ABS light on dash
 

Started my car today and ABS light lit up shortly after starting before driving off.
During it's recent service the dealer commented that the brake pads were quite low.
Just wondering if low brake pads would cause an ABS error to occur.

Re: ABS light on dash
 

I don't think low pads will cause the light. If your pads are low, your brake fluid is probably also low which will trigger the light.

Re: ABS light on dash
 

Low fluid will light the brake warning light not the ABS light. The ABS computer is under the passenger seat. There's a little flap in the carpet you can lift to see it. On it is a light that will flash a code. I forget the procedure but it's on this site somewhere.

P.S. Here's the link to the PDF file. http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/showthread.php?t=53999

Re: ABS light on dash
 

Check and make sure the ABS relay isn't stuck on. It can drain your battery and causes the ABS light to come on.
To fix the relay, usually just taking the ABS cover off and tapping it with a wrench (or some other weighty metal tool) will get it unstuck, otherwise you can just replace the relay.
It may not be the relay, so definitely check the flashing code under the passenger seat.

Re: ABS light on dash
 

I always get confused. Is the ABS the airbag or the brake system?

Re: ABS light on dash
 

ABS = Antilock Braking System :)

Re: ABS light on dash
 

SRS = safety restraint system = airbags.

Re: ABS light on dash
 

Supplemental Restraint System actually.:)

Re: ABS light on dash
 

Ok. ..........

Re: ABS light on dash
 

Make sure they did not damage your abs sensor or the tone wheel. That can cause an ABS light. My tone wheel was cracked and gave me the light.

Re: ABS light on dash
 

Just recently 4 months ago I replaced my front Brake Calipers and disc. They were horrible. Prior to this work my ABS light was always on but after driving 110 miles it finally turned off.
Fluid and everything was/is good. It takes a while for the sensor to recognize newly replaced brakes, or the sensor is just showing it's age. Hehe.

CORRECTION here: It's been less than 150 miles that the ABS dash light turned off.

Re: ABS light on dash
 

Does the ABS light illuminate when you turn the car on?

This was a problem on my previous SVX, the ABS bulb (and a few other bulbs) had blown. I had to pull the indicator plane and replace all the blown bulbs before I found out that I really had an ABS problem, then could start diagnosing it.

I don't think the ABS system cares about new calipers or discs. When you say they where in bad shape, what had happened to them, what type of damage?

(Unrelated to the blown ABS bulb,) I had a bad wheel bearing result in a lot of play for the wheel, this results in my calipers rubbing against the disc, it also resulted in the tone wheel hitting the ABS sensor, bending the tip very slightly. I was able to fix this be removing the ABS sensor shim, getting the sensor back within the specified distance from the tone wheel.

Good luck!
Ian.

Re: ABS light on dash
 

Yes, I have done this too. Very aware of it's function. I had corrosion on the points that I cleaned off a looong time ago.
I must disagree on the ABS *Not Caring* about the calipers and discs....discs were warped, deeply grooved, overheated and dangerously off the spec. (THIN!!)
Calipers, all boots were cracked or missing, pistons were frozen from rust and moisture getting in to places where it shouldn't be amongst other things I'm forgetting..
That's all severe wear is what I'm saying.
Did the ABS light come on 8 years prior to me replacing them? Yes, all the time when the brake pads wore down to 50% or more.
The severe wear on both rotors and calipers caused the ABS light to stay on permanently even though I'd put new brake pads on.

To prove this point that the ABS light functioned properly when the rotors and calipers were *getting worse* about 4 or 5 years prior to me replacing the rotors/calipers, I was only getting down to 70% wear on brake pads before my ABS light came on.
So, I was getting 10% (ABOUT) wear in caliper/disc every year.

Previous driver was a woman that didn't believe in replacing worn brake pads.. thus, the reason for the overheating of the rotors and deeply grooved. The extra braking due to these bad brake pads caused undue stress on the calipers causing boot wear and piston wear. I've done well, considering.

Extra Note: The "Bleeder Valves" on all four calipers were completely "plugged" with rust and very old grease (rear calipers and bleeder valves not yet replaced) that my new calipers came *pre installed* with. When the fluid in the brake lines can't circulate properly, I believe it causes this ABS light to trip ON.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION: Not since the new calipers/rotors were installed. And I know the light works quite well. I'll be replacing the rear brake calipers in Mid March this year.

My 0.02¢