advice needed re:ABS / ESP intermittent warning lights

[gavcav]

advice please guys... from reading the forum i've found it's a regular problem.

tonight my ABS and ESP amber caution lights illuminated and remained on. i got home, had a read of the manual and forum etc and without jacking up the car and removing the wheels, i went to check the car for obvious leaks, damaged wires. i couldn't find anything obvious.

i started the car up and found the ESP light had gone off. i then went for a short drive and the ABS went off too.

i thought everything was good again, then they re-appeared for some minutes, then went off again.

11 days ago i had to replace the rear pads, so i'm wondering if i've disturbed a sensor or not?..if i had, i would have thought i'd seen problems before now?

what do you think as a first step?.. clean sensors/sensor plugs?..vagcom? (which i don't have so it'll cost me ££'s)...or is it a sign of something more serious? (ABS module).

i'm not sure what step to take next, so any help would be appreciated...thanks

 

[hades-]

1st step is to get it on a scanner and read the codes
even if there not on they will be stored

i had this a few weeks ago and it was my battery going dead

 

[s3dave]

Im in leeds and can get it on the computer for you on saturdays if stuck, it can be many things and a scan will tell you...

 

[gavcav]

thanks lads....s3dave, thanks mate, i may take you up on that..i've never used this vagcom thing, is it straight forward to do?

 

[gavcav]

ok if i pm you s3dave?

 

[s3dave]

thanks lads....s3dave, thanks mate, i may take you up on that..i've never used this vagcom thing, is it straight forward to do?

yes just plug in, pm me if you want it scanned

 

[alijames]

Likely to be an ABS sensor, especially as you have just done your rear brakes. Happened to me after doing my fronts last year. They are only ~£15 a pop, so not an expensive fix...

Cheers,

 

[finesse]

Likely to be an ABS sensor, especially as you have just done your rear brakes. Happened to me after doing my fronts last year. They are only ~£15 a pop, so not an expensive fix...

Cheers,

or the longitudinal sensor which is part of the ABS system : £150

bargain

 

[madmark]

i got the same problem on my a3 can drive 4 miles with lights on then switch off and restart the car and they stay off for a while doing rear brakes today and discs also having a scan done will post any codes later today

 

[S3 Rav]

This happened to me and was one Of my throttle sensors. Cost about £100 from midland VW to fix.

 

[madmark]

done readout came back as front o/s abs sensor this problem started when i replaced front discs so have cleaned sensor and ring been for a spin and so far so good hope this helps if it comes back on will replace sensor unit cost around £15