Any ABS brake experts?

[trooperdan]

My wife has a 1999 Chevy Silverado 1500. The ABS light and the brake warning light are on and the shop told her she needs an ABS pump ($900) and some other part that is $700! I don't think these parts are available except at the dealer or does anyone know of a way to locate these parts from a salvage yard, a modern, computer based search instead of calling yard after yard?

Second question is how difficult is it to work on SBS systems? I've overhauled many old disk and drum brake systems but never even looked at an ABS setup!

[redneckdan]

Its definitely not fun, though with a scanner and a code book you should be able to ascertain exactly which parts need to be replaced.

[David R]

9 times in 10, its a wheel sensor in front.

First try to take out the sensor, clean around the mounting hole and put it back in. On those trucks, the rust builds up and pushes the sensor away from the reluctor and the signal goes away.

I really doubt it needs an ABS unit, I have only replaced a couple in my life. One had shorted wiring which was obvous.

I would pay some one to hook up a scanner and show you the codes. Then check data from the sensors and make sure all are giving a signal.

Low brake fluid can also make those lights come on.

Lemeknow how it works out.

The shop is prollyfullasht.

David

[rmb721]

Mine was a front wheel sensor. Take it to a Chevy dealership and have them hook to a hand held tester. It only takes a few minutes. If it is something expensive and you don't fix it, you just don't have the anti-lock feature. You will just have regular brakes like older vehicles.

[David R]

Just a few more thoughts. If a pump is $900.00, I can't think of any other part that would be $700.00 on the whole brake system.

A leaky wheel cylinder, line, or other things could cause an imbalance in the service brake system that would trip the ABS light.

Two wheel or four wheel drive?

David

[Slowpoke]

Also check the third brake light if it has one, I have seen some GM autos that the the ABS warning light would come on when that bulb was burnt out.

good luck

[twoworms]

Unhook the gound to your battery for 30 seconds or so, this will reset the CPU, sometimes this clears the alarm. If it comes back on take it to someone else and have it looked at.

Tim

[357maximum]

I thought that abs alarm came on after 70,000 miles, no matter what....I have had several chevy trucks that did it, and alot of people I know have the same issues, I have never seen it hurt a damn thing, and the sensors that control the bad noises when at full breaking still make their noises and everything seems to work. My mechanic buddy ran it on his mobile puter...looked at me and said run it, and forget it, they all do it...

.Just bought a new 4 door last july, and am now nearing 20,00 miles...only 50K more to go.:-D till i get the famouse chevy dash mounted nightlite...

[Lee]

What they said..... I had a $380 ABS "motor" go on mine. Looked like a miniature starter motor attached to the power unit. The alternative??? I stuffed a piece of black electrical tape over the idiot light. Stuff their $380 ABS motor. Didn't much like the thing, wasn't much impressed with it when it did work. (And mine went out WELL below 70,000 miles)...................................Lee:)

[waksupi]

I'm another user of black tape over the light. The one on my Ford came on last summer, so I had the brakes inspected, and replaced a few parts. Light is still on.

I also have some tape over the high beams indicator. For those who drive in the dark, did you know if you turn down the level of your dash lights, to less than what is being projected by your headlights, you can see the road and ditches much better? Most professional truck drivers know this, but apparently few regular drivers.

[MT Gianni]

I use a athletic tape that is white almost opaque [sp?]. You can see that the high beam is on but it doesn't shout at ya. Gianni.

[GP100man]

trooperdan

ive worked at a gmc dealership for 17yrs. until last april when disc in my back threw me in the floor.
if its a new body style the module will constantly run the pump untill it gives up,if driving your wife probably didnt hear it.
its bad when theres no fail safes to save an exspensive part such as an abs pump
ive always voiced this to reps when ever i could

on the old body style theres no way to tell until you get the new module on so you actully run the pump.& i let customers know this before starting.

most of the time when you have a failure your describing the modules will not communicate with scan tools.

GP

the modules arent too bad to change,but the hydraulics are hard to bleed out most of the time.

[trooperdan]

Thanks for all the replies guys! GP100man, I think the shop told her she needed a pump and a control module, to the tune of $1,600! She told them to skip it then they called saying they had found some "experienced" parts for only $450.

She told me the "rest of the story" later; a few months ago the ABS light first came on, she had it checked and the pump was running constantly. She had the shop disconnect the pump somehow, not sure she mentioned that to the current shop!

She is getting ready to tow her horse and trailer 700 miles to Florida so she wanted it right before she hit the road. I respect this shop and I think they are straight up. She also wanted the A/C checked, expecting to be told she needed a new compressor but they told her all she needed was a new belt!

[GP100man]

if the pump was disconnected it is probably ok ,450 is good on the module since its a hi sought after part.
ask them to seal the module good when they replce it ,because you cant get a new seal from any supplier, a little silicon should suffice

if the belt was broken & gone hard to tell if comp. is ok or not
nothing to do except to try it &hook up gages & listen for noises.

good luck with the up comming trip!!
trust means everything IN everthing.

GP

:castmine: