Hello! I have been having troubles with my ABS kicking on at low (5-15mph), and sometimes relatively high speeds (40-50mph). The sensor will kick on, and make a buzzing/grinding sound when I engage the brakes, and even sometimes fight me and push back so I am unable to stop, even on dry pavement. This has ultimately caused me to almost get into multiple severe accidents. I have already tried replacing the ABS sensors and brakes on my car, but nothing has helped this situation.
I am a broke college student trying to get by with what I have for right now, so I’m not willing to put 500 dollars into replacing the ABS module because I am buying a new car in a few months and this one is going to the scrap yard due to other safety issues. I have driven other vehicles before that don’t have an ABS, so I am not concerned with not having it in this one.
The GM ABS design for those years really stinks. I have gone through innumerable issues with low speed activation and by that I mean less than 5 mph and the ABS kicks in because one or two wheel speed sensor output dropped out before the others.
Rust jacking of the WSS is a common cause of dropout. In my experimenting even a thousandth of an inch is enough to cause a problem. So make sure the caliper interface and sensor flange are clean and the caliper down to bare metal. Another issue I have found is grease on the tone ring. Look down into the sensor hole and rotate the hub. Remove any grease or other foreign matter on the tone ring.
When I get this annoying activation, I just turn the wheel so that one WSS connector is easily accessible. Disconnect it and the ABS is disabled. You’ll get a Service Stabilitrak message on the DIC, if equipped, and the ABS and Traction Control indicators will be illuminated. But the low speed ABS problem will be inhibited…
you’re not going to like this, but if this vehicle has numerous safety concerns, get rid of it now- not in a “few months.” Your safety (and that of the others on the road,) is worth it.
The only other safety concern in this vehicle is that the frame is beginning to rust out. It’s still drivable, but definitely not safe enough to sell to another person after I’m done with it. I can still drive the car until June, just gotta be careful with bumps!