Is your ABS light on?

[8000Shelf]

My wife likes my abs light if you know what I mean.

 

[trickpony1]

Breaks----time spent not doing your job.

Brakes-----equipment to stop your vehicle.

tack----something you use on a bulletin board.

tact----something Dave doesn't have.

Fun with synonyms.

 

[BostonBo]

"Parts on order. Ok for service". Famous last words.

 

[AKCoverMan]

Depends on what sort of PC you have. The Workhorse PC's with the W43 chassis are plagued with a bogus fault light. It's what I call the "retarder fault". The light is on, but the ABS still works. The system is adaptive when it detects a load on a certain pin, it "learns". So when I the system detects a load on an engine retarder pin (which it does not have) it thinks has one and throws a light when it doesn't see it there. Haven't found a cure for this one yet.

That's easy for you to say! It's all Greek to me. Which is why I am so glad I am a professional driver and you are a professional mechanic!

I get it that the light on may much more likely mean something is wrong with the warning light system not the actual braking system. But I'm can't be sure. So I mark this on DVIRs every time I drive one of these cars with the cronic ABS light and/or "Check ABS Syytem!" warning. I mean heck it's got an exclamation point right there on the warning. It must be bad!

All kidding aside my thought is what if this car is involved in a fatality accident and an investigation finds there was a bake issue that contributed that we might have prevented if we wrote up the warning light.

Seems like there should be a way to correct the issue, I doubt the light was designed to always be on.

 

[AKCoverMan]

I also see a lot of cars with "Engine Oil Level Low" when it isn't, and "Change Engine Oil Soon" warnings.

Check engine lights on seem common as well.

I write them all up as I am usually in a different car every day so I usually never see the responses. I suppose our mechanics hate me.

 

[trickpony1]

All kidding aside my thought is what if this car is involved in a fatality accident and an investigation finds there was a bake issue that contributed that we might have prevented if we wrote up the warning light.

Watch how quick the DVIR book disappears if there is a fatality wreck.

 

[UPSGUY72]

No it isn't if you know how to drive. ABS brake are relatively new they only been around for about 20 years. Before that people didn't have a problem as they actually new how to drive instead of relying on technology to do it for them....

Breaks----time spent not doing your job.

Brakes-----equipment to stop your vehicle.

Thanks I knew that I wasn't paying attention. Was using my phone that uses auto complete...

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Watch how quick the DVIR book disappears if there is a fatality wreck.

There is a chain of custody on those books.

 

[Gear]

99.9% of all ABS lights on are a result of a rusted tone wheel on the rotor. This is a problem on all medium duty trucks, not just UPS trucks. Ford, GMC, International, Hino, Dump trucks, wreckers, service trucks, its all Meritor brakes. Your rotor has small grooves cut around the inside surface, the wheel speed sensor picks up the grooves. Basically the groves rust and fall apart. So your 52 grove teeth, turns into 51 and so on. The sensor sees this, and kicks the code which turns the ABS light on. Your brakes and rotor will be fine, its just the rusting of the teeth. The repair is, replacing the rotors, but they will just rust out and happen again.

Dont believe me? Mechanic saying thats not true? Take a flash light and look for yourself. Go the front inner side of your rear axle, look through the 1" hole and you will see the grooves. They will be either clean cuts or a rusted mess.

 

[Dracula]

Having ABS breaks isn't going to prevent you from getting into an accident if they are triggered either. Following Space and Visibility rules works better then relying on some mechanical mechanism to possibly keep you safe or get you out of a jam. ABS break are a good thing. However they can't always fix the situation that triggered them so people need to not count on them working to start and start driving smarter.

Who says you shouldn't follow S&V rules? Nobody said ABS brakes were going to prevent an accident. They are an excellent addition to driving safe. They can do what we can't. But to ignore a broken system makes no sense.

 

[UPSGUY72]

Who says you shouldn't follow S&V rules? Nobody said ABS brakes were going to prevent an accident. They are an excellent addition to driving safe. They can do what we can't. But to ignore a broken system makes no sense.

Abs brake also cause accident as when non experienced drivers feel the feed back some panic...

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

That's easy for you to say! It's all Greek to me. Which is why I am so glad I am a professional driver and you are a professional mechanic!

I get it that the light on may much more likely mean something is wrong with the warning light system not the actual braking system. But I'm can't be sure. So I mark this on DVIRs every time I drive one of these cars with the cronic ABS light and/or "Check ABS Syytem!" warning. I mean heck it's got an exclamation point right there on the warning. It must be bad!

All kidding aside my thought is what if this car is involved in a fatality accident and an investigation finds there was a bake issue that contributed that we might have prevented if we wrote up the warning light.

Seems like there should be a way to correct the issue, I doubt the light was designed to always be on.

You would think so. I'm at a new center and we just now got our own diagnostic laptop after nearly a year of me asking, complaining and being generally "insubordinate". No training or assistance is being given by mgt to help us deal with these sort of nagging problems.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

I also see a lot of cars with "Engine Oil Level Low" when it isn't, and "Change Engine Oil Soon" warnings.

Check engine lights on seem common as well.

I write them all up as I am usually in a different car every day so I usually never see the responses. I suppose our mechanics hate me.

You can make the change oil warning go away by yourself by simply turning the ignition on and pressing the accelerator up and down 3 times then key off.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

You can make the change oil warning go away by yourself by simply turning the ignition on and pressing the accelerator up and down 3 times then key off.

Press the key fob to energize the starter, press the gas 3 times and then turn it off?

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

Just power up, pedal 3 times and off.

 

[UPSmechanicinblue]

We were told by an Iowa DOT officer that it an illuminated ABS light is a DOT violation.

This is new to me- Feeder package? where told ABS light on is a non DOT issue- plus all ABS problems with package cars are logged in telematics. Thanks

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

There's nothing about ABS on the PMI form, shaded or otherwise.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

This is new to me- Feeder package? where told ABS light on is a non DOT issue- plus all ABS problems with package cars are logged in telematics. Thanks

Provided the OBDII is linked to it with the connector harness. Lots of my Workhorses don't have that hooked up. Telematics kit did not include it.

 

[UPSmechanicinblue]

Provided the OBDII is linked to it with the connector harness.

are these watched at the hubs by mechanics maybe? never seen any info on the feeders at my center, just the package cars

 

[UPSmechanicinblue]

Watch how quick the DVIR book disappears if there is a fatality wreck.

This is very true- they pull it and send it off to the UPS legal team along with 1 year of the vehicles maintenance history.