ABS light on only during L/H turns (THANKS)

[Guest]

I friend of mine has this 88 with brake failure, She had the local Buick dealer give her a est. on fixing the car. She was charged $214 for this est. They tole her she needed to replace everything ($3,000 Plus labor) I looked at the car and hit your site for advise. After reading many posts it was looking like a accumulator, I replaced it today. The system now works normally. The ABS light stayed off for a 20 mile trip until I made a L/H turn. The light sometimes goes right out, after the turn. Any sugestions? I bought a repair book on e-bay, but it has not yet arrived. <p>[This message has been edited by toms916 (edited 08-16-2000).]

[Guest wally888]

Be careful! When the light is on,speed up to 50-60 or 70 and push brake pedal as if an emergency stop,hold it down unless you start skidding .If anti lock is working you will stop in a straight line and feel AND hear the anti lock working as it applies and lets off pressure to brakes.A chattering many times a second.<BR> If anti lock don't work there is a problem at wheel sensors(they can be easily cleaned) or MAYBE EBCM in trunk or???<BR> If they work you may have a bad Main Relay.<BR>(hood open facing car you will see 3 relays on a bracket on the firewall just to left of accumulator.Main is one on right,press.sensor in middle,fuel pump on left)Gently pull down and maybe a little forward and relays will seperate from bracket)<P>Ck. for dirty connections after holding locking clip down and removing plug HARD PULL-may have to use sml. screwdriver to pry on opposite sides to seperate.<BR> Below are results I got when I had a bad main Relay:<BR> Switch the main and press.sensor relays,start car and see if yellow light is on or if both lights are on,both mine were so I bought one at Advanced Auto Parts,$8, threw to one that was Main Relay away_all is fixed.<BR> Note: After switching relays and after 1st start up-no lights were on-then I shut eng. off restarted,pump built up pressure and both lights stayed on so I assumed I had put a bad relay in Pressure Sensor and it didn't report pressure correctly to turn out lights.<BR>Since replacing relay lights function normally. Now we have one member w/ yellow light on when outside temp. is high and another only in left hand turns.

[Guest]

I replaced the brake pads this weekend, the rear pads were the original set. Not bad for 96,000 miles. I also cleaned the ABS sensors, they were all dirty. I drove the car, and the ABS light stayed off for the entire trip. I thought it was fixed. The second trip it came back on after another turn, and went right back off. I gave the car back to my friend, cautioning her about posible problems, and told her I will trouble-shoot it further in a week or so.

[Guest]

Tom, the reason the rear pads were in good shape at 96k is most likely because the rear calipers are frozen. Happens alot on these cars according to my buddy(30 year GM mechanic). He "broke" mine loose somehow and charged me an hours labor. To check this, set the parking brake, it should be set on the second pump, when my calioers were frozen, it took five or six pumps to det the brake......Dan