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ABS light came on when i was driving home.

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Old 01-21-2008 | 07:09 PM
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From: DFW TEXAS BABY!
ABS light came on when i was driving home.

Ok, i was on my way home today when all of the sudden my ABS light came on out of nowhere.

I have been driving the truck without any changes for the last 6 months so it is not due to any modding/repairs.

Only thing differnt today and normals day is that it was wet out and i engaued 4wd drive due to my junk, dry rotted tires not able to get traction otherwise.

I turned the truck off and restarted and the light was off for a min or so then came back on, it does this everytime.

I tried the brakes (it is slick out) and sure enough the ABS is not working.

Any ideas? I know that you can pull some info with the digagnose thingomojig under the hood but don't know how. Anyone got a link?
Old 01-21-2008 | 10:28 PM
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i know its kind of stupid but have you checked if your brake fluid is full
Old 01-21-2008 | 10:32 PM
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Originally Posted by chad99
i know its kind of stupid but have you checked if your brake fluid is full
x2. Cus mine went away after i filled the master cylinder back up.
Old 01-22-2008 | 07:41 AM
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From: DFW TEXAS BABY!
Originally Posted by chad99
i know its kind of stupid but have you checked if your brake fluid is full
Originally Posted by Jdizzydub
x2. Cus mine went away after i filled the master cylinder back up.
I was actually thinking the same thing although i checked all the fluids just before christmas. Was just too dang cold out to do it yesterday though. I will get out there today and check it.
Old 01-22-2008 | 08:56 AM
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if not the fluid, then try pull the ABS sensors at the axles and clean them.
Old 01-23-2008 | 07:00 PM
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From: DFW TEXAS BABY!
Ok, did some more testing and am even more confused.

The fluid was not the problem, was still pently high. Didn't even add any.

BUT i found some other wierd stuff. I found that if i turned the truck off and back on the light would stay off for a second then come on. I also found that when driving around during the day yesterday it never came on well when it got late and i turned on my headlights all of the sudden the ABS light comes on.

Well i mess with it some more and sure enough if i leave my lights off the ABS stays off. Seems to only come on when the lights are on, and the ABS is really not working when it is on but is working when the light is off.

Then today i was driving and it didn't come on, it got dark and i needed my lights and i got ready for the ABS light. And low and behold it didn't come on at all. I could not make it come on. Only differnce was that it was wet out the other day, could that have something to do with it?

I am lost now, any ideas?
Old 01-23-2008 | 07:08 PM
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maybe some insulation is missing off the wire?
Old 01-23-2008 | 07:21 PM
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From: DFW TEXAS BABY!
Originally Posted by 86toysr5
maybe some insulation is missing off the wire?
Might be but what wire and where?? That is the question. And i have driven in the rain lot of times and never had this problem. I just don't have a clue what caused it. but i want to know!
Old 01-23-2008 | 07:40 PM
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Check and see if its leaking anywhere. Also check and see your emergency brake is ALL THE WAY IN! If its none of that then check to see if all your brake pistions are operating properly. You can try and bleed the brakes they may need it.
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Old 01-23-2008 | 08:00 PM
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it's probably scared of your 5000 lights and reverse hood scoop... haha just kidding.

if you have random lights coming on (like your batt light and such), you might want to get your alternator tested. if it's going out it does funny things like that.
Old 01-23-2008 | 08:33 PM
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From: DFW TEXAS BABY!
Originally Posted by Kiroshu
Check and see if its leaking anywhere. Also check and see your emergency brake is ALL THE WAY IN! If its none of that then check to see if all your brake pistions are operating properly. You can try and bleed the brakes they may need it.
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I might try that although i won't be doing anything real deep until it warms up, i have had more then enough working on cars in the cold, i will pass if i can...lol

Originally Posted by isaac338
it's probably scared of your 5000 lights and reverse hood scoop... haha just kidding.

if you have random lights coming on (like your batt light and such), you might want to get your alternator tested. if it's going out it does funny things like that.
LOL, no it just feels left out and want to come on for no reason not realizing that it will drive me nuts until i figure it out!

But my alternator could use some help i know that although i have never had another light come on. i plan to get a high amp one later this year.
Old 06-30-2008 | 01:18 PM
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From: DFW TEXAS BABY!
Ok, a bumo for an old thread with the resurface of the old problem.

I am now pretty much 100% sure it is a short that water is causing. Last time it did it was in the rain, this time it did it after getting it washed.

So any ideas on where/how this short may be?
Old 06-30-2008 | 05:39 PM
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get the code

you can make the light blink out a code telling you what the dealio is

for real, no joke
Old 06-30-2008 | 06:22 PM
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From: DFW TEXAS BABY!
Originally Posted by BigBallsMcFalls
get the code

you can make the light blink out a code telling you what the dealio is

for real, no joke
Good idea/point, i need to do that.
Old 06-30-2008 | 06:31 PM
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same dang thing happened to me after taking my truck to a car-wash/detail shop...i assume a sensor got wet from them cleaning underneath my truck, because a few miles down them road when things dried out, off went the light...
Old 06-30-2008 | 07:09 PM
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From: DFW TEXAS BABY!
Originally Posted by mikes19984x4
same dang thing happened to me after taking my truck to a car-wash/detail shop...i assume a sensor got wet from them cleaning underneath my truck, because a few miles down them road when things dried out, off went the light...
Yeah, i figure mine will be the same tomorrw, as that is what happend to it last time. At least i know i am not alone.
Old 07-24-2015 | 01:14 PM
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my 2000 ABS light came on today in the rain.


Any resolution to this?
Old 07-25-2015 | 05:00 AM
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From: I live in New Tripoli Pa out in the woods
Red face

I think in the time since the last post the problem is not really important any longer.

Did a sensor get wet ??

I never had ABS brakes
Old 07-25-2015 | 04:42 PM
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if there's something wrong with the alternator, the abs warning light comes up. i read that somewhere in the FSM.

of course the light also comes up if there's something wrong with the brakes as well, excluding low brake fluid. if the brake fluid reservoir is low, the parking brake warning light comes up.

Originally Posted by IDM
my 2000 ABS light came on today in the rain.


Any resolution to this?
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