ABS and Skid light

[wstadler]

Has anyone ever had the ABS and Skid light come on. Will re set itself when you turn the ignition on and off, bu then after a long journey when you turn the steering wheel half lock it will flash up again. I had the ABS sensor replace about two years ago on the left front. Could this be the sensor again

[Digger]

Has anyone ever had the ABS and Skid light come on. Will re set itself when you turn the ignition on and off, bu then after a long journey when you turn the steering wheel half lock it will flash up again. I had the ABS sensor replace about two years ago on the left front. Could this be the sensor again

Yes it could be the same sensor again, or it could be one of several other sensors and with the lights clearing themselves when you recycle the ignition, it could even be the controller.

Stability control takes input from the speedometer, brake pressure, steering pressure, wheel sensors, mixes it all together and compares it to input from the directional travel sensors (the X and Y accelerometers) then decides whether you're in a skid, or going the direction you are supposed to be. Sometimes the system gets out of alignment.

You do need a Tech 2 to align the system, but you don't need one to check the alignment. Get yourself out on the open road, some place where you can get up some speed on mostly straight road with gentle curves and where you can set the cruise control at different and increasing speeds. If your cruise control will hold at 50, 60, 70 and not 80, you need to align the system. While you're out on the road going anywhere between 50 to 80 in a gentle turn, look to your rear to make sure there is no one close behind and give the brake peddle enough pressure to quickly slow your speed, but not a panic stop type of a push. That will tell you if something in the system is going to need a new part with the alignment. This is a rough test, about as accurate as checking your wheel alignment with a measuring stick and a couple of chalk marks, but it will tell you if you're badly in need of a system alignment and you don't need to wait on a service appointment to know if it was worth the wait.

If this doesn't flash up your lights look to the sensors that get warm on long journeys and one of your steering or front wheel sensors would be the most likely to cause.

[wstadler]

Hi Digger

Thanks for the reply. Will give this a go.

Thanks

Will

[wstadler]

Hi Digger

Tried what you have suggested and the lights did not come on at all. The only time they did come on was after a long journey and then turning the streering wheel to half lock to get in to a parking space. Guess it will be the sensors then??

Thanks again

[Digger]

If it only happens moving forward slowly into a parking space you have a half dozen sensors to choose from and it only happens while backing into a parking space you add a couple more to the list.

Of the things on the list of things you easily check the steering sensors are the easiest. With the engine warm as it would be after a long journey sit in gear with your foot on the brake and with your foot still on the brake give the wheel a light turn one way and the idle should increase, wait until the idle drops again and turn the wheel the opposite direction. If it happens while backing into a parking space, move the gear selector to reverse and do this all over again.

If your fault didn't flash up here check the wheel sensors next, you will need a volt ohm meter. Use the lowest most sensitive setting you have and check sensor output by spinning wheels clockwise and counter clockwise, try to turn all wheel as close as possible to the same speed and look for the sensor output to be about the same in both directions on all wheels. Without special tools this is all you can safely test and depending on what you have to raise the vehicle testing the wheel sensors might not be safe.

It can still be a controller, or one of the other sensors, but by the time you have tested the sensors you can, if you haven't found the obvious cause, you know it's time to visit the people who have the tools that you don't have.

[tturku]

I have the same thig coming now and the but in my case it comes always when I start the car an turn to left with almost all in. I think I just must drive some day to service without turning off the car to not reset the fault. Isn't the tool used in ng9-5 MDI instead of Tech2?

[Digger]

I have the same thig coming now and the but in my case it comes always when I start the car an turn to left with almost all in. I think I just must drive some day to service without turning off the car to not reset the fault. Isn't the tool used in ng9-5 MDI instead of Tech2?

Any CAN capable generic scan tool can read the code and give you a number. A good CAN capable with extended code set can even decipher the code and save you the time of researching the number to know what the code means. Programming takes more than a simple generic scan tool, it takes a tool that works in conjunction with software.

Because my Saab is a 2006 I don't know if a Tech 2 will actually program a 2007 to 2012 Saab, but my software update gave me those vehicle selections.

[tturku]

Yep. Saab did sell also the og9-5 wagon untill the end (as the new ng9-5 wagon never made to production before bankrupsy) and that uses tech2. For the ng9-5 the diagnostics tool is MDI. (I have the tech2 but haven.t tried it on my ng9-5 2010-2012 sedans)