ABS light

JimmyJames

Guest
Hi all,
I am thinking of selling my Ibiza. We have a baby on the way and need something with more doors!
Before I sell I need to fix a couple of things on it.

The ABS light comes on every now and then - seemingly randomly.
I took it to the garage and got new ABS sensors fitted, but the light came back on as I drove it home from the garage :cry:

I just wondered if there was a common problem with the Ibiza's so I could point the mechanic in the right direction.

Before the light comes on there is a 'funny' noise. It's hard to explain, but it is somewhere between a grinding noise, and a buzzing noise. A friend has described it as sounding like a servo (whatever that may be).

More worringly i get a bit of pushback on the brake pedal while the noise is happening. Potentially dangerous if approaching a roundabout at speed!

Any ideas? Its a Cupra 2.0 16v Mark 2 (1999)


PS, I also have another couple of questions, but will wait and see what people say about the brakes first!
 

moink10

Active Member
Sep 27, 2008
62
0
Ludlow, Shropshire
Very similar to what i have at the moment? be interested what people think also. All my speed sensors have been changed but light stays on. Been reset with tool but comes back on after around 30 secs. This abs light will be the death of me.
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
vagcom check for codes first to see if there are any recorded issues that might help

check wiring up to rear sensors themselves which are just as likely than the sensor anyway, fixed mine 3 times and not yet been a sensor

the buzzing through the pedal is the abs operating as it would if it sensed a locked up wheel but the light appearing after suggests it's found an issue somewhere

vag com first and/or clear and recheck be first call
 
Sep 20, 2006
756
0
Birmingham
The 'funny' noise your describing sounds like the ABS kicking in. I get a similar sound when my ABS kicks in under heavy braking.

As for the sensor, check the wiring and make sure it's earth properly. On my mates ibiza the light stayed on and it turned out to be a loose connection on one of the relays/fuses under the steering wheel.
 

JimmyJames

Guest
Thanks for the info guys, and sorry for my delayed return!

I will book it in for yet another attempt at fixing it, and it it doesnt work out I will have to look into selling it with the fault existing. Cant see anyone fancying it though :(
 

CIarkie

Active Member
Jun 12, 2005
225
0
Basingstoke
I cleaned and regread my caliper pins as a last resort for an abs fault which wouldnt clear with new sensors, much cleaning and a garage taking £100 of me. I had the abs kicking in all the time, aswell as the savage noise it was a dangerous as hell under braking. Found my offside caliper pin had a completely seized. Once i regreased them all i had the fault for a day or two and havnt had a dicky since, been about three months now. Touch wood:doh:
 

moink10

Active Member
Sep 27, 2008
62
0
Ludlow, Shropshire
does the abs light turn itself off once the problem has been fixed or do you have to get it cleared from ecu? think it was mates peugeot that had to be cleared using a dealers tool.

also just inspected further and the wire from the sensor has had insulation tape wrapped around it. took it off to notice that the wire was showing (looked like it had been rubbing on wheel). do you think this could be the cause of my abs light constantly being on?
 
Last edited:

Cupra Kid

Has a TDI!!
Oct 13, 2005
3,380
1
Chesterfield, Derbyshire
does the abs light turn itself off once the problem has been fixed or do you have to get it cleared from ecu? think it was mates peugeot that had to be cleared using a dealers tool.

also just inspected further and the wire from the sensor has had insulation tape wrapped around it. took it off to notice that the wire was showing (looked like it had been rubbing on wheel). do you think this could be the cause of my abs light constantly being on?

Think you've found your problem there.

ABS light will go out if its sensor related and its fixed, if its control unit i think it has to be cleared.
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
it checks itself over every time ignition is on hence the light appearing for 5 seconds but usually needs a drive up the road to be sure of itself

the sensor it has issues with will still be listed on the diagnostics for reference and if it 'still' has a light on after the repair it would be worth logging in to it to help narrow down the search

does sound like you have found ya problem though
 

moink10

Active Member
Sep 27, 2008
62
0
Ludlow, Shropshire
can the wire be repaired or do i have to buy a new wire? if so where would i get it from as i have done a search and cant find anything. will it be a stealer job? or try and someone who is breaking one? many thanks for your help guys
 

moink10

Active Member
Sep 27, 2008
62
0
Ludlow, Shropshire
hello everyone, just an update on my abs sitiuation. thought i would give everywhere a going over once more before i put it in the garage and found out that the rear abs ring was the torment of all my abs trouble. one of the pins had snapped. so i bought a new ring from p.w europarts for £7 fitted it this morning took it up the road and my light has vanished, cannot tell you how i felt when i finally seen it go out.
 

JimmyJames

Guest
Hi all, Very late, but thought I would update you all with the current situation...

MOT has forced the issue with the ABS light.
Garage told me they thought it was the ABS sensor (despite them fitting new ones last time i tried to fix it, with no success and a large bill), so they fitted a new one. un-Surprisingly they just called to say it didnt fix the problem.

Now they are saying that the car needs a new ECU. This is probably going to cost the earth, and has effectively written the car off.
I might be able to afford to fix it, but want to sell the car so would probably end up making a loss.

I am suspicious that 'new ECU' might just be a cop out, and that the real issue is something simpler. Simpler to fix, but not simpler to find!

I just wanted to have a rant really. Looks like the Ibiza will end up being scrapped, or sold for next to nothing, leaving the new car fund with a big hole in it :(

Any ideas how much a new ECU should cost?
 

suj

Wheel Connoisseur
Jan 1, 2009
5,808
1
Birmingham
what car you got? if you get a new ECU, u will need the immobiliser unit/key transponder (as they are all interlocked) i know this as my key messed up and i nearly had to buy all 3, if you want all 3 i would suggest emailing breakers on ebay mate, a few 2.0 16v's but its easier to find a 8v (if you have one)

i think it might be a cop out really, as there probably is a fix, but its time consuming, so they want the simpler solution....new ECU

(http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/seat-ibiza-gt...66:2|39:1|72:1683|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50 email him for all 3, i can give you his number if you wanna ring, as it has an hour left, so you should ring him)
 

JimmyJames

Guest
Thanks for the heads up, I hadnt considered new immobiliser etc..

Its a 16v, so maybe harder to find the spares.
Im still waiting to see what the garage come back with for a quote, and im also investigating how much PX i will get for a car with no MOT.

Looking more and more like I will end up selling the car to someone with a more mechanical mind than me who has the time to fix it themselves. All about damage limitation now...
 

moink10

Active Member
Sep 27, 2008
62
0
Ludlow, Shropshire
Hi mate i have had this problem with mine and have alot of experience with it. First off unless it is VAG-COM doing the diagnostics then dont believe what your being told. I had mine running on different diagnostic and kept telling me to replace sensors, put it on vag-com and told me that it was an abs ring so took it off and yes there you go abs ring had broken. fixed that and light went off. If that doesnt work check your wiring as mine has a problem at the min where the tyre has worn the wire down and i have bought a new loom from someone breaking a ibiza (£35) and fixed the problem. Hope this helps thanks chris (just make sure its vag-com)
 

Kai_1600

Shallow
Dec 10, 2005
410
0
Manchester
well if you were to try and sell it its probably easier to sell a broken seat on here than anywhere else... I'd hate to see another valver broken for parts :(
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
dont forget the diagnostic tools of any sort are just that - a tool - they record any issues that they identify as not being within programmed parameters

e.g. if ecu is told a wire is +12v and it drops to +6v then it will record it as a fault

it won't assume or guess it will logically state what it has recorded as an issue, it is then up to whoever reads that code to interpret the diagnosis and find the fault.

Some systems are better than others whereas they will check more deeply into any given system and narrow down your search

never assume when you see a fault code saying faulty sensor that you have to replace it, 9/10 it may well be at fault but all the ecu is saying is there has/is been a problem with that one so don't forget there is a lot more wiring and physical parts involved than 'just' a sensor
 
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