Hello!

Just purchased a 1995 Honda Accord w/67kmi original on it. The car is
beautiful, runs great...but I seem to be running into the '1990's Honda
ABS issue' that Ive read so much about.

When I first start the car, the ABS is off. However, after about 20-30
minutes of highway driving, it will come on. If I cycle the ignition
while driving, it will stay off for another 20 - 30 minutes or so and
then come on again.

Id like to be able to check the diagnostics light to see what code this
unit is sending out, but for all the pages Ive read there isnt a clear
description on how to do it.

-Where is the ABS diagnostics socket located?
-What is the procedure to check the error codes? (Ive heard of
jumpering pins and checking a flashing light - which pins and which
light??)

There was supposedly a tech2tech.com document on this, but that page is
no longer active.

Ive read about the plugs leaking on the pump/modulator assembly, and
there is a documented procedure for tightening them. Anyone have a
link to this?

If this is the ABS pump unit, I see that they are $1000+ new.
Thankfully, Ive found a place that sells them used & tested for about
$175 a unit:

www.discoveryautoparts.com

At least I can just the ABS down and brake as normal, but Id
really like all the features on the car to work!!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Chris

 

woops I meant SHUT the ABS down...

 

woops I meant SHUT the ABS down...

 

I checked a couple more things today:

When I first start the car, the ABS pump runs for ~10 seconds and shuts
down. It sounds healthy to me (like a small air compressor).

I had filled the ABS resevoir with fluid, and after 260 miles of
driving it was down to halfway between MIN and MAX.

I dont hear the pump running when the ABS light kicks on, all I hear is
a slight 'click' comming from the passenger side kick panel (Im
assuming the ECU is there).

I dont see any signs of leakage around the pump/modulator unit.

Perhaps I just need to bleed the system? I think its the place to start
anyway, after I get the fault codes off the ECU.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

 

I checked a couple more things today:

When I first start the car, the ABS pump runs for ~10 seconds and shuts
down. It sounds healthy to me (like a small air compressor).

I had filled the ABS resevoir with fluid, and after 260 miles of
driving it was down to halfway between MIN and MAX.

I dont hear the pump running when the ABS light kicks on, all I hear is
a slight 'click' comming from the passenger side kick panel (Im
assuming the ECU is there).

I dont see any signs of leakage around the pump/modulator unit.

Perhaps I just need to bleed the system? I think its the place to start
anyway, after I get the fault codes off the ECU.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Awake1077 wrote:
> I checked a couple more things today:
>
> When I first start the car, the ABS pump runs for ~10 seconds and shuts
> down. It sounds healthy to me (like a small air compressor).
>
> I had filled the ABS resevoir with fluid, and after 260 miles of
> driving it was down to halfway between MIN and MAX.
>
> I dont hear the pump running when the ABS light kicks on, all I hear is
> a slight 'click' comming from the passenger side kick panel (Im
> assuming the ECU is there).
>
> I dont see any signs of leakage around the pump/modulator unit.
>
> Perhaps I just need to bleed the system? I think its the place to start
> anyway, after I get the fault codes off the ECU.
>
> Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!
>

----------------------------

If there's grease / dirt / crud on the tone rings, you'll get ABS light
only after vehicle starts moving. Clean them carefully. Odyclub has lots
of posts . . same system.

'Curly'

 

Awake1077 wrote:
> I checked a couple more things today:
>
> When I first start the car, the ABS pump runs for ~10 seconds and shuts
> down. It sounds healthy to me (like a small air compressor).
>
> I had filled the ABS resevoir with fluid, and after 260 miles of
> driving it was down to halfway between MIN and MAX.
>
> I dont hear the pump running when the ABS light kicks on, all I hear is
> a slight 'click' comming from the passenger side kick panel (Im
> assuming the ECU is there).
>
> I dont see any signs of leakage around the pump/modulator unit.
>
> Perhaps I just need to bleed the system? I think its the place to start
> anyway, after I get the fault codes off the ECU.
>
> Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!
>

----------------------------

If there's grease / dirt / crud on the tone rings, you'll get ABS light
only after vehicle starts moving. Clean them carefully. Odyclub has lots
of posts . . same system.

'Curly'

 

Thanks for the reply Curly. What's a tone ring? I just find in
peculiar that the ABS light seems to come on at nearly the exact time,
every time. It dosent seem to be pressure related, when I cycle the
ignition it will stay off for the same amount of time...

 

Thanks for the reply Curly. What's a tone ring? I just find in
peculiar that the ABS light seems to come on at nearly the exact time,
every time. It dosent seem to be pressure related, when I cycle the
ignition it will stay off for the same amount of time...

 

Awake1077 wrote:
> Thanks for the reply Curly. What's a tone ring? I just find in
> peculiar that the ABS light seems to come on at nearly the exact time,
> every time. It dosent seem to be pressure related, when I cycle the
> ignition it will stay off for the same amount of time...
>

---------------------------

Tone ring is a generic term for the ribbed steel ring on the wheel hubs
that generates the AC signal that the ABS computer uses to figure out
how fast each wheel is spinning. You need to determine if your ABS light
stays off if the vehicle doesn't move. Start it, sit on driveway. Simple

'curly'

 

Awake1077 wrote:
> Thanks for the reply Curly. What's a tone ring? I just find in
> peculiar that the ABS light seems to come on at nearly the exact time,
> every time. It dosent seem to be pressure related, when I cycle the
> ignition it will stay off for the same amount of time...
>

---------------------------

Tone ring is a generic term for the ribbed steel ring on the wheel hubs
that generates the AC signal that the ABS computer uses to figure out
how fast each wheel is spinning. You need to determine if your ABS light
stays off if the vehicle doesn't move. Start it, sit on driveway. Simple

'curly'

 

Thanks for the info, Ill check that tonight and post back with my
findings.

 

Thanks for the info, Ill check that tonight and post back with my
findings.

 

OK, so when I got home I let her run and, within the same 20minute time
span, the ABS light kicked on. The car did not move at all.

I opened the hood so I could listen for the ABS pump, and every few
minutes it would run for about 2 seconds.

Im kind of confused! If this were a pressure issue, wouldnt the pump
run for at least 30-45 seconds?

Thanks,
Chris

 

OK, so when I got home I let her run and, within the same 20minute time
span, the ABS light kicked on. The car did not move at all.

I opened the hood so I could listen for the ABS pump, and every few
minutes it would run for about 2 seconds.

Im kind of confused! If this were a pressure issue, wouldnt the pump
run for at least 30-45 seconds?

Thanks,
Chris