ABS light

I pick up old trailers and get some with the ABS lite on; I hit the trailer brakes, (hand brake) if they work, I go; the mech said it usually is the sensor. If I have time I get it looked at, if not....keep on truckin. You are the captain of that ship, it is always your call. Don't let anyone influence you to do something you feel is not right; logging, running, stopping, whatever.

 

Anytime you have a problem in the brake system you need to get it checked as soon as you can. You might want to spray some WD-40 into the pigtail and clean it. When I ran triple trailers the lights would flicker all the time until I would spray each pigtail. Then most of the time I'd have nice bright lights. The pigpail hardly ever gets cleaned and you find some of your light problems right there.

 

Yep, go to the shop! Junky trailers are one thing, but at the very least, that light will drive you crazy, it's probably just the sensor, but.....

 

The ABS light on my tank trailer comes on for a second each time you hit the brakes, manufactor says that is the way it works, if light stays on there is a problem with system. the one second on time is the trailer telling you all is well.

 

if the light came on without a trailer then it is your tractor ABS.this is usually a sensor problem,meaning your brakes will work like a non ABS system.not a safety issue in regards to OOS but your braking distance may increase due to wheel lock-up on hard braking(like an older non ABS truck).my freightliner will sometimes do this if i try to start it before the truck has completed it's "power up" when the key is turned on.

 

It may not be a sensor. I was driving a 2001 Ryder FLD120 and the tractor ABS light stayed on. Their shop discovered a bad left front hub causing vibration. Several months later, the right front hub went bad causing the ABS light to give the first indication of potential trouble.

Wouldn't you know it. After I started driving a 2005 Penske Freightliner, the ABS light in my 1995 Bonneville work car stayed on. I took it Midas and they gave me an estimate for a new left front hub. My final bill showed a new wheel bearing. Once again, it was not a failed sensor, but the sensor knew there was a problem. Midas demonstrated the rough spot while rotating the wheel, so I am confident they did not sell me a wheel bearing while replacing only a sensor.