ABS Sensor removal??
12-20-2012, 10:21 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 27
ABS Sensor removal??
REVISED:
Need some help here. Only a couple days after I changed my front brake pads, I suddenly began getting a terrible grinding noise and also a metallic buzzing noise COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT BRAKE ONLY. I can also feel it on the brake pedal. IT DOES NOT DO ANY OF THIS WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE.
This may be just a coincidence but it started right after I came out of automatic car wash..
...I've removed and reinstalled the pads, properly lubed everything, bled the system and i'm still getting the same problem. Only thing left I can think of is either a bad caliper or ABS sensor (ABS light has does NOT come on)... Anyone have any other suggestions??
I'm not handy with electrical components so i wouldnt even know where to begin by checking it with a meter or anything...
I thought about disconnecting the sensor and test driving it that way. Is this a good idea or no?
Need some help here. Only a couple days after I changed my front brake pads, I suddenly began getting a terrible grinding noise and also a metallic buzzing noise COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT BRAKE ONLY. I can also feel it on the brake pedal. IT DOES NOT DO ANY OF THIS WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE.
This may be just a coincidence but it started right after I came out of automatic car wash..
...I've removed and reinstalled the pads, properly lubed everything, bled the system and i'm still getting the same problem. Only thing left I can think of is either a bad caliper or ABS sensor (ABS light has does NOT come on)... Anyone have any other suggestions??
I'm not handy with electrical components so i wouldnt even know where to begin by checking it with a meter or anything...
I thought about disconnecting the sensor and test driving it that way. Is this a good idea or no?
Last edited by dhornb1; 12-20-2012 at 01:30 PM.
12-20-2012, 12:45 PM
#2
Problem likely stems from your rear wheel hub (usually the rear passenger side hub). There is a design flaw which allows moisture, dirt and corrosion to develop inside of it, which gives the ABS sensor a bad reading and throws the entire ABS system off when you attempt to brake. Many people, myself included, have had this issue, usually after driving through a snowstorm or heavy rain. The car wash likely aggravated something in your hub.
The fix is to remove the hub, clean out all of that dirt and corrosion, clean the abs sensor, grind out a notch in the metal that allows water to drain properly, and replace everything. I fixed mine by replacing both rear hubs and cleaning the ABS sensors with electric parts cleaner. Wasn't a very difficult job, the hubs are held on with just 4 bolts that you remove from behind.
The Nissan TSB for this fix is here:
http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/ba...NTB07-016b.pdf
Edit:
unistang made a very informative post today in the other ABS thread. It pretty much outlines exactly what you need to do:
The fix is to remove the hub, clean out all of that dirt and corrosion, clean the abs sensor, grind out a notch in the metal that allows water to drain properly, and replace everything. I fixed mine by replacing both rear hubs and cleaning the ABS sensors with electric parts cleaner. Wasn't a very difficult job, the hubs are held on with just 4 bolts that you remove from behind.
The Nissan TSB for this fix is here:
http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/ba...NTB07-016b.pdf
Edit:
unistang made a very informative post today in the other ABS thread. It pretty much outlines exactly what you need to do:
If you are getting a constant buzzing, then your actuator may be shot. I see that you live in NYC. I had to perform the TSB on both of my rear hubs here in Chicago ('04 with 100k) and let me pass along what I've learned. If your max is older and daily driven in an area that salts the roads, forget about getting those rear sensors out without snapping off the tiny *** bolt that holds them in. Which in theory, would fine except you will most likely also have difficulty getting the hub out of the car to redrill for the same reason. I say this becuase this is how the passenger side went for me and took me 4-5 hours. I did the driver side in 25 minutes. Pop the wheel off, remove the brake hardware, remove the emergency brake cable, remove the emergency brake hardware (as a unit), remove the bearing hub assembly. From here (now mind you the sensor is still in) remove the rear plastic cap, carefully clean the hub (not the hub bearing) with a small wire brush on the end of a drill (no not hit the sensor), install the new style rear plastic cap and wipe the magnetic ring on the inside of the bear hub clean with a wet rag only (no solvents). Re-assemble, problem gone. That takes care of the abs issue and assumes your sensors are still good, which mine were. They usually will not fail unless you neglect the problem for too long. Now, if your ABS actuator is humming even with the car off, you have a much more difficult and probably THE most costly repair possible ahead of you on this car.
If you want to disconnect your ABS system, simply just unplug one of the sensors. If you pull the fuse under the hood, too many required systems will not work (ie. turn signals). It is possible to modify that fuse and only snip the wire for the ABS, but you are just bandaiding the problem. Do the TSB on both rear wheels, if it doesn't fix the problem a) swallow the 2500 repair bill or b) sell the car.
If you want to disconnect your ABS system, simply just unplug one of the sensors. If you pull the fuse under the hood, too many required systems will not work (ie. turn signals). It is possible to modify that fuse and only snip the wire for the ABS, but you are just bandaiding the problem. Do the TSB on both rear wheels, if it doesn't fix the problem a) swallow the 2500 repair bill or b) sell the car.
Last edited by CRiME; 12-20-2012 at 12:50 PM.
12-20-2012, 01:52 PM
#4
You are feeling your ABS system engaging. The grinding, buzzing and pulsation in the pedal indicates that. But just because the noise is coming from that side, doesn't necessarily mean that the problem is on that side. Based on the experiences of hundreds of other 6th gen owners, and Nissan's TSB that was released, I would check the rear hubs and sensors as advised and report back.
Try this: disconnect any ABS sensor (front passenger side will probably be the most accessible one, harness can be disconnected right beside the coolant reservoir) and drive the car around the block. This will disable the ABS system. Be advised, when you turn the ignition on, you will hear buzzing from the actuator for about 4-5 seconds, and when you start the car the ABS, SLIP, and TCS OFF lights will be solid. This will go away when you reconnect the ABS sensor.
If you find that you no longer have the braking issue, then that will just about confirm that you have an ABS problem and should perform the fix as outlined in the TSB. If you're going to tackle it yourself, you should probably remove and clean all 4 ABS sensors while you are at it.
Try this: disconnect any ABS sensor (front passenger side will probably be the most accessible one, harness can be disconnected right beside the coolant reservoir) and drive the car around the block. This will disable the ABS system. Be advised, when you turn the ignition on, you will hear buzzing from the actuator for about 4-5 seconds, and when you start the car the ABS, SLIP, and TCS OFF lights will be solid. This will go away when you reconnect the ABS sensor.
If you find that you no longer have the braking issue, then that will just about confirm that you have an ABS problem and should perform the fix as outlined in the TSB. If you're going to tackle it yourself, you should probably remove and clean all 4 ABS sensors while you are at it.
Last edited by CRiME; 12-22-2012 at 01:28 PM.
12-20-2012, 04:58 PM
#5
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 27
Ok, thanks,.I will disconnect the harness and see what happens. Are the ABS sensors difficult to get to and remove?
Also, if the problem still persists after I disconnect the ABS, do you think its a caliper problem or an ABS actuator? I hope not the actuator, I heard that is a very expensive fix.
Appreciate all your help!
Also, if the problem still persists after I disconnect the ABS, do you think its a caliper problem or an ABS actuator? I hope not the actuator, I heard that is a very expensive fix.
Appreciate all your help!
12-21-2012, 12:32 AM
#6
No problem, the abs sensors are held in by just one bolt, and are not very hard to get to. If you still have the noise when braking after disconnecting the abs, then it shouldn't be from your actuator as it will have been disabled.
12-22-2012, 09:39 PM
#8
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 27
Yep, you were right. I disconnected the harness and the problem went away. Tomorrow I'm gonna remove and clean the sensors, cut that notch out and see how it goes.
Thanks again for your help. I would've never thought that was the problem. You saved me a lot of time and aggravation!
Thanks again for your help. I would've never thought that was the problem. You saved me a lot of time and aggravation!
12-23-2012, 11:35 AM
#11
if you haven't removed the rotor in a while, it may be stuck in place. You might have to whack it carefully with a hammer. Same goes for the hub assembly. At the moment, I can't really think of anything else apart from that.
12-24-2012, 08:13 AM
#12
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 27
well, I didnt get too far. Unfortuanately the bottom caliper bolt is seized up & the bolt head stripped. Couldnt get it to loosen up even with vise grips. I was able to get to the sensor from behind the hub and remove it and clean it off. I didnt have time to get to any of the other sensors.
Quick question, how can you tell if the sensor is actually bad? I dont have a meter or anything.
Quick question, how can you tell if the sensor is actually bad? I dont have a meter or anything.
12-24-2012, 08:47 PM
#13
Sorry to see that you ran into trouble. Unfortunately I'm not sure how exactly to test the sensors on your own. If the head of the bolt is rounded off and you want to take another shot at it instead of hauling it into a shop, you can try using one of those bolt extractors. I used these when the bolt on my brother's swaybar endlinks got rounded away:
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