ABS Sensor Saga

[newthings]

So I get an ABS light.
The error code determines it is the passenger side front sensor. The correct resistance is about 18K ohms. The bad sensor shows about 9 ohms. No problem, just replace it.
First, the cost is about $400.00. The same on EBAY.
This has to be the most expensive sensor on any car.

SIDEBAR – Oregon is a wet place. Every 12 months I change the brake fluid with new DOT 4. In the process of bleeding the brakes on the lift rack, a front after market, Teflon lined stainless steel braid covered hose blows up (In the middle)!! The hose is about 8 years old. Wow, I am very lucky. The only thing to do is change all five of the suspect hoses and I do. I don’t want to damn all fancy aftermarket hoses, but damn, this should not happen.

So I go to the local wrecking yard to get something off of the network. The good news is the sensor has been used for many years on the Troopers. Being me, I want to buy a full set. The cost is $150.00 for all four. How about two set for my friends in need. I ask, “These are working sensors, right?”. They say they come off a working car. A week passes and the parts arrive from Salem Oregon. I visit the wrecking yard and find two great balls of bubble wrap, each weighing about 50 lbs.. What’s up with that?
They sent 8 complete hubs with a sensor in each. I am not being charged for shipping, so who cares.
We unwrap the bubble wrap and find the sensors. We take off the retaining bolt and try to remove the steel flange from the hub. We pry, we tap, we wrench. It turns out the body of the sensor is plastic where it inserts into the hub. Brake heat has bonded the plastic to the hub. Penetrating oil will not penetrate. I leave the wrecking yard crew with the removal task. This is an awful design. It should have a metal sleeve for $400.00.
Two days pass and I visit. Good news, the sensors have been removed. All six of them. Two were broken in the removal. Which two? Yup, the front ones. I have two fronts left, They come as Right and Left. The cable brackets determines the side. I measure the resistance of all six sensors. Only one is bad. Yup, it’s the passenger side. I pry off and swap the two brackets from the Pass and Driver side sensors. Last but not least, the electrical connector is broken on only this one sensor.

Today I had the new-used Left-Right ABS sensor installed. The shop had to take off the hub to remove the old sensor. All back and the ABS light is off at last. No code reset was needed.
I have one spare Right and one Left REAR sensor, if anyone needs one. $40.00 plus shipping. I will keep them as stock.
Cheers, Roy

[RickOKC]

With that kind of luck we must be related.

[etlsport]

Wow.. saga is right, thats some major Murphy happening there.

Glad its all sorted out now and your VX is working properly again.

[Gussie2000]

ABS on my horse is off duty,and have no intention to get it back to duty any time again.


I hate the amount of money the ABS parts cost to replace them & they go bad so easy

[VX KAT]

So I go to the local wrecking yard to get something off of the network. The good news is the sensor has been used for many years on the Troopers. Being me, I want to buy a full set. The cost is $150.00 for all four. How about two set for my friends in need. I ask, “These are working sensors, right?”. They say they come off a working car. A week passes and the parts arrive from Salem Oregon. I visit the wrecking yard and find two great balls of bubble wrap, each weighing about 50 lbs.. What’s up with that?
They sent 8 complete hubs with a sensor in each. I am not being charged for shipping, so who cares.
We unwrap the bubble wrap and find the sensors. We take off the retaining bolt and try to remove the steel flange from the hub. We pry, we tap, we wrench. It turns out the body of the sensor is plastic where it inserts into the hub. Brake heat has bonded the plastic to the hub. Penetrating oil will not penetrate. I leave the wrecking yard crew with the removal task. This is an awful design. It should have a metal sleeve for $400.00.
Two days pass and I visit. Good news, the sensors have been removed. All six of them. Two were broken in the removal. Which two? Yup, the front ones. I have two fronts left, They come as Right and Left. The cable brackets determines the side. I measure the resistance of all six sensors. Only one is bad. Yup, it’s the passenger side. I pry off and swap the two brackets from the Pass and Driver side sensors. Last but not least, the electrical connector is broken on only this one sensor.

Today I had the new-used Left-Right ABS sensor installed. The shop had to take off the hub to remove the old sensor. All back and the ABS light is off at last. No code reset was needed.
I have one spare Right and one Left REAR sensor, if anyone needs one. $40.00 plus shipping. I will keep them as stock.
Cheers, Roy

Is that RIGHT sensor for FRONT or REAR???...I kinda lost track in your story....If FRONT, I might need that front right ABS sensor if the one I just bought from a salvage yard isn't good.....should know today.
Just curious...is it out of a VX or Trooper?

[newthings]

I have a right REAR and a left REAR sensor only. These are Trooper parts.
Roy

[CowboyErik]

I bought my VX in 2007, ABS light has always been on, my ABS has never worked; never pulled the code, you can't pull those codes with a regular engine code reader right? need a different machine, strange; but never worried about it, brakes have worked great and I don't drive the car in the winter, I put it away, for preservation purposes

[zadam123]

i am looking for the drivers side sensor. Where did you get yours and do you know a part number?

thanks
adam

[RabidPony]

Trick is to rub some anitseize on the sensor before installing it. Then you won't have a problem getting them out next time.

[Buffy]

Trick is to rub some anitseize on the sensor before installing it. Then you won't have a problem getting them out next time.

I coated mine with antisieze but before I installed the sensor I took my dremel and lightly opened the hole which makes future removal MUCH easier.

[newthings]

The killer is buying sensors from a scrap yard from and old Trooper. If the scrapper tries to get out the sensor, he may kill it. My scrapper gave up and just sent the whole hub. I got 4 fronts and one came out alive. The rubber body fuses to the hub steel. Right and left are the same. Only the metal wire guide is different. You can swap yourself. Two fronts, Right and left, should cost about $50.00.
I don't know why the mechs kill the sensor with axle removal, but mine did it, also.
Roy

[zadam123]

The killer is buying sensors from a scrap yard from and old Trooper. Roy

what year and make trooper?
my mechanic is looking for a hub also he said that they usually take off the sensor so he is trying to find the whole thing?

[newthings]

1998-2002 Isuzu Trooper 4X4
1998-1999 Honda/Acura SLX 4X4
Vehicross 1999-2001

[atilla_the_fun]

You can visualize the code by shorting some pins on the obdII so that it displays the code on the dash by blinking the ABS light! Check the workshop manual and the electrical manual here on the site.

[rsteinmetz70112]

I suspect that the mechanics apply liberal use of the BFH to get the axles loose.