I’m having issues with my 2002 model. The ABS activates with no rhyme or reason some saydiscintect and it works the old fashion way
Some say figure out what the problem is and fix it. It can be as simple as dirt in the sensor, a bad wire or a bad sensor. ABS is a great safety feature and you never know when you might need to count on it. What kind of car, mileage, maintenence history. How about some more details on the symptoms.
You have 2 posts for this, keep it on one post so all the information is in one location.
Try a local independent mechanic instead of the dealer. I always cringe when I hear ‘there is no code’ or ‘the code does not tell me what the problem is’. A good mechanic will use the codes as a guide, but not rely on it exclusively.
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Vehicle well kept. Always stayed with all necessary mileage maintenance. Vehicle had just over 100,000 new brakes new tires Toyota inspected said battery was problem replaced same… same issue about a mike away. Now the day need to replace computer but to do so requires taking who front seat out (bench) so they can get to computer cost $1,000+ but would not give me a 100% guarantee it would fix it but most likely. One mechanic said do it yourself would be cheaper.
A little proofreading please, your post is not clear. Still don’t know what vehicle is so the really good mechanics here can help you.
What model? What brand?
If you don’t want to fix it, pull one of the several ABS/VSC fuses. Both will stop working. You will default to manual brakes. If that is OK with you, go for it.
2002 Toyota Avalon 100000 Miles all maintenance done on time. Suddenly the VSC activates on its own. Interstate or suburb car brakes aggressively and speed drops about 30mph.
Toyota can’t figure it out. They reset all codes none of which are part of the problem.
They now suggest to pull the bench seat to get to the computer and replace same $$$$$
I have read where some disconnect the ABS and drive old school
Any thoughts.
Do that.
Or pay Toyota to fix it unless you have some diagnostic skills of your own. Driving while a mechanic is reading the data from the car to see what triggers the VSC event may be your only option.
I had a similar problem I’m thinking was a weak battery issue. I’ve yet to prove that one way or another but a new battery seems to have fixed the problem.But my car has electric power steering that is a big power hog. My VSC issues came when the steering was drawing a rather large amount of power and the VSC got “stupid”.
Make sure your shop verifies all the wheel speed sensors are working flawlessly and the brake system fluid is replaced and bled before doing anything drastic like replacing the ABS computer. They should be able to put the car on a lift and rotate each tire by hand and verify each wheel speed sensor is producing a robust, healthy signal.
Ok thanks I’m due for a rotation soon
I would not spend the money to fix this when the dealer is saying that it probably would fix it but they can’t guarantee it. It means they have not done a proper diagnosis but think it is the computer because they can’t think of anything else it could be.
Twice in my life I have had mechanics tell me " it must be the computer because I have tried everything else". Neither time was it the computer.
If a mechanic wants to replace the computer in my car he had better be saying “my diagnostic tree says that if I have voltage XXX at pin XXX but have no output at pin YYY the computer must be replaced” or something to that effect.
Of course I am the guy who bought a particular 2004 car because it didn’t come with ABS
Most people think it is an important safety feature. I am one of the small minority that don’t.
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I agree with oldtimer on this
Many of the bad modules I’ve replaced were damaged due to outside influences . . . somebody was careless and destroyed it with static electricity, water damage, physical damage, and so on
Only a few were bad due to no outside influence or factor(s)
It sure sounds like the mechanics have not yet performed a competent and complete diagnosis
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