2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission ABS Problem

[SMorneau]

Both my ABS and Brake lights came on today. The vehicle is a 96 4x4 with 4Wheel ABS. The lamps would go out after a shut down and cycle normallyat start-up but would come on again after getting the vehicle to about 20 MPH. The rear end would lock-up upon hard application of the brakes. I don't know if the front antilocks would function because I value my tires too much to find out.



Like a good TDR member, I booted the wife off of the computer, and read a few hundred posts and then went out and inspected the fuses, operation of the cruise, brake lights, and cleaned the rear diff sensor.



Well the lights now cycle normally at start-up and then stay out. Problem fixed-NOT! I applied the brakes and the rear end locks up. Again, I don't know if the fronts will function or not.



The vacuum is good and the brakes work fine other than the malfunctioning antilocks.



The most recent thing done to the truck was new OPTIMA batteries yesterday. A four mile test drive with the new batteries did not show any problems. The problems started today about a mile after leaving home. It is a wet snowy day.



Any ideas?

 

[Bluhaven]

I don't think the 96 trucks have 4wheel abs, just the rears.

 

[trailmonster]

My advice, pull the rear diff cover and look at the tone ring, I recently had similar abs light problems and within 4 days of the light staying on lost the pinion gear, it ate the ring gear too. I think the pinion had shed a few small pieces of metal that rounded the ends off of the tone ring ( the ring that the abs sensor gets its signal from) just a few days later BANG!! If nothing else the rearend could use an oil change huh? If you need any internal diff parts try randys ring and pinion , their service,price and speed were right on track. I was back on the road 3 days after the big bang.

 

[SMorneau]

Smaller Batterie

You know how when something happens after you do something it is almost always caused by what you did?



Well try putting in some physically smaller batteries, like the Optimas. How could this affect the ABS and then the turn signals and flashers? I'll tell you, there is a wiring harness that runs under the drivers side battery box and if it is not firmly in the corner your battery hold down bold can pierce it and short out all sorts of things like the F-L ABS sensor and the turn signal circuit.



Imagine the first snow of the year, dark out, major metro traffic dangers, and ABS brake idiot lights both on and now no turn signals. Yes, its Monday morning and shaping up to be a real interesting week I thought, as I powered the window down to hand signal.



Dealer got me in right away (Score a Major one for Forest Lake Chrysler). The tech narrowed it down to a short and was going to bypass it. I drank my umteenth cup of coffee while I considered what he was going to do. I went out to chat and I wondered out loud if there was a short to ground and shouldn't I be concerned the harness was compromised? He went over the basic layout of the harness routing and I said, "its the battery bolt!". I had thought about it hitting the inner fender when I installed the batteries but didn't consider a wiring harness. The batteries are shorter and the bolt pierced the harness.

 

[jrobinson2]

My father in law did this to his 96 when he put a set of optimas in. He lost turn and brake lights, abs was dead already. sorry I didnt see your post in time.



Jared

 

[ZEEEW]

This kind of thing is why I pay the registration fee for this site



My 96 has 4 wheel antilock brakes.



Eric