Friend of mine has a '93 Ford Ranger that he'd given to his dad to drive, i t came back with a laundry list of issues to be fixed, and I've been pickin g away at them. So far the only ones I haven't addressed are the loud and leaky PS pump, the horrible NVH from the ancient tires, and finally one tha t he wasn't even aware of and I discovered when I pulled the IP to replace all the dash bulbs (the high beam indicator was burned out, which would hav e been a safety inspection failure) - there's an ABS code and the ABS is di sabled (as I found out when test driving the vehicle in the usual moronic D C-land traffic.)
I found these page
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and located the diag connector, grounded it, and read a code 12. According to that page, that code means "Loss Of Hydraulic Fluid During Anti-lock St op" - well that makes perfect sense as sometime within the past year the re ar hose blew out (possibly during hard braking? I wasn't driving it at the time) and I ended up replacing both it and all three hard lines connected to it, as they were too rusty to save. So theoretically if there are no ot her faults, I should be able to reset the code and have working ABS again. Unfortunately the only information I can find on *resetting* the codes is to turn the ignition off with the diagnostic connector unplugged. I've tri ed it both with and without the black/orange wire disconnected and the code persists. When turning the key on, the ABS light comes on for a bulb chec k, goes out for a couple seconds, and then comes right back on without even starting the engine or moving the vehicle. I can only assume that either the code chart that I found is incorrect, or that the code reset procedure that I found is incorrect.
Or is that page incorrect and the last flash shouldn't be counted, in which case I'm reading a code 11 instead? That would imply a brake switch stuck closed; however if it's the same circuit as the brake lamps (that is, not a double pole switch, or a separate switch from the brake lamps) then that' s not the problem either as the brake lamps work normally.
Disconnecting the battery does nothing, as I have had it disconnected for d ays while working on it as one of the jobs to be done was replacing the eng ine and transmission mounts; the passenger side one is way too close to the starter to do that job without disconnecting the battery.
To be fair, this truck is a rolling pile of shit, but a running, reasonably safe rolling pile of shit is better than a driveway ornament, immobile pil e of shit. And I like my friend's dad, I'd feel better if he had working A BS, especially on a nose-heavy vehicle like a pickup truck.
it came back with a laundry list of issues to be fixed, and I've been pick ing away at them. So far the only ones I haven't addressed are the loud an d leaky PS pump, the horrible NVH from the ancient tires, and finally one t hat he wasn't even aware of and I discovered when I pulled the IP to replac e all the dash bulbs (the high beam indicator was burned out, which would h ave been a safety inspection failure) - there's an ABS code and the ABS is disabled (as I found out when test driving the vehicle in the usual moronic DC-land traffic.)
ng to that page, that code means "Loss Of Hydraulic Fluid During Anti-lock Stop" - well that makes perfect sense as sometime within the past year the rear hose blew out (possibly during hard braking? I wasn't driving it at t he time) and I ended up replacing both it and all three hard lines connecte d to it, as they were too rusty to save. So theoretically if there are no other faults, I should be able to reset the code and have working ABS again . Unfortunately the only information I can find on *resetting* the codes i s to turn the ignition off with the diagnostic connector unplugged. I've t ried it both with and without the black/orange wire disconnected and the co de persists. When turning the key on, the ABS light comes on for a bulb ch eck, goes out for a couple seconds, and then comes right back on without ev en starting the engine or moving the vehicle. I can only assume that eithe r the code chart that I found is incorrect, or that the code reset procedur e that I found is incorrect.
ch case I'm reading a code 11 instead? That would imply a brake switch stu ck closed; however if it's the same circuit as the brake lamps (that is, no t a double pole switch, or a separate switch from the brake lamps) then tha t's not the problem either as the brake lamps work normally.
days while working on it as one of the jobs to be done was replacing the e ngine and transmission mounts; the passenger side one is way too close to t he starter to do that job without disconnecting the battery.
ly safe rolling pile of shit is better than a driveway ornament, immobile p ile of shit. And I like my friend's dad, I'd feel better if he had working ABS, especially on a nose-heavy vehicle like a pickup truck.
Never mind, as per usual seems like asking for help immediately precedes a "eureka" moment... anyway a little more googling on Code 12 in particular l ed me to the knowledge that that code does NOT mean what one would think th at it means, that is, that the differential pressure switch tripped during a braking event. Apparently all that it means is that the master cylinder fluid level switch is reporting that the fluid level in the MC is low. *sh rug* makes sense to someone I guess.
Anyway, I googled a little more and found what wires to jumper together to fool the system into thinking that the fluid level was OK (the two that are n't black, in case someone else finds this thread and has the same problem) boom, no more ABS light. Took it for a spin around the block, no slidey s lidey. Came back, popped the top of the MC, stuck my finger in there and j iggled the float a couple times, reconnected the wires properly, still no c ode. Apparently it was just a stuck float switch...?
Now why the fluid level sensor triggers an ABS light and not a red base bra ke light, that seems (expletive deleted) stupid to me, but it is a Ford aft er all.
Because the ABS pump probably requires a minimum amount of fluid to operate without causing a problem while a leak would be detected by the old fashioned switch between the front and rear.
ve, it came back with a laundry list of issues to be fixed, and I've been p icking away at them. So far the only ones I haven't addressed are the loud and leaky PS pump, the horrible NVH from the ancient tires, and finally on e that he wasn't even aware of and I discovered when I pulled the IP to rep lace all the dash bulbs (the high beam indicator was burned out, which woul d have been a safety inspection failure) - there's an ABS code and the ABS is disabled (as I found out when test driving the vehicle in the usual moro nic DC-land traffic.)
rding to that page, that code means "Loss Of Hydraulic Fluid During Anti-lo ck Stop" - well that makes perfect sense as sometime within the past year t he rear hose blew out (possibly during hard braking? I wasn't driving it a t the time) and I ended up replacing both it and all three hard lines conne cted to it, as they were too rusty to save. So theoretically if there are no other faults, I should be able to reset the code and have working ABS ag ain. Unfortunately the only information I can find on *resetting* the code s is to turn the ignition off with the diagnostic connector unplugged. I'v e tried it both with and without the black/orange wire disconnected and the code persists. When turning the key on, the ABS light comes on for a bulb check, goes out for a couple seconds, and then comes right back on without even starting the engine or moving the vehicle. I can only assume that ei ther the code chart that I found is incorrect, or that the code reset proce dure that I found is incorrect.
which case I'm reading a code 11 instead? That would imply a brake switch stuck closed; however if it's the same circuit as the brake lamps (that is, not a double pole switch, or a separate switch from the brake lamps) then that's not the problem either as the brake lamps work normally.
for days while working on it as one of the jobs to be done was replacing th e engine and transmission mounts; the passenger side one is way too close t o the starter to do that job without disconnecting the battery.
nably safe rolling pile of shit is better than a driveway ornament, immobil e pile of shit. And I like my friend's dad, I'd feel better if he had work ing ABS, especially on a nose-heavy vehicle like a pickup truck.
s a "eureka" moment... anyway a little more googling on Code 12 in particul ar led me to the knowledge that that code does NOT mean what one would thin k that it means, that is, that the differential pressure switch tripped dur ing a braking event. Apparently all that it means is that the master cylin der fluid level switch is reporting that the fluid level in the MC is low. *shrug* makes sense to someone I guess.
to fool the system into thinking that the fluid level was OK (the two that aren't black, in case someone else finds this thread and has the same prob lem) boom, no more ABS light. Took it for a spin around the block, no slid ey slidey. Came back, popped the top of the MC, stuck my finger in there a nd jiggled the float a couple times, reconnected the wires properly, still no code. Apparently it was just a stuck float switch...?
brake light, that seems (expletive deleted) stupid to me, but it is a Ford after all.
I guess I could see that, but traditionally if there is a level sensor it's tied to the red light so I would assume that it would cause either a red l ight or the red brake and amber ABS lights to come on together... not the A BS light alone. Whatever, it's "fixed" now. Ready to hand back unless the y want the tires and PS pump fixed. Just ordered new springs for the Heep today so it's not a moment too soon, between actually working as a pro wren ch (frustratingly, in a shop in MD - a state with no annual safety inspecti on - with a rather less than affluent clientele, so I don't actually get to *fix* anything, just do a lot of oil changes it seems. I used to think sa feties were an unnecessary PITA but I'm revising my opinion based on the co mplete lack of self preservation instinct that I'm seeing on the part of th e average vehicle owner...) for the last month and everything around me bre aking, I've about had my fill of working on cars for the rest of my life.
After having brakes fail on a couple of vehicles, a wheel come off [1], a tire tread separate completely from the sidewalls, and a anti-roll bar bracket break and the bar impale the tire sidewall, I feel rather blasé about mechanical failures on cars.
I must be riding motos too much, since even near misses do not bother me much, other than people who tailgate - they deserve this treatment: .
[1] Pot metal wheel on a relative's Renault R5 had the holes enlarge enough that the wheel came off *over* the lug nuts.
pinion based on the complete lack of self preservation instinct that I'm se eing on the part of the average vehicle owner...) for the last month and ev erything around me breaking, I've about had my fill of working on cars for the rest of my life.
While it's true that situational awareness and experience can get you out o f a lot of bad situations with minimal damage, I prefer not to count on tha t... my point was that I too have experienced mechanical failures... the l atest was the brakes on the Heep. I'd visually inspected them literally a week or less before they went out and saw nothing wrong. I'm guessing what happened was that one piston was stuck in each of the rear wheel cylinders , so at some point when I braked hard one of them freed up and started suck ing in air around a now damaged seal. In any case, replacing the wheel cyl inders (and shoes, hardware, hoses, and drums, since I was in there) restor ed proper braking.
The lesson from this, I guess, is when inspecting old, questionable drum br akes, have a helper gently press the brake pedal slightly with the drum off to move the shoes off the anchor pin, then "shake" the shoes slightly side to side to make sure that both pistons are free in the WC bore. I didn't do this because I was working by myself, and I did in fact peel back the bo ots and inspect for leakage and saw none at that time. Live and learn.
The *point* is, that if a vehicle can have a failure after passing a recent visual inspection, how crappy must the vehicles drive where I can just loo k underneath and immediately identify several problems that I'd consider to require immediate correction? (loose ball joints/tie rod ends/bushings, w orn out wheel bearings, leaking brake components, etc.) But people will ap pear completely unconcerned about these issues and usually respond with "Th anks for letting me know, I'll come back another day" which seems to usuall y be code for "I'm just not going to bother fixing it, the car still moves under its own power."
Thank you so much for the tip on this the 2 that were not black i just remo ved from connector and taped them togeather and grounded the black one to t he frame of the truck and no more abs.... oh yeahhhh.... thank you so much. ... haha haha.... i love it..... stupid switch must be bad....
Thanks again for this info.... i love the internet when people give great a dvice....
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