ABS Warning Light !

[Scout66]

I have a 2007 Octavia. On Sunday the ABS warning light came on. After a quick google search, panic set in as the thought of a £1100 - £1300 bill for a new control unit did not impress me at all !!

I phoned my Skoda dealer who informed me it would cost £93 just to run the diagnostic test, to tell us what's wrong.

SHOCKING!!!!! £93 for a 5 min scan. No chance.

I thought ...... what is there in the ABS system I can actually do anything about??? I took the wheel sensors out one by one and cleaned them (they were covered in gunk) and did a test drive in between wheels to see which if any made any difference. The sensors are held in place by 1 allen screw, they are a bit stiff to come out but with a little gentle leverage and patience they do pop out.

It wasn't until after I'd done the rear left (last one) and the warning lights went out. Excellent!!!

I then went to see a friend with VCDS capability and sure enough - after a "5 min" scan it confirmed the ABS fault was the rear left sensor. Happy now.

I only wrote this post so that anyone in a similar position might be able to do the same (depending on the fault). Obviously if in doubt - go to the garage. This time I have saved myself at least £93. Big thanks to Chris for his help aswell.

Good luck and safe driving

[Bev.Elliott]

This happened to me two years ago. I referred to The Sunday Post. Raw Deal desk who persuaded Skoda to pay in full for ther repair. £1350.00p

[Tech1e]

Take it to the dealer. If its a G201 fault and you have a full dealer history they normally pay on good will for you.

[abarth_1200]

This sounds like the problem i have with my vrs, i however have 3 yellow lights ABS ESP and the tyre pressure indicator. Garage is going to get back to me regarding exact cause but they have said that i need a new bearing, did your light come on and off while driving or was it constant on?

Thanks for putting your findings up here

[Harry_vRS]

Have this on mine which happened as of Wednesday. Scanned with VCDS and it is saying wheel angle sensor mechanical failure.

[PyROm]

Ive just had this a few days ago, both abs+asr lights came on (dont have tyre pressure check fitted) and stayed on for rest of journey, turning car off and on again reset it and it was good for another 200 miles before occuring again. I had it diagnosed and first it showed up as an intermittant fault with my rear left abs sensor, then 5 mins out the garage the lights came on again. Took it back and now it was reading an intermittant fault on the rear right abs sensor. On investigation I was told that the rear right wheel bearing had died and had thrown metal against the abs sensor, and on the wheel bearing was on its way out on the other side as well. The car does now drive quieter after having both rear bearings replaced, however they werent making the noise I have come to recognise as faulty bearings, it just sounded like loud road noise that I had just assuming was tyre noise.

[abarth_1200]

I have just been quoted £391 to have my rear offside bearing and sensor replaced, this has benn the diagnosis of my ABS ESP and tyre indicator.

Is this an easy job, OP do you think its worth having a look at the sensor before forking over my money

[vannus]

This sounds like the problem i have with my vrs, i however have 3 yellow lights ABS ESP and the tyre pressure indicator. Garage is going to get back to me regarding exact cause but they have said that i need a new bearing, did your light come on and off while driving or was it constant on?

Thanks for putting your findings up here

Had exactly the same symtoms on my vrs turned out it was an abs ring and wheel bearing failure was repaired under warranty.

[abarth_1200]

How old was your car when it went, i ask because the garage told me wheel bearings fall under wear and tear but im out with warranty anyway

[andyvee]

Mine has just hit 155K and both rear wheel bearings are getting replaced this weekend. Started to get noisy like the rear wheels are out of alignment (which they aren't) this week. No play in the bearings at all and it passed the MoT last week! The noise started 3 days later. It comes in about 30mph and disappears about 70ish.

These are the original bearings!

[vannus]

How old was your car when it went, i ask because the garage told me wheel bearings fall under wear and tear but im out with warranty anyway

Car was only 10 months old was nearside rear that went. It failed in april.

[andyvee]

Well, both rear bearings replaced today. One was very slightly noisy, the other gritty and close to seizing.

Quiet as anything on the motorway now.

[Scout66]

This sounds like the problem i have with my vrs, i however have 3 yellow lights ABS ESP and the tyre pressure indicator. Garage is going to get back to me regarding exact cause but they have said that i need a new bearing, did your light come on and off while driving or was it constant on?

Thanks for putting your findings up here

My lights came on with the ignition but then went out until i started driving. As soon as it realised it wasn't getting the right signal from the wheel sensor (10mph or over) the lights came on.

the sensors are really easy to change. They can be a bugger to get out but if you are replacing them, it doesn't matter if you break it on the way out. Give the hole a clean up, whack some copper slip on the new one (to stop it seizing in future) and then pop it in. Job done. I ordered a new sensor from ebay for £15.99 instead of paying 60 odd quid at the dealers.

with the age of my car now and looking at other quotes I might have to look at changing the wheel bearings. Anyone any tips??

[andyvee]

Yep - get a very long breaker bar (and a scaffold pole) for undoing the retaining nut for the hub/bearings - they are in very tight!

[SubZero]

First of all high to everyone on the forum

Quick question, does the ABS light need to be reset manually when the bearing and ABS sensor have been replaced, or should it go out automatically?

It was coming on intermittently before, diagnosed as OSR sensor. So a new sensor from TPS went in. But still same problem. The OSR bearing was then replaced with one from GSF, but thought I'll give the old sensor a go in case that had been replaced unnecessarily.

Now the ABS and Traction light are both permanently on. The new sensor will be going back on again now (was worth a try!) but will this sort out the warning lights?

Thanks

[SubZero]

Update: ABS warning light will reset itself when a faulty sensor is replaced, without the need of a diagnostic/reset tool

Looks like the bearing was faulty too, as replacing both the sensor and the bearing finally cured the fault.

Edited 23 November, 2012 by SubZero