terravista

Hi
I have purchased a 1996 Grand Cherokee 4 litre petrol with 205 000km (127 000 miles).
Here in Australia, we need to undergo a vehicle safety inspection prior to registration, and a few items were knocked back, which are easy fixes, but the biggie is the ABS light staying on.
I have spent the last week searching for fixes, with no luck to date.
The fluid level is fine.
I have removed and cleaned three wheel speed sensors. Can't get the bolt off the rear LHS because the head has been stripped.
The internal fuse and the under hood fuses seem OK.
There are no codes logged in the computer system, which suggests nothing is wrong.
I can get a new ABS module for $800, but with no error codes, this is looking like a waste of time and money.
The wheels lock up at 20 to 30 kph on wet grass, so unless ABS does not work at low speeds, it ain't working at all.
Does anyone have any idea on what the next step should be?
I was thinking that the power line to the ABS light could be cut and the light connected to the oil pressure light or something similar so it appeared to be working.
I don't much care if the ABS does not work for a short time, as my other 4x4 is older, has worse brakes, and no ABS.
I am after a temporary "fix" because I don't want to spend too much until I am sure it can be used. Once it is registered I can at least justify spending more dollars.
Does anyone know the location and colour of the ABS dash light power cable, or location and colour to one that could be connected to stop the ABS light from staying on, keeping in mind it is right hand drive?
I am aware that this could be deemed unacceptable practice by some, but for a week until registration, I don't much care.
In my years, and there are lots of them, I have owned over 35 vehicles, and only four of them have ABS, and I am still alive (and haven't killed anyone else).
Cheers
Ian

pwb

If you want to disable the ABS take out all fuses and relays for the ABS, then the light will be off. On mine it was two relays and two fuses under the hood and one fuse behind the door.

CrazyMacaw

My ABS quit working last year and the light stayed on all the time. I grew up driving older vehicles without ABS brakes so I'm fine without it. I just popped the instrument cluster out and removed the bulb for the ABS warning because I got tired of it glaring when I drove at night. The cluster comes out pretty easy and the bulb just pops out of the back. So unless the inspector is going to disassemble the dash and check for a bulb they'll never know it's been removed.

tiwvr1

If the abs light is on, there is a abs code, You need a diffrent scanner then a inexpensive one for just check engine light. If you dont care pull the bulb.

jnicewan

Close to the instrument cluster the ABS wire is white with a violet stripe (white/violet) It is that color from the ABS diode (lower left side of inst panel). Before the ABS diode the wire color is red with a light blue stripe (red/lt blu). That wire goes to the HCU, ABS control module, ABS main relay and ABS pump motor relay. You might check the relays for proper op, especially the ABS main one.

The wire mentioned above is grounded to turn on the ABS lamp. The ABS light is powered through a black/white wire to the cluster from fuse #5 in the junction block any time the key is on.

jnicewan

Another thought before you start modifying, try looking for all the ground circuits and make sure they have a good wire and ground connection. It seems I had a customer with about the same problem a few years ago and it had been wrecked and a body shop had left a ground wire loose on the fender.

terravista

Thanks people.
As a quick fix (hopefully) I removed the ABS bulb, and the car is booked in Friday for an inspection.
If it passes, I can try a real fix. I have already purchased a replacement ABS pump and module, supposedly off a "96 GC, but it looks completely different to mine.
If I get it on the road, at least I can get it to someone who may know how to fix it.
Cheers and thanks
Ian