cost of the sensor ($130). Said it takes less than 30 minutes to check the sensor and replace. You could've easily saved $200 by not going to the dealership.

I'd consider this a lesson learned the hard way.

I went back one time a couple months right after that happened to give him another chance since everyone kept saying it was still really good. Bullsheit! I was still not happy with the alignment when I left the shop. Will be going to Firestone for one of those 150 lifetime alignments. At least if I'm not happy, I will let them keep trying till they get it right.

Alright! Born and raised, and parents still live there, so I'm there alot even though home is Charlotte now. Good luck with everything.

Dam that sucks, i need a alignment!! haha

My light just came on last week. I check both rear sensors, since they seem to be the problem. I checked the voltage going to them, but I couldn't check the actual sensors. Anyone care to share how to do this, so I can atleast narrow down which one is bad. I don't have an FSM. Please help, I've searched. Thanks

The resistance test is on page BR-63 in the 2002 FSM; available here: http://www.boredmder.com/FSM/Nissan/Maxima/.

Solder is your friend :) Mine was snapped and the copper was SHOT. It was brittle and falling apart. I trimmed it back pretty good and added in new wire.

Obviously you failed to read through the posts...the local mechanic shops were not an option. And for whoever considers ABS for "noobs", then so be it. :rolleyes: I'd much rather replace the sensor for 400 (even if it is anal raping) and have a perfectly working vehicle than replace two tires to mask the problem...but hey, to each his own solution.

Oh im sorry, you're right. Panicking over a simple ABS light and blowing $400 at the stealership was a much better option.

:laugh:

Even so, you could've easily taken it to the dealer for an $85 dollar diagnostics test, bought the part yourself for $130, and had a local shop put it on for $50.

$130 - ABS sensor
$85 - Diagnostics test
$50 - Install

Grand total - $265 ($135 savings)

And like someone else said, this wasnt even a problem that needed to be fixed right away, so it seems you jumped the gun. :o

ABS is poorly understood by many people, so when its warning lamp is illuminated they get panicky and do things in a rush. But the old saying "haste makes waste" is just as true today with this as it was 50 years ago with anything then. But you know that now, right?

You need to understand that the ABS system defaults to standard braking system behavior when a malfunction is detected. The electronics go offline and you drive around on purely hydraulic brakes, just like people did for decades. There is nothing wrong with that, provided that you possess adequate skill at managing pressure on the brake pedal.

Yes, ABS will cover your butt for some things. But you should never, ever use ABS as an excuse for driving on tires of poor quality or condition. Your tires should be the best-performing tires that you can afford, even if you have to stretch your finances a little to get a tire with at least an 'A' traction rating and 'B' or better temperature grade. Don't even look at anything less.


I've had a dead left rear sensor on my 20AE for well over a year. It took a while to track it down, and when I did the sensor failed the resistance check. I'll note here that the method provided for pulling the code from ABS lamp blink count has you grounding the wrong OBD port pin, and shorting pin #8 will blow the power window fuse every single time (I think it's pin #9 that you want).

Anyway, with sensor prices ranging from $140 on up, I am in absolutely no hurry to replace it and may never do so.


In the larger sense, these new systems that have the potential for improving accident avoidance do so at a hidden (but big) cost - that all you younger drivers will either forget or perhaps never learn the skills necessary for coping with vehicle control when these systems are either not present or go inop. In the specific case of ABS, and I'm quoting in part from an engineer who works in the automotive industry at the OE level
and (illustration mine) There's something wrong with that picture.


Norm

Can somebody point me to a topic where the ABS was activating needlessly on all braking? Does anybody remember how he finally solved that issue?

- Vikas

Do you have a name, forum, approximate date, or known search term (other than "ABS" or "activate")?


Norm

The diagnosis is the hard part here. It's always hard to figure out what the problem is if you don't have the right scanning equipment or just get lucky. Therefore it's probably justifiable to take it to the dealer to get it scanned/diagnosed. However (and of course this is highly dependent on the diagnosis) once you had the diagnosis of the rear sensor messed up, it may have saved you at least a hundred bucks or so to have just bought a cheap socket set or even just a couple of individual sockets and a ratchet and changed the part yourself. It takes a 10mm and a 12mm, IIRC, total of 3 bolts. Just my 2c.

Don't forget the flip side: don't rely upon your ABS system to 'mask' marginal tires.

Most seem to forget tires are the most important component in the brake system; and the handling department.

It was very recent, within last couple of months. It is on this forum as that is the only one which I monitor. It was something non-intuitive as far as the solution was concerned e.g. lost insulation on wire but I do not remember.

The search engine is completely screwed up. I tried many different terms such as "abs", "brake" and even "break" but almost all of the entries were from few years ago.

- Vikas

I went 21 pages back and couldn't find it either.


Norm

Only thing I remember is at that time was the topic on "Help! I need to learn to drive manual cars; I have got a job as valet parker!"

- Vikas

This was around the time "Help! I need to learn to driver manual" thread.

- Vikas

Offhand, the only basic cause that makes sense is that one or more sensors or their circuits was providing erratic signals somehow associated with car motion during braking, which the ABS computer took as being the gospel truth about what was going on between those tires and the pavement (because it doesn't know any better).


Norm

Do you have a sensor for a 5th generation (not sure if this matters)? The left front sensor is showing open. Is this a user replaceable part? I have done calipers ,rotors etc. My mechanic wants $200.00.

Given that the cost of the sensor itself is around $150, you're getting a very reasonable quote for the job. I'm assuming that it's a resistance check on the sensor itself that's showing it "open".

I'm sure that you could DIY this job. I doubt that it's much different than the 5th Gen rear sensor (one little bolt holding it in, an electrical connector, and maybe a clip to hold the wire).


Norm

could you sell me one for $50 i need the left front.

If the sensor can be had for ~$50, please let me know how to purchase. I need Right Front for a 2000 Max.