ABS Pump and Module - No communication

[Adam_S3]

Hi All,

As the title says i put my car into the garage to get ABS warning checked out. They told me it's the abs module thats the problem as they cannot communicate with it and it appears to be dead!

What's the best option, i know new ones aren't an option (got a quote from audi indy at £1830 fitted), the garage i went to is trying to source a reconditioned unit. If they can't then i need to send mine to be reconditioned they said which could meant over a week off the road.

Is going the ebay route worth the risk if this is a common fault? Also i notice there is a lot of part number variations, is the only way to check mine removing it?

Cheers

 

[epox]

Try scanning it with vcds, if there is someone near you that has it. Love garages that says appears to be!!

 

[Ian2012]

It won't be the pump itself it will be the brain attached to it, if you can separate the brain from the pump then you can it away to be repaired, what usually happens is there are some really fine wires inside that crack (i am talking hair thick) this is why it's no comms time.

The last thing you really want to do is start taking off the brake lines as it's a real pain to bleed afterwards and may needs vcds to run the pump whilst doing the bleed.

There are a few places that do repairs and yes it's part o critical if you go the ebay route

 

[Adam_S3]

Ahh i see makes sense. I was quoted 3 hours labour for removing and fitting because he said had to take all the brake lines off and bleed the system... plus the cost of refurb

Whats a normal refurb price?

 

[Ian2012]

Try ecu testing they did my a6 a few years ago or bba reman

 

[JimS3]

Seen this same problem several times lately, each time it has turned out to be the fuse for the ABS unit!

The fuse is located on top of the battery in the plastic box with a load of wires coming out. They look like simple flat strips of metal.
You need to put a multi meter across them and test for continuity. The ones I have seen looked fine to the eye, but had tiny fractures in them.

 

[Ian2012]

We had a similar issue with my wifes old A3 1.8t q, i cleaned the fuses on top of the battery and every earth point in the engine bay, it went away for 9 months and then came back

 

[Adam_S3]

Ohhh, im scared to get my hopes before I go out and try.... a quick google there showed just reseatig the fuses works for many people!

 

[Adam_S3]

No luck resat them all cleaned the ones that needed it. Also disconnected battery and still no joy. I did find a dodgy connector at behind the abs green relays but fixing it didnt do anything

 

[JimS3]

Did you check continuity and resistance? They can develop tiny cracks that give a high resistance. or open circuit.

 

[Adam_S3]

Nah I dont have a meter to check, dumb question but how do they function as fuses... they seem to just be metal strips? I should be able to get them a meter to check them at some point today though

 

[makster1978]

the 3 fuses function the abs pump disconnect the connecter going to the housing to the 3 fuses on the battery and clean the ends sometimes it comes loose especially if batterys been replaced,worth a shout,all my fuses looked fine but I still replaced all 3 30amps easy job for 99p my abs light went out after a short drive,however is back on due to a ****** battery

 

[kwistof]

I've had this issue....

No communication with the ABS control module as it was basically dead. I was driving around without ABS for a good few months before I took it in to get looked at properly as the warning symbol was intermittently coming up and I initially thought it would be a wheel sensor change or the long/lat sensors which are in the glove box or drivers steering wheel.

My car was off the road for a good few weeks whilst trying to actually diagnose this problem as I took the car to an electrical specialist for them to look into it. They tried all of the above ways of trying to get communication again by replacing fuses and using a volt metre to determine where the powers stopping, and it turned out that after opening the module up- bits and pieces were fried.

They sent the ABS unit off to BBA-reman who are specialist in reconditioning ABS/ECU modules. I was quoted around £3-500 (I think) for them to fix and repair it with a warranty - but some issues occurred which increased the turn around that was neither companies fault - this resulted in my car being off the road for a bit longer than anticipated and the good will gesture from both companies was a brand new ABS module free of charge.

Basically - in those 3 months of issues with the ABS, I found out it's not that cheap to sort out unfortunately - if the module is fried that is.
If you can PM me your part numbers for the ABS/ECU control module that you have on your car, I will see what I have on a unit I have at home. I picked up a replacement unit for quiet cheap as a 'back up' as I too was quoted around £1500 for a brand new unit from TPS/Audi which I was obviously not going to fork out on. So as I was given a brand new unit I just have this spare one hanging about collecting dust now - and as a sort of 'back up' for this one! lol. 2 years and going strong with the unit that bba reman sourced for me.

Chris

 

[pj123]

is the light on 100% of the time? i have had issues with the fuses, the connector to the fuse panel and the longitudinal sensor and the light is reset when the ignition is turned off and comes back after a while driving.

 

[Adam_S3]

They started off intermittant just the orange abs and tc. Now theyre both permanent alongwith the red warning message.

Tried everything above now and no luck. An auto electricians going to confirm on wednesday the fault before I either go ebay or get it reconditioned. Unsure whqt to go for... reconditioned means im off the road for a week or more

 

[Adam_S3]

Also part number is 8N0614517A

 

[westcoast a3]

drivers steering wheel.

like theirs a passenger steering wheel lol

 

[kwistof]

Tried everything above now and no luck. An auto electricians going to confirm on wednesday the fault before I either go ebay or get it reconditioned. Unsure whqt to go for... reconditioned means im off the road for a week or more

You may be able to buy a replacement unit that's been re-conditioned and pay a sur-charge until you send your knackered unit in and get some money refunded.

Sort of like how the MAF change works at TPS and a few other parts. They will give you a weeks grace to fit the parts and exchange/send back the items. All depends on the company though you send it to and if they can offer that type of service.

I'll have a look what part number is on mine later on

 

[kwistof]

drivers steering wheel.

like theirs a passenger steering wheel lol

;-)

Plan for all eventualities lol - OP could have made something like this for all I know