I recently purchased a '92 Plymouth Grand Voyager with Bendix 10 ABS. This system was SO bad (didn’t do my research first) that Chrysler has a LIFETIME warranty on the actuator piston seals and on the pump.
So here’s my problem. When the brakes are applied any more than the lightest touch the yellow “Anti Lock” and red “!Brake” lights flash on the dash then go right out. Also, EVERY time the brakes are pressed the pump runs. Otherwise the pump does NOT run, the brakes work fine, and even after sitting for hours the pump only runs for a second or two to pressurize the system.
I’ve taken it to two dealerships now suspecting the actuator piston seals and both have told me I have a bad accumulator (NOT covered under the warranty) – that it won’t hold pressure and that’s why the lights come on.
Now, I don’t get it. The accumulator is a steel ball with a diaphragm and a 1000 PSI nitrogen charge in it… How could this go bad enough to set those lights off, but still be good enough to operate the braking system effectively? Wouldn’t it either be good and hold pressure or be bad and the pump would never shut off? Am I missing something or are they?
Did you ever get any response? I have the SAME issue and wondered what’s the best thing to do. I can’t send it to the junkyard…I just bought it and sunk $1000 into it to fix the brakes and such. It’s a good car for my daughter and kids…except that I am dealing with this problem and won’t turn it over to her until it’s totally corrected. My local mechanic was stumped! HELP…