ABS Message

[quinnd]

I have intermittently for about a year been getting two messages on the diagnostic message system of my 2004 S60. One says the ABS system needs to be serviced. The other says the ABS system has been deactivated. They occur randomly and then disappear for long periods. I am not sure whther the ABS system has in fact been deactibated or whether it is just a sensor problem. I told my garage this last week when I left the car in for a service and MOT. They has diagnosed this as a sensor under the steering wheel which will cost over £500 parts and labour to fix. I am suspicious of this because when I had the car about 6 months I suffered a series of problems, starting with the alarm system being turned off, then the car not opening then finally the whole dashboard and indicators failing to work in the middle of the A10 in London. I had the car in the garage no fewer than 7 times and was told it was fixed each time. They replace first the security management system and then the whole engine management system but none of this worked. Finallly they tracked it down to a defective data wire which was having such catastrophic effects on the vehicle. Volvo support people were involved throughout. Firtsly I am amazed that Volvo would make a car which cost £500 to fix something so simple (I have recently bought a 3 seater leather sofa from IKEA for £499). Secondly I am suspicious of the diagnosis. Could it be a sensor data wire like the last time. It sounds to me as if they are trying to replace a chip based device under the steering wheel. Does anyone have any experience of this type of fault?

[michal940se]

I'm not sure if Volvo ABS system is similar to the VW system,but assuming that most new cars are not much different.There was similar problem in VW Touran i have worked on (working at the VW dealer)and the ABS control unit has built in brake pressure sensor.This sometimes need just basic setting,done by computer,but in this case,the control unit has been replaced.Like i said,i don't exactly know the symptoms and condition of your car and don't know the design of the system,but it sounds very similar to the one i have worked on.Good luck.

[jajrst]

Take it to another main Volvo dealer and see what error code is stored, that's probably the best way to go if your having no luck with this garage.

[andyhlc]

i had an ABS problem on my V70 and in the end it was a fault with the ABS ecu it was repaired by a volvo specialist for £220 and came with a 2 year warranty on the ECU, and the ECU is under the bonnet so i would take your car some where for a second opinion

andy