Finally got the Bee stuck

[So-CalVX]

like it always happens with me i had just cashed my paycheck....
my buddy called me and said we should go to the beach.... to "relax" or "meditate" as my friend put it the other day.........
so we went to silverstrand beach in oxnard. i got some good pics but then my phone died... didn't bother me untill i decided to go to far out on street tires...
i was stuck... dunno why I thought digging would help but we did... for 15-20 minutes.... then a buddy from another dealership showed up in his 4X4 Taco with a tow strap... as son as he gave me a nudge i was back to driving... so i backed out to the asphault and left... took my budy home and went home myself...
no damage... everything works... the Bee just needs a bath

it was fun!!! yeah.. fun

edit... the ABS light came on yesterday between getting my check cashed and filling up the gas tank... any suggestions? i know everyone who has/had the problem hasn't been bothered by anything but the light, right....?

pics to follow...

[nfpgasmask]

edit... the ABS light came on yesterday between getting my check cashed and filling up the gas tank... any suggestions? i know everyone who has/had the problem hasn't been bothered by anything but the light, right....?

Just ignore it like everyone else! You should be able to feel the difference when your ABS is not working. I know I can. No pulsing, no kicking back. Personally, I prefer it off...but I know in places where there is more weather it might be considered dangerous.

Bart

[So-CalVX]

I'm thinking you started "meditating" before getting stuck which answers that question and also says why you went out too far on street treads!

yup yup... that's how it happened...

Just ignore it like everyone else! You should be able to feel the difference when your ABS is not working. I know I can. No pulsing, no kicking back. Personally, I prefer it off...but I know in places where there is more weather it might be considered dangerous.

Bart

i felt the difference immediately... i like it better too
but i will have to have it fixed before i head back to WV... whenever that happens

[So-CalVX]

this happened on my way to the gas station...


this was parked for meditation


flipped out seein this thing in my rearview not knowing where it came from!!!
it went out to sea... and i figured out where it came from


you cant even tell i got stuck.. except for my shiny rims

[twistedsymphony]

I personally don't understand why people just blow off ABS like they do. When it works properly, and you drive properly, it should never kick on, but should YOU not hold up your end of the bargain and lock up your wheels, then the ABS saves your ***. Not to mention I live in an area that gets a ridiculous amount of snow so ABS has saved me more than once, and I've seen a lack of ABS demolish quite a few cars as well....

ideally I think it would be cool to install a toggle switch so if you wanted to off road without ABS you just flip the switch and go, then flip it back on when you hit the tarmac...

ANYWAY

If your light came on the first thing I would ask you is "when was the last time you repacked your bearings?

Mechanical elements are more likely to fail before electrical elements, and the more complex they are the more prone they are to failure... the most complex mechanical element, and the one subjected to the harshest conditions is the wheel sensors... dirt and crap can get caught in there, the sensors can get damaged and the indexing wheel can get chipped.

if you do a lot of beach driving then I would suspect that sand would be particularly nasty to these things... so I would take the opportunity to repack your bearings and check over the wheels sensors while you're in there.

[nfpgasmask]

I personally don't understand why people just blow off ABS like they do.

I think its because A) you don't need it and B) it costs an arm & a leg for a new ABS module

ideally I think it would be cool to install a toggle switch so if you wanted to off road without ABS you just flip the switch and go, then flip it back on when you hit the tarmac...

Yes, that would be really cool.

Bart

[twistedsymphony]

...
B) it costs an arm & a leg for a new ABS module...

do the modules really die that often? or is that just what is assumed when the light comes on?

[etlsport]

my diagnosis from the dealership was the module was bad.. they told me 3k i said leave it.. didnt look into it much past that

[So-CalVX]

Oh, I thought I said that ? my bad... If I were to go back to WV, where the seasons actually change :P, I would have to have it fixed... I have experienced the difference.
So mine car is backasswards? LOL the ABS knew I was headed to the beach to play in the sand and committed suicide

I personally don't understand why people just blow off ABS like they do. When it works properly, and you drive properly, it should never kick on, but should YOU not hold up your end of the bargain and lock up your wheels, then the ABS saves your ***. Not to mention I live in an area that gets a ridiculous amount of snow so ABS has saved me more than once, and I've seen a lack of ABS demolish quite a few cars as well....

ideally I think it would be cool to install a toggle switch so if you wanted to off road without ABS you just flip the switch and go, then flip it back on when you hit the tarmac...

ANYWAY

If your light came on the first thing I would ask you is "when was the last time you repacked your bearings?

Mechanical elements are more likely to fail before electrical elements, and the more complex they are the more prone they are to failure... the most complex mechanical element, and the one subjected to the harshest conditions is the wheel sensors... dirt and crap can get caught in there, the sensors can get damaged and the indexing wheel can get chipped.

if you do a lot of beach driving then I would suspect that sand would be particularly nasty to these things... so I would take the opportunity to repack your bearings and check over the wheels sensors while you're in there.

[twistedsymphony]

Oh, I thought I said that ? my bad... If I were to go back to WV, where the seasons actually change :P, I would have to have it fixed... I have experienced the difference.
So mine car is backasswards? LOL the ABS knew I was headed to the beach to play in the sand and committed suicide

no... what I was saying is if you do a lot of that kind of driving that might have something to do with it.

Even if it is the module I can't imagine it would be all that expensive to pick one up from a junk yard or some such. $3K is ridiculous, even from the dealer....

[deermagnet]

ideally I think it would be cool to install a toggle switch so if you wanted to off road without ABS you just flip the switch and go, then flip it back on when you hit the tarmac...

It's been done. I did that about six years ago-
http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/switch.html
If you flip that switch back on or pull and replace the fuse, the ABS will not reset until the ignition is turned off and on again.
Let us know what you think about the Isuzu ABS when you drive a VX in the snow. Many of us have found it to be very sensitive and dangerous in the snow. It can kick on even when pulling in to a snow covered parking spot at the mall. It can get you killed. In Europe cars come standard with an ABS kill switch for winter driving to save lives. It's not just a VX with messed up ABS. Lots of Isuzu owners over at the Planet have the same complaints.

Richard, it takes just a few minutes to pull the ABS code yourself and see if it's related to the module or some other component-




If you decide you're done with ABS forever, it takes just two minutes to kill the ABS and put out the light.
Raise hood, remove fuse box cover, remove ABS fuse, replace fuse box cover, remove ABS module connector, bend over #16 pin, replace connector, close hood.


Mark Griffin (a VX lifer)

[So-CalVX]

thanks for the words but what if i jus want the light out till i move back to WV? would pulling the fuse do it? or would something eff up?

[deermagnet]

Pulling the fuse or the module connector will not put out the ABS light. You'd have to remove the bulb, or bend over that pin, or cut the wire that goes with that pin.

Mark

[twistedsymphony]

It's been done. I did that about six years ago-
http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/switch.html
If you flip that switch back on or pull and replace the fuse, the ABS will not reset until the ignition is turned off and on again.
Let us know what you think about the Isuzu ABS when you drive a VX in the snow. Many of us have found it to be very sensitive and dangerous in the snow. It can kick on even when pulling in to a snow covered parking spot at the mall. It can get you killed. In Europe cars come standard with an ABS kill switch for winter driving to save lives. It's not just a VX with messed up ABS. Lots of Isuzu owners over at the Planet have the same complaints.

Cool thanks for the info

I had no idea the ABS was screwed up in these vehicles, I've never had a problem in any of the other ABS equipped vehicles I've used.... that's a real shame.

[alanbradley]

IIn Europe cars come standard with an ABS kill switch for winter driving to save lives.

They do? I think you'll find that some Audis in the early 90s did, but that's it.

Of course, I'm happy to be corrected...



A