Just had to tell this story to someone and only XJ owners can appreciate this.

'95 XJ SE, 4.0, auto trans, 4x4, 4 door. I got in this Jeep when it was new on the lot as my company vehicle. I drove it for about 2.5 years and put about 100k miles on it, then when it was being replaced, I bought it. I drove it about 50k miles and sold it to my mom, who drove it until early this year and ran it up to 160k. I got it back in August of this year and have been driving it regularly (in between working on it) since.

The antilock brake system in this Jeep stopped working in 2000. When I sold the Jeep to my mom, I told her it wasn't working, but she still had good brakes.

When I got the jeep back, it had a sticky caliper, so I replaced both and put on new pads. I also checked the rear shoes, and they were glazed, so I replaced those also. Took almost a week to get all the air out of the system, but I finally did. The antilock brake system still didn't work, light was still on the dash.

So, the antilock brake system hasn't worked for over 15 years and about 20k miles. Today, at lunch, I get in the Jeep and start it with my foot on the brake, and feel the "thump" in the brake pedal. I look at the dash & the light is gone.

I drive 100 feet on a gravel drive & hit the brakes; the pump operated just like in 1999.

Don't know what was wrong & I don't know what's right. I figure it will die again someday, but for now, I have antilock brakes again!

 

Oh well, it lasted for about 48 hours & now I have the antilock brake light on the dash again. During the time period the antilock brakes were working, whe the key was turned on, I felt the "thump" in the brake pedal, and the antilock light flickered slightly. After I started the engine, I felt another pulse in the brake pedal that felt a little more powerful and that's when the light on the dash went off.

I've attempted to have the standing code read at a couple different O'reilley's and one Auto Zone in the area, but so far, nobody has the connector to hook up the the antilock brake port. It's apparently not a totally failed part or the system wouldn't have functioned for a couple days. In the past couple months, I've disconnected each wheel sensor, connected a volt meter, and spun the corresponding wheel. I did see voltage from ever sensor. I also disconnect the ABS pump and connected it to 12 VDC and it did function.

Other than getting the fail code (which hasn't been possible in my area yet), any recommendations for what I might check?

 

My 96 did that, turned out fuse holder was corroded. I had a shop fix it so don't know where fuse is. But had rusty fuse for turn signals and it was above left foot, appears water runs off drip rail and windshield seal leaks onto fuses. They didn't look like they were dry. I have 3 fuse maps and none look like the 96 stuff so I sold it and got a 99. Good luck.