Could this be an ABS sensor issue?

[12ga diesel]

Couple days ago I had the "Brake System Warning" and "ABS Warning" lights come on after about 10 miles of driving. The first time they came on, they lit up for about 5 miles or so then went off. Then came back on. When I got back into the truck, both warning lights were off and stayed off for about 10 miles. Then came back on. This time for good, even after turning the truck off and then back on. At low speed (under 20-25mph) it feels like I'm dragging the brakes. At higher speeds, once I let off of the accelerator, speed decelerates very rapid. Took it into the dealer today and set up to have them look at it first thing tomorrow. Talking to a buddy of mine who had some simmilar issues with his Dodge van a year or so ago said that it was an ABS sensor in his case. Any ideas?

 

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Yes it could be. It could also be the ground connection for the EBCM, and it could be the EBCM and/or pump. Get it scanned (Tech II) and hopefully it will tell you for sure, and I think it will even tell you which speed sensor to change....if that's the problem.

Before getting it scanned do this:
Check the ground. The ground connection is right underneath the front of the driver's side door under the truck. You will see two wires attached to a bolt on a frame brace (the brace is perpendicullar to the main frame). Looking from back to front of truck you will see the corrigated plastic conduit coming through the main frame and the two wires branch off of this harness. Remove the bolt, clean the bolt of rust (wire brush), wire eyelets, and the frame where it attaches, and then reconnnect wires. You will be real lucky if this is the culprit. I currently have this same issue, had it scanned and the dealer tech told me that the EBCM was not communicating with the scanner. Their diagnosis was to replace both the EBCM and the pump...cost....$2300....yikes!!

Anyways, cleaning that ground connection may help with the scan process and get better results. Post what you find out.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

There was a guy that advertised on Ebay and would rebuild your ECBM for a couple hundred dollars. I had to replace the unit on my 99 1/2 ton and was lucky enough to find a new unused one at the salvage yard. The hardest part of the repair is getting the torx drive screws out of the unit so you can lift it off the pump. The pump unit can be loosened and pulled down for a little more clearance.

 

[Heartbeat Hauler]

There was a guy that advertised on Ebay and would rebuild your ECBM for a couple hundred dollars. I had to replace the unit on my 99 1/2 ton and was lucky enough to find a new unused one at the salvage yard. The hardest part of the repair is getting the torx drive screws out of the unit so you can lift it off the pump. The pump unit can be loosened and pulled down for a little more clearance.

Did you have to take it to the dealer to have the unit bled after install?

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

The pump wasnt bad on mine, just the electronic module that sits on top of it. If its just the module there isnt any need to disconnect the lines or bleed the system. The module can be removed from the pump and the truck still driven as long at its covered after you remove the module and no dirt or water gets in it. I am assuming that the Dodge setup is similar to mine, not sure though.

 

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Couple days ago I had the "Brake System Warning" and "ABS Warning" lights come on after about 10 miles of driving. The first time they came on, they lit up for about 5 miles or so then went off. Then came back on. When I got back into the truck, both warning lights were off and stayed off for about 10 miles. Then came back on. This time for good, even after turning the truck off and then back on. At low speed (under 20-25mph) it feels like I'm dragging the brakes. At higher speeds, once I let off of the accelerator, speed decelerates very rapid. Took it into the dealer today and set up to have them look at it first thing tomorrow. Talking to a buddy of mine who had some simmilar issues with his Dodge van a year or so ago said that it was an ABS sensor in his case. Any ideas?

Yes it could be. It could also be the ground connection for the EBCM, and it could be the EBCM and/or pump. Get it scanned (Tech II) and hopefully it will tell you for sure, and I think it will even tell you which speed sensor to change....if that's the problem.

Before getting it scanned do this:
Check the ground. The ground connection is right underneath the front of the driver's side door under the truck. You will see two wires attached to a bolt on a frame brace (the brace is perpendicullar to the main frame). Looking from back to front of truck you will see the corrigated plastic conduit coming through the main frame and the two wires branch off of this harness. Remove the bolt, clean the bolt of rust (wire brush), wire eyelets, and the frame where it attaches, and then reconnnect wires. You will be real lucky if this is the culprit. I currently have this same issue, had it scanned and the dealer tech told me that the EBCM was not communicating with the scanner. Their diagnosis was to replace both the EBCM and the pump...cost....$2300....yikes!!

Anyways, cleaning that ground connection may help with the scan process and get better results. Post what you find out.

The pump wasnt bad on mine, just the electronic module that sits on top of it. If its just the module there isnt any need to disconnect the lines or bleed the system. The module can be removed from the pump and the truck still driven as long at its covered after you remove the module and no dirt or water gets in it. I am assuming that the Dodge setup is similar to mine, not sure though.

Oh Crap!!! Sorry 12Guage, I didn't realize you had a Dodge Ram....at: I usually read the sigs but I just ASSUMED and well...ya know. However, it still holds true that your ABS issue could be from a speed sensor or a bad ground, but I am less sure about the ground.

 

[12ga diesel]

UPDATE
Took the truck in on Friday morning to the dealership here in town to have it looked over and see what the problem was. It ended up being an ABS sensor like I had assummed. But on top of that, the front left hub was "completly shot" so that needed to be replaced at the same time. At times, since the warning lights had came on, if I was making a low speed right hand turn, say from a stop sign for example, I could hear this knocking sound for lack of a better term. As soon as I straightened out the wheel, it went away. That was the hub needed to be replaced. They also told me that the right front U-joint was loose. I had those replaced last summer at another dealership that has done all my warranty work. They have only about 19k miles on them and I have new U-joints all around, and the only one that looked bad they said was the front right. So I need to make a call to them on Monday morning and get this taken care off.

Oh Crap!!! Sorry 12Guage, I didn't realize you had a Dodge Ram....at: I usually read the sigs but I just ASSUMED and well...ya know. However, it still holds true that your ABS issue could be from a speed sensor or a bad ground, but I am less sure about the ground.

No worries Jeff. Who knows, I'm sure sooner or later I'll be back in a Dmax... I miss my '06 all the time. I kick myself :cuss: all the time for trading that in for the LMM. Sold it with about 99k on it and I would have had about 160k miles now if I still had it.