Select monitor diagnosis
 

Well I hooked up a select monitor to my car at work today and ran a full scan on everything. Everything came up perfect except it couldn't find/read my abs? Is this bad, I have never had an ABS light ever show on the gauge before?

Re: Select monitor diagnosis
 

I don't think the SVX ABS system has the ability to talk to a select monitor. That function of the monitor is probably for newer models.

Re: Select monitor diagnosis
 

Does the ABS light come on when you start the car?

Re: Select monitor diagnosis
 

No it doesn't come on. The cartridge was for 97' and below and it checks all computers for codes which the ABS can show but it wasn't able to communitcate with it.

Re: Select monitor diagnosis
 

If the light does not come on when you start the car, the light is either burnt out or the abs is not good. If you take your car to a stealership and ask for the abs to be checked, they will look for the light to come on when you start it. If it comes on, it is ok. :o

Re: Select monitor diagnosis
 

Hey I work at a Subaru dealership!!!!! I'll get the Master Subie mechanic to take a look at it on Monday.

Re: Select monitor diagnosis
 

Yeah, if the ABS light isn't coming on at all, my guess is that the previous owner disconnected the box and yanked the dash bulb.

Re: Select monitor diagnosis
 

Ohh I know what you mean now by the light being on. It comes on with all the other lights and then goes away when started. I thought you meant does it stay on when the car is running. I still don't understand why the select monitor couldn't read it though?

Re: Select monitor diagnosis
 

In the 92 wiring diagrams, the Select Monitor connector is not wired to the ABS computer. There is no way it is ever going to show a code.

Maybe the OBD2 cars are wired differently.

Re: Select monitor diagnosis
 

Ok thanks. That make me feel better.

Re: Select monitor diagnosis
 

Yeah, you are right, the Select Monitor will not read the ABS codes. Even on some of the newer cars you have to plug a pin into a connector under the dash and count the blinks of the ABS light.

On the SVX you have to look at the light on the ABS module itself, it's on the passenger side, not sure if you have to take the seat out or not, but if your ABS light doesn't come on once the car is moving (You may notice at night, when you first start the car and get moving about 5MPH, a quick "blip" of the headlights, that is the ABS unit running a self test) then your ABS is working normally.

Re: Select monitor diagnosis
 

Hey, I wondered why my headlights did that the other night! Was going over a speed bump at the time and thought "oh hell, please don't let me have a wiring problem". (knew the ABS was fine 'cause I'd needed it the day before and it came through for me)

Ta Honda.

Re: Select monitor diagnosis
 

You may also notice a slight pulse of the brakes just after you start the car. That's the the ABS self check too.

Re: Select monitor diagnosis
 

Yeah, on a side note, the pump that's in the ABS module makes one hell of a water squirter! We had one come in with a bad control unit, and since you can only get the electronics WITH the hydraulic unit we had to replace the whole unit. (They are available to GM as separate pieces, but not to Subaru) So the master tech hooked the motor directly up to 12V and fluid shot halfway across the shop, we're thinking about trying to fab up some sort of uber water cannon, use a Prius auxiliary battery to power it.

Re: Select monitor diagnosis
 

I just purchased an OBDII code reader for my 04 Silverado. The code reader only displays "P" codes which are for emmisions. I found this site: www.batauto.com they break down the OBDII codes into 4 groups, they show ABS codes in group "C", its codes deal with circuit integrity.

The site has forums broken down by several categories, one is "imports", you might find some ABS info there.