2.2 VTi ABS Fault

chrisprelude22vti · Post by **chrisprelude22vti** » Mon Jan 18, 2016 10:42 pm

Hi guys, I've had my 1997 R-reg 2.2 VTi Auto for 8 months now and it's a great car, but there's one thing that's been bugging me ever since I bought it. The ABS light is on and I can't get rid of it.
The guy I bought it off told me it was 'only a sensor' (which I suspected at the time was BS), and as these older cars don't have the OBD diagnostic socket, it's not something every garage can easily look into.
So, I took it to my local Honda main dealer, who told me the ABS Pump was knackered and to get one off them would be £1,200 (£500 more than I paid for the car - so no chance there!). I bought a second hand pump off ebay for £60, and my mechanic (a proper guy who's been in the job since before my time and who I'd trust with any car) fitted it, with no success - ABS light still on. So, I go back to Honda, who then tell me it may be a wiring issue or an ECU fault. I once again leave them to look at it, to be told they had found a broken wire, fixed it but the light came back on on the test drive.
By this point I was ready for giving up, however straight after driving away from the dealer after they had dealt with this alleged broken wire, the light would occasionally go out (stay on at start up, go out not long into a journey, and stay out until the car was switched off and left for any period of time). This carried on for a few weeks, but now it's back to being on permanently. The MOT is due next month, and whilst I do have a friendly MOT tester, I'd much rather the car was legit, I am a perfectionist and it would really make this car for me if I could get rid of that damn light without spending ridiculous amounts of money on it, or taking the bulb out.
So my question is does anyone on here know anything about this or have experienced it before and can help me in any way?
Sorry for the long winded description of the fault, but I thought it best to cover it from every angle.
Thanks in advance, Chris.

Post by **Vtecmec** » Mon Jan 18, 2016 11:34 pm

The abs has it own diagnostic built in, check the wiki for how to. It will give you a code, ask here once you know it.

mercutio · Post by **mercutio** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 6:03 pm

is the abs light the only one that comes on?

have you pulled the codes i dont hear any codes being pulled in any of your story

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 6:42 pm

Hi, as above, it's incredibly easy to pull fault codes on a prelude. No specialist diagnostic equipment is needed, just this:

chrisprelude22vti · Post by **chrisprelude22vti** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 8:30 pm

My 4WS light came on a few months ago and I did that with the connector using a paperclip. It reset the 4WS light no problem, but when I tried doing the same thing for the ABS, it did turn the light off but then it came back on as soon as I set off driving.
How do I find out the codes? Does the light flash a certain number of times per code or something?

Post by **indigolemon** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 9:20 pm

It does indeed. Long flash = 10, short flash = 1. Total them up and you get the error code. It repeats them all in a loop so you can easily double check you've got the right code.

mercutio · Post by **mercutio** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 9:44 pm

look in the wiki lude section buddy

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 11:12 pm

Or in the service manual (link to download it is in wiki somewhere too).

And just to note that the service connector doesn't reset 4ws or ABS faults - its only function is to display the fault codes.
EDIT: according to the wiki it can also be used to reset, in conjunction with some foot pedal shenanigans?

Didn't know/not sure on that... I'll have to consult the manual to check!

It's easier just to pull the fuse though, so why bother with that palava?!

Post by **Vtecmec** » Wed Jan 20, 2016 3:49 pm

But don't forget to turn the steering wheel full lock to lock after resetting before you set off.

vtijon · Post by **vtijon** » Wed Jan 20, 2016 5:34 pm

On the 5g you can clear the ABS codes by pushing brake pedal whilst service connector shorted and before switching ignition on. However if fault is still there light will be back on. Not sure about removing fuse to clear because I changed my ABS ECU to one from a scrapped car and that contained faults from the scrapper.