Hi all,

Sons 1.25 zetec is booked in for MOT and the ABS light has come on this morning (which will be an instant fail😡). No previous issues or illumination until this morning, anyone got any ideas where to start looking? (It's only the ABS light that's on, not the brake warning light as well)

I had this light come on a couple of weeks back. Was amber not red though. Only thing that shown up on my dashboard was the cars mileage, nothing else, anything else was literally just small lines and read blank, the speedometer wouldn't work and the handbrake light was permanently on. Called out the breakdown recovery guys to come and scan the engine code for me, diagnosed at ABS related, either a damaged or dirty sensor or the ABS module itself. They couldn't turn the engine light code off though as it kept coming back on when he did, until the problem had been fixed and it had been into a garage. Before taking it to the garage i went the scrap yard and picked up an ABS module for £30 as i was told they are quite expensive new or your own refurbished. Turned out to be the ABS module as the issue and was luckily fixed.

ABS module or dirty sensors behind the wheel id suggest going off my past experience.

He's now had it plugged into Halfords diagnostic (he works there P/T) and they reckon it's the 'ABS pump'.......sounds expensive😕

Pretty much!! Was told around the £200 mark new or could get your module rebuilt if it was possible via http://www.ecutesting.com/catalogue/ford_eculist.html?category=4047&model=486 or they have the ABS module/pumps or just the pump on ebay already taken out of the car if you can find the right one...

My part was £30 from the scrap yard and £40 to fit in the local garage so a huge saving, hopefully its the same for yourself if its the same as my issue...

Was told its part numbered and it had to be the exact part number for it to work in your car, like for like swap, only thing is you need to get the part out first to see the code, which may i add is a nightmare when getting it out of the scrap car as you have to remove the battery, the battery casing, a wiring loom,and unbolt it from underneath.  The part number issue may just be for the ABS module part though, not sure about the ABS pump. I didnt check for part numbers, just took a punt and hope it worked, so it must have been a dodgy ABS pump for myself as i dont think the ABS module would have worked without being reprogrammed again. 

Glad you have it diagnosed, good luck! 

The ABS module and pump are part of the same unit and not really practical to change one without the other. I'd suggest finding out the exact code rather than an interpretation of it before deciding what to do next. 

Get an obd2 scanner. Will pay for itself after the first use.

1 hour ago, Luke4efc said:

Get an obd2 scanner. Will pay for itself after the first use.

Halfords have read the error code and confirmed it's the ABS pump so confident that's the issue. Is it a matter of plug and play or does the the ABS module have to be programmed to the car?

Well, son got in car this morning, started up......no ABS light on. Booked in for retest and passed no problem this afternoon. 

He said he changed blown fuse yesterday (which I assumed had blown because of pump motor) but light stayed on. 

Strange one and I've told him to be alert to ABS working (which it is). 

Get the code next time - it can save all this guesswork and uncertainty over what the actual problem is.  

11 hours ago, MJNewton said:

Get the code next time - it can save all this guesswork and uncertainty over what the actual problem is.  

Hi, Halfords got the code when they plugged it into their diagnostic kit and it identified the ABS pump. 

I meant *you* get the code... ;-) 

1 hour ago, BR36 said:

Hi, Halfords got the code when they plugged it into their diagnostic kit and it identified the ABS pump. 

Grab a OBD2 connector for a few quid and you can check codes yourself next time.  

Letting halfords check codes is asking for your wallet to take a hammering if you're unlucky in who serves you. I'm not going to say all halfords mechanics are bad, but being a huge chain with an emphasis on volume... 

...and with an OBD reader you might also be able to get Forscan to trigger some in-depth tests of the ABS system to see if there are any problems lurking. Chances are there are as fuses tend not to blow without reason.

9 minutes ago, jbell said:

Grab a OBD2 connector for a few quid and you can check codes yourself next time.  

Letting halfords check codes is asking for your wallet to take a hammering if you're unlucky in who serves you. I'm not going to say all halfords mechanics are bad, but being a huge chain with an emphasis on volume... 

I wouldn't normally go there but son works there P/T so they plugged it in FOC for him. He has actually got the code, I'll see what it was😉