V70: Wheels/Brakes ABS / DSTC Service Required - how to disable ABS?

[Simon Jones]

The ABS / DSTC Service Required has been popping for a few days on my 2008 XC70, and my laptop with VIDA has decided to pack up so I can't read the codes. It's hopefully something simple like ABS reluctor ring that's split but I need a quick fix to disable the ABS until I can get it down to my local Volvo chap. The reason I need to do this is that it detects a problem which cuts the engine power and then applies the ABS which isn't great when pulling out onto a roundabout! It's intermittent, typically a few minutes after starting up, but once the ABS / DSTC Service Required message appears, the ABS has been deactivated & it drives fine.

Plan A was to pull the fuse but it's in fuse panel C (Engine Compartment Lower) which is below the main fuse panel A under the bonnet. Anyone know how to access this 'main dealer only' panel?

Plan B is to pull the plug on the ABS pump. Anyone see any issue with this? I'm happy to live without ABS for a couple of days (like we had to do back in the 80's) as currently the car is a bit of a liability when it decides to cut out.

Final question: where is the ABS pump? I'm guessing its buried under the scuttle panel next to the brake master cylinder. I've got the 6 cylinder 3.2 engine in there so there's not a lot of room to spare in the engine bay.

Thx in advance.

[jodiexii]

Abs light usually is sensor, cheap off fleebay. Don't know if yours is same idea as mine, where there's no abs ring, it's a sleeve on drive shaft. Meaning new drive shaft £££££££.
Try sensor first but you need codes read to find out which side.
There is a place on fleebay call J&R driveshafts or cv joints who are really cheap but don't know if they are any good
Abs pump on S80 is between battery and bulkhead, sorry cannot help about fuses

[Tatsfield]

I've bought ABS reluctor rings from J&R and they were very good and very cheap. They seem to be even cheaper these days. But I don't think they sell ABS sensors.

[Simon Jones]

Thanks for the replies. I'm keen to get into this 'hidden' fuse panel as it has to be easier than getting access to the ABS pump (and may be useful to know how to change / inspect these fuses in future).

[Simon Jones]

Just for reference, it is indeed a pig to get to the lower fuse box (& that's why no-one seems to have done it before!). Remove air filter box, battery, front of fusebox, undo nut & then carefully pry open the retaining lugs. Turned out to be fruitless as when you remove the two ABS fuses it activates the engine immobiliser so you're stuffed. I did fit a small strap under the top fuse panel which would make it slightly easier to access in future.

[stimperley]

Simon - have you found the cause of your problem? I have the same issue but it seems to be associated with taking left hand corners. It sometimes cuts power when accelerating out of the bend, the warning lights stay on for a while and then disappear later as you drive on.

Any ideas welcome!

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by stimperley

Simon - have you found the cause of your problem? I have the same issue but it seems to be associated with taking left hand corners. It sometimes cuts power when accelerating out of the bend, the warning lights stay on for a while and then disappear later as you drive on.

Any ideas welcome!

There's probably nothing wrong with your ABS - I'm 99% certain you have a wheel bearing issue. There maybe no noise but likely you have play in a wheel bearing on the nearside of the car, probably rear. On left hand bends the forces applied to the wheel will act such that if there is play in the wheel bearing it will move the tone ring (note - tone ring not reluctor ring on these models) further away from the sensor.

I've diagnosed a car like this before - after the owner nearly spent over £1800 getting both rear driveshafts replaced at a dealer (the only way to replace the tone rings). There was no noise and no detectable play in the bearing both on the ground and in the air but replacing it fixed the problem.

My advice:

- Don't pull the ABS fuses, the rest of the world and your insurance company would rather you did not. Instead, as soon as you start the car, disable DSTC in the menu, this will stop the engine being throttled back when the system has issues.

- Get the codes read at a dealer or Indie - if my theory is correct you will get a "tone ring structural failure" or similar message - this will identify the wheel.

- Change the wheel bearing on that side - if the tone ring on the driveshaft is undamaged. Get a genuine wheel bearing or SKF, don't buy a £40 on e-bay (especially from seller BAHUHA) as they tend to last 15k miles at most.

The above applies specifically to AWD models where the tone ring is on the CV joint. I've not done a 2WD rear bearing so re-check accordingly...

Good luck...

PS- if you do need to replace the tone ring - i.e. the whole driveshaft - on the early (2008-2009) XC70 they are shared with the XC60 and Ford Kuga... easy to get used, cheaper from FoMoCo new. You will see it has both Ford and Volvo part numbers on it.

[stimperley]

Tannaton - thanks, thats a really useful answer regarding the rear bearings. The car has suffered from what I thought was bearing whine for over a year now. Both front bearings have been replaced(at some cost as both were difficult) because me and the garage were convinced it was one of them but the noise continues. I was then resigned to it being a diff because the noise varies depending on throttle load but isn't really affected by corners and we have put up with the whine, which hasn't got any worse. However based on your suggestion I am re-enthused to track it down so will get the codes read and check the rear bearings. I was assuming it was a front tone ring due to it being turn related.

Also thanks for the tip regarding the Ford parts. We've had a few Ford items pack up on this car that were never an issue on our much older and much higher mileage P2 V70 .....

[GrantA]

I had a similar problem, the "DSTC Service Required" warning kept coming up but without the "ABS" bit. Initially it was diagnosed as a wheel bearing and the NSF wheel bearing was found to be slightly worn and was replaced by my local Indie but the "DSTC Service Required" warning came back on after a few miles.

My 2009 XC70 was due its MoT under the new rules that came in this year so the problem had to be solved as any warning on the dash that could be associated with the ABS is an automatic MoT failure. In my case it turned out to be the yaw sensor under the drivers seat that was causing the "DSTC Service Required" warning. Apparently the yaw sensors were removed on later model V70 and XC70 cars but might be worth having it checked out as a possible cause. Apparently they are a plug out - plug in unit so easy to replace once the drivers seat is removed. Can't remember exactly what the new yaw sensor costs but it was over £400 plus fitting.

Just my two pence worth if anyone has a similar problem.

[Simon Jones]

In my case it was the speed sensor on the rear hub that failed. It was easy to spot in VIDA by monitoring all 4 whilst driving along. The signal would drop out when car was going round certain corners. Annoyingly, one failed and was replaced by my usual garage then a few weeks later the other side failed. I think I paid around £50 from main dealer with VOC discount and it's only a 15 minute job to change it. If it had not been the sensor then it would have needed new driveshaft which would have been a bit pricey.