ABS Control Units (Quite thick newbie here)

[Flatdog]

Hi All
I would appreciate any help here. I have been blundering around looking for information on the ABS Brake Light thing.
I bought my car with these lights on. They went out occasiaonnaly and everything worked as it should, my nephew works in Audi Blackburn and when I was down visiting he got one of the mechanics to plug the car in, he said the brake switch was stuffed.
They had none in stock and I had to return to Scotland that day.
I got a brake light switch and when i was fiddling around to see how to remove it.
I tried switching the ignition on to see if moving it made a difference, lo and behold the lights were off.
So, I thought, definately the switch, so I changed it.
Lights back on? Disconnected battery for a couple of hours.
Lights off, can read computer, great.
Drove 3 miles, lights on.
Disconnected battery overnight, in morning, lights on.
I understand that I will probably at the end have to send ABS Unit for repair. But was wondering because it works sometimes, could it be something else?
I see 2 places that do this.
1. BB Reman where meatychi had his done or
2. Ecu-Testing. Are there any differences in their service? Who would most recommend?
Being Scotttish I opted for an EBay VAG-Com (apologies to any Ross-Tech folk, I didnt know any better) I cant really get it to work as I am sure the real thing does, but I managed to get the following fault.


Address 01: Engine
Controller: 4B0 907 401 S
Component: 2.5l/4VTEDC G400SG D66
Coding: 01002
Shop #: WSC 02325
1 Fault Found:
18259 - Powertrain Data Bus: Missing Message from ABS Controller
P1851 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent
Readiness: N/A

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 08: Auto HVAC
Controller: ö 4B0 820
Note: Excessive Comm Errors
Is this definately the ABS Unit?
Sorry to ramble so much, but any help would be great
Thanks

 

[meatychi]

Is it just the ABS light or are you getting the big "!" on your DIS too?

It could be a few things eg. ABS sensor, ABS ECU ........

I was experiencing both the intermittent ABS light and the big red exclamation mark - eventually this occurred everytime I started the old girl up.

I took it to my local garage and they could not communicate with the ABS ECU with their Bosch diagnostics tool and I confirmed error with VAG-COM v409.1

Even with an unregistered version on Vag-com you should be able to communicate with the controller. If you get no joy then it is highly possible that it is your ECU that needs to be replaced or re-engineered.

If neither tool can contact teh controller then I would look into sending the ECU off for re-engineering.

Stripping the unit off is relatively easy, check out this link

http://www.bba-reman.com/content.aspx?content=Bosch_5.3_ABS_Removal

I can highly recommend BBA-Remen as their service was excellent, there website offers a UPS tracked return service so all you need to do is package the ECU up securely, stick one of their printable labels on and drop it off at UPS customer center.

I received my ECU back within a week and the problem is solved, you may find that you have fault codes like these appear when you rescan:

Address 03: ABS Brakes

Controller: 8E0 614 111 A

Component: ABS/EDS 5.3 QUATTRO D00

Coding: 0273004284

Shop #: BB 24334

3 Faults Found:

01203 - Electrical Connection between ABS and Instrument Cluster

03-10 - No Signal - Intermittent

01203 - Electrical Connection between ABS and Instrument Cluster

31-10 - Open or Short to Ground - Intermittent

00526 - Brake Light Switch-F

36-10 - Open Circuit - Intermittent

Clear these and then start your car, go for a drive and rescan to check that the fault have not re-appeared.

 

[Flatdog]

Removed the ECU Thursday and sent it off to BB Reman.
They called Frid at 13:00 to say they had recieved it and to confirm symptoms.
They called back 16:00 Frid to tell me it has been repaired.
I paid by card and got an e-mail soon after to confirm it is on its way back to me with a tracking number.
Great service.
Only hope that it all works as MOT due middle of next week.
Thanks Meatychi

 

[Flatdog]

Got ECU back first thing Mon morning, fitted and tested - Result. Cannot recommend BB - Reman enough. Now I can find out what the DIS does lol

 

[maxlbrown]

I used a company in florida a couple of years back cost me around £100 quid then with a lifetime warranty.

Auto truck repairs or something.

Apparently the fault is with 1 pcb track wire on the main power input gets fried they just resolder a link wire and hey presto its back