Volvo 850 1997 non-turbo

The ABS light is always on. ABS only works occasionally in the winter.

Also, the Check Engine light is on all the time because of scan test P0440 and P0455, evaporative leak codes.

Does any one have any ideas on how to fix the ABS easily?

We have replaced the gas cap but still have the evaporative codes. Any idea how to fix that?

Going to Volvo to fix your ABS brakes will likely have them recommend the ABS computer control unit (their standard solution to all ABS problems) at something in excess of $1,000.

Can you live without ABS? I’d recommend a complete brake fluid flush and change. Old brake fluid can affect ABS performance. Perhaps it will make a difference. I doubt it but it is about the only easy thing you can do on ABS brakes. Take the car to a specialty brake shop for the fluid flush and see if they can find a problem that they can fix, hopefully an easy fix.

Uncle Turbo, thanks for the tip - i haven’t done the fluid flush to try and solve this problem yet. I thought it might be some simple electrical connection since the ABS light goes off on some cold winter days and the ABS actually works then (I’ve tried it on icy spots on the street when the light was off).
I’ll try the fluid flush and let you know if it works. Otherwise, as you suggest, I have decided I can live without ABS.

It very well might be a electrical contact not being made due to corrosion in one of the many connectors throughout the ABS system. Question is which one? You can locate some of the relays, fuses, circut breakers, and connections yourself. It can’t hurt to unplug or disconnect them and check for corrosion. Just reconnecting can improve the contact.

If you want to persue it more use a good brake specialty shop. Tracking it down could be expensive so set a limit on how much time you will allow the shop to take to diagnose the problem.