ABS light coming on.

[DaoChuan]

Anyone have any ideas on why the ABS light would be coming on? It only comes on maybe once a week. When the car is turned off and back on the light is off. The car is a 2000 NB GLS.

Thanks

[Tom Servo]

It has something to do the braking system that it will not make your beetle tip over or slide all over. Do you have a button below your radio where the warning light is, and heated seats if any are. maybe you should check to she if that is on. but when I got my beetle I noticed if I take corner to fast that it would come on then go off. I'm not a whole lot sure, I would look in your manual that came with your car and read that and it should tell you what it does but for coming on all the time there might be a code error or something. I would try that. That little manual that comes with the beetle does come in useful ways of knowing what gauges are what.

Tom Servo

[Porkchop]

Originally Posted by DaoChuan

Anyone have any ideas on why the ABS light would be coming on? It only comes on maybe once a week. When the car is turned off and back on the light is off. The car is a 2000 NB GLS.

Thanks

Same problem and same year. Pull the two right green fuses on top of the battery and be sure they aren't melted. I keep meaning to pull the code(s). I'll post again when I get around to it... got to study for a test this weekend.

[beetleguy]

I had the same intermittant problem with the ABS light. In about 6 months, it went on a total of 3 times. When I would restart the car, it would go off. Finally, July 2005, a few days before going on vacation with the NB, the light went on and never went off. I took it to the dealer (I have a CPO warranty), and they determined that it was the ABS pump. As soon as I left the dealership, the light went on again. I turned back around to let them know. This time they said it was the ABS Computer. Problem Solved!

[Porkchop]

Originally Posted by Porkchop

Same problem and same year. Pull the two right green fuses on top of the battery and be sure they aren't melted. I keep meaning to pull the code(s). I'll post again when I get around to it... got to study for a test this weekend.

Mine is throwing a code for the left wheel speed sensor. Going to try cleaning it. Since its basically just a magnet, it may have a bunch of crap built up on it that is causing it not to read sometimes.

Thank goodness yours was covered under warranty... how "shot-in-the-dark" is it for the dealership to replace the pump when it was actually the ABS computer.. heck, I can just randomly replace parts until I get it right.

[John Koch]

This sporadic lighting up of the ABS warning light can mean your module is bad, or a portion of the module has failed. It could also mean that a short in the electrical portion of this system has formed. The only exact way to diagnose this type problem is to have VW service do a VAG-COM scan and this scan will direct the tech. to the exact problem and the correct repair. It could be as simple as a loose wheel speed sensor or a dirty one. If you have followed VW's 24 month brake fluid bleed that replaces the old fluid with brand new every 2 years, then your ABS valving and pump, ect. should be OK. If you have not changed the brake fluid, than rust or corrosion,ect can form in the very complex ABS valve system and pump and possible the brake calipers. If anyone has replaced low brake fluid in the reservoir with anything other than DOT 4 fluid, this could really cause trouble. Any one of these conditions could lead to an ABS warning light.
Good Luck, JK

[Tom Servo]

So the Abs have to do something with the brakes? the only time my light comes on is when i take a corner to fast and it blinks. but that is rare. So if it starts staying on then is that when the brakes need to be check or what is the story on that? I thought they were to help you from tipping and turning corners to fast or something like that. I don't know, I'm still learning I find new things to find that I could use.

Tom Servo

[Porkchop]

Originally Posted by Tom Servo

So the Abs have to do something with the brakes? the only time my light comes on is when i take a corner to fast and it blinks. but that is rare. So if it starts staying on then is that when the brakes need to be check or what is the story on that? I thought they were to help you from tipping and turning corners to fast or something like that. I don't know, I'm still learning I find new things to find that I could use.

Tom Servo

ABS = Anti-lock Brake System. There is a magnet sensor on each wheel. If a wheel starts to lock up when braking hard, a solenoid releases pressure on that wheel and lets it roll so you don't slide. Since each wheel works independently and since braking is reapplied as soon as the wheel is not locked anymore, it allows you to brake hard in slick conditions without losing control.

Incidentally, I still haven't gotten around to cleaning the sensor that mine is giving a code for.