Our ABS light, anti-skid light, and engine light are on. The light came on when 3 year old son hit it. It just never went off. Dealership hooked it up to diagnostics and said we needed to spend almost 500 on a new ABS system. ALSO, at the same time, the car now sounds like its working very hard to accelerate. The rpm’s go up, but there is no additional power. Is this connected to the ABS problem, or is this a transmission problem? Took it to a mechanic and he didn’t check the transmission. After talking to him, he said it could be the transmission. He didn’t offer to look at it. I don’t think he felt confident in working on it. HELP!!!
Assuming you have an auto trans, the second symptom does indeed sound like it could be a transmission problem. You need a transmission shop to diagnose it. Modern day transmissions are just too complicated for anyone other than a specialist. Make sure whichever shop you choose has the Jeep specific scan tool. Ask your current shop which is the best transmission shop in town; i.e. the one he’d take his own car to.
If the dash ABS light came on immediately after your son accidentally – I presume – hit it, then it might just be a dash-console problem. If it turns out you have an actual ABS problem, from the comments here, the main source of ABS problems seems to be faulty wheel sensors. To properly diagnose ABS problems its best – just like the transmission comment above – that the shop have the Jeep specific scan tool.
Thank you so much George San Jose!! Yeah, the ABS light came on after he hit it. The dealership said it was just a coincidence that the ABS went out right as my son hit the light. I HIGHLY doubt that it’s a coincidence. I can’t help it…very leary of dealerships after having been lied to and scammed by a couple of them. Thanks again!
My son hit the button on purpose. After all…he is a 3 year old boy! 
I didn’t know that shops other than the dealer would have Jeep specific scan tools.
Ask around. If you live in an urban area I expect there are some inde shops which have the proper diagnostic equipment. Besides your own mechanic, ask friends/co-workers who own Jeeps. With this type of problem you want to avoid shops who try to fix the problem by guessing the culprit and making a replacement. This used to work with older cars, but w/newer cars you can easily run out of money before the cause of the problem is even discovered.
Hit what button??
Your vehicle has a CVT which is rather different from a regular automatic transmission. Not all shops will be able to help with it. However, get the other issues fixed first. The “C\heck Engine” light may actually be indicative of a problem with the powertrain control module, which controls the transmission. Did the shop scan for these codes?
"Dealership hooked it up to diagnostics and said we needed to spend almost 500 on a new ABS system."
No disrespect meant, but this comment suggests to me that there is miscommunication between the shop and yourself. Not uncommon, but misleading. Jargon can do that. Can you tell us exactly what was written on the shop order?
I can tell you that the lack of power and the ABS light are unrelated. I’m tempted to suggest finding an independent shop, but I’ll withhold any opinions of the shop until I know exactly what’s on the shop order.
NYBo- My son hit the anti-skid(?) button. From that moment on…the ABS AND the anti-skid lights came on. Now that the mechanic has looked at it, the engine light is on! The first mechanic we took it to said the system didn’t give him any codes for the transmission. I don’t know what that means. That’s just what he said.
the same mountainbike-I’ll have to find the order.
The mechanic we took it to AFTER the dealership said the diagnostic system said the voltage to the ABS system was bad. However, he hooked it up and said it had 12 volts, and that’s the most it can have. He didn’t know what to do. Our regular mechanic was on vacation, so we took it to another guy we know.
“My son hit the anti-skid(?) button.”
Usually, this button would be to turn the traction control/anti-skid OFF in case you’re stuck in snow and want to spin the tires, or (again in snow) you don’t want the ABS to work. Check your Owner’s Manual.
I would take it to Autozone ot Advance and get them to scan it. If we knew the codes it might point us in a better direction. The codes may be on your dealer receipt. He may have read the voltage at the battery instead of the ABS computer. Also, when checking voltage, you need to check the ground the computer is using. Check the fuse for the ABS. It may not be the problem but I can’t tell you how many times it’s just that easy.
I’ll say this about fuses. The mechanic we took it to said he saw a fuse was out. He changed it, but said it wasn’t labeled, so he had no idea what it was for. Even though that fuse was changed, the ABS, traction control are still on.
Get the codes read and we can help you much better. If you know which fuse he replaced, it will show a pic of what it’s for in the owner’s manual.
Okay, so your son hit the traction control button. Could he have hit it hard enough to damage it? That would be the place to start.
the same mountainbike- The order from the dealership simply says: Needs new ABS system. Then it give the part number. That’s it.
Did you try Googling the part number? Worth a try anyway.
The comment makes no sense. The mechanic failed to properly describe his findings. The part number might help.
The ABS “system” consists of a wheel speed sensor on every wheel, a “toner ring” at every wheel that the sensor takes its signal from by sensing the "ring"s segments as they pass by, a microchip that determines whether the four signals from the wheels indicate that a wheel has stopped turning, and a “modulator” that has in it four different solenoid-actuated valves that each has the ability to interfere with and pulsate the hydraulic line to the specific wheel that the computer has determined isn’t turning. It’s impossible for a car to need an entire “ABS system” and there’d be a list of part numbers.
Re: the fuse question, no, it is NOT normal for a mechanic to not know what a particular fuse is for. In addition to the owner’s manual, which any mechanic would know to pull out if in doubt, any professional shop will subscribe to a vehicle repair database which provides immediate access to the detailed schematics and diagrams of all common cars. Any professional shop should definitely not be stumped by something that basic.
Get the codes read and a second opinion. Something isn’t right with this guy, as a whole ABS system would be way way more than $500.
the same mountainbike- I couldn’t agree with you more! The diagnosis seems vague. I guess they are simply relying on what their diagnostic system is telling them-nothing more?
Y’all have NO idea how helpful you are!! The dealership is the first place I took the car. They are the ones who simply put it needed a new ABS system with one part number. Cost-500.00. They also put on the receipt that “customer REQUESTED 23 point check.” I just asked them to turn off my ABS and anti-skid light. (which came on at the exact same time my son hit the anti-skid button)
They also charged me 40.00 to run the diagnostic system that I didn’t ask for. I didn’t go in with any way to pay them, so asked them to mail me a bill. They ended up saying they didn’t charge-goodwill.
My husband is not a mechanic for these newer vehicles. That’s not his area, so I’ve been trying to handle this without him. He decided we’d take it to person #2. This is a local mechanic. He’s the one who changed a fuse, but couldn’t figure out the problem. That was a 40.00 charge.
Next step for me: I’m calling Advance Auto Parts and Auto Zone to ask if the have a Jeep diagnostic system and if they have it, what is the cost for hooking it up and checking. Husband wants to take it to our normal mechanic who is back from vacation tomorrow. If the guy doesn’t have a Jeep diagnostic system, I fear we would be blowing more money. Any more opinions on this?
Your experiences with the dealership are, sadly, not uncommon. And the “23 point check” comment is typical of the type of stunt dealerships pull to try to generate revenue with unrequested/unauthorized work. I agree with your conclusion regarding dealerships.
Re: the downloading of fault codes via the diagnostic system; some places will do it for free. Others charge a nominal fee. It varies by area and by store.
Give hubby’s guy a chance. Marital harmony is important too.
Many fuse boxes are not labled. Checking all the fuses with a test light and replacing a bad one is ok, looking it up to see what it was is important. It is possible the fuse is blown again, if so that may indicate a fault source. The light is off for traction control I assume, it may well be a broken switch, how hard did he hit it? rubber mallet in the area of the switch is worth a shot in case the light only senses switch position, and not actual state. Does an indicator light come on when you push the button? Another possibility is it is on but the bulb is out.