If your ABS light is switched on and you are certain there are no mechanical problems that caused it to do so, it is very possible that your ABS sensor is dirty and needs to be cleaned. Thankfully, cleaning your ABS sensor is very easy. You won’t have to drive your vehicle to a mechanic either. You can clean it yourself by simply following these easy instructions.
First, you will need to gather the tools and supplies you will need for this job. Things you need include a ratchet and socket set, a jack, jack stands, a soft towel, a bristly brush, and a repair manual.
If you don’t already have a repair manual for your vehicle, you might want to obtain one. A repair manual is important for cleaning an ABS sensor because it may be difficult to locate the sensor without one. There are many different companies who publish vehicle repair manuals. You should be able to find one for the exact make and model of your vehicle.
Once you have everything you need, you should locate the tire where the ABS sensor is located. The sensor will be located behind this tire. Now retrieve your ratchet and use it to unfasten the lug nuts of that tire. Make sure they are loosened a good deal. However, do not take them all the way off.
Once you have done this, take your jack and place it under the vehicle’s front end. Use the jack to elevate the vehicle. Next, take your jack stands. Place them under your car and then use the jack to lower the vehicle down onto the stands.
Always use jack stands whenever you are working under your vehicle. If you do not use them, you run the risk of a fatal accident occurring. After you place your vehicle onto the jack stands, make sure to double check to make sure the car is safely supported.
Once the car has been safely elevated, you can now take your ratchet and completely remove the lug-nuts from the tire. Once the lug-nuts have been taken off, you can remove the tire. Set it aside for now.
Now open your car door and put your hands on your steering wheel. Turn the wheel all the way in the opposite direction from the side of the car you are working with. If you are working on the passenger’s side, turn the wheel all the way to the driver’s side. If you are working on the driver’s side, simply do the opposite.
The next step is to locate the ABS sensor so you can clean it. The sensor should be located somewhere behind the wheel you removed the tire from. Once you find it, you will notice that a number of bolts fasten the sensor to the suspension. Take your ratchet and carefully remove each of these bolts. Removing them will probably free your ABS sensor so it can be removed.
However, there may be more bolts you need to remove that are not connected to the suspension. There may be bolts, for example, that must be removed before you can pull out the sensor to a place where you can clean it. If there are bolts like that restricting the sensor, do not simply try to yank the sensor out. You could damage it. Instead, remove these bolts as well.
After you have removed all the bolts you need to, free the sensor. It is now time to clean it. Get your towel. Onto the towel add some water to make it damp. Use this damp towel to clean any dirt off of the sensor.
If the sensor is really dirty, you can also use the bristly brush to clean it off. However, only use a brush with relatively soft bristles so it does not damage the sensor. If you need to, you may also want to add soap to the water to help with the cleaning. However, don’t use any cleaning solutions that contain chemicals. These can damage the sensor.
Once you are finished cleaning the sensor, simply put it back in place, refasten the bolts, refasten your tire, and lower your car back down to the ground. You should now be finished.