ABS Sensor

Hi can explain to me how I clean the ABS sensor ? my car has for awhile now had the ABS & although dimmer the PSM light on ,its had a new maf a while back but I have not cleaned it since 4000 miles. The brake lights all light up so I am guessing its the ABS sensor dirty or broken,I would like to try & clean it first.

Not much point in cleaning the sensor itself, as it is an inductive device, so not too sensitive to dust and dirt. It would be worth checking the connectors for water or corrosion though.

Ahh i see now ,thanks YET again Richard !!

OK I think its an ABS sensor is making the PSM/ABS lights show . I have cleaned the maf although its only covered 3000 miles since it was new last April. I have reset the ECU (I think) by disconnecting the Neg lead for 30 secs, no change. I am wondering what Diagnostic fault readers other people use & will work on my car also. My car was registered 1 June may 2001

Durametric is by far the best DIY diagnostic tool for Porsches, but is fairly pricy. The enthusiast package is £250. http://www.hickleys.com/diagnostics/durametric.php Worth investing if you think that you will be keeping the car for a long time, or will move on to a later model at some stage. I would check the sensor connectors first, and give them a spray with contact cleaner. It might still be the brake light switch, as there are two contacts in the switch, so although the lights may be working the other contacts may be sticking. They are about £12, and fairly easy to fit. If you are anywhere near me I'd be happy to run a diagnostic check for you.

Thanks Richard very kind offer. I went ahead & have bought this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330465452939&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT It should arrive by Tue/Wed so i was quite happy until...my bored 11yr old daughter decided to use my laptop to charge her Ipod . She could not get the USB plug in so just tapped it in , completely buggered the two usb's ! So I will have to use her old "Snail" laptop which is a slow old bird, thank god the school starts back tomorrow!

A word of warning. That is a Chinese clone of the Durametric. Whatever you do, DON'T try to use the updated software from the Durametric web site, or it will brick the unit. Only use the software that comes on the supplied CD. Hopefully it will work OK, but I've read about people who have had trouble with them.

Gosh mate your amazing thanks yet again,can I become your neighbour??lol. Seriously thanks , but I have not been able to reply as first of all my wife had quite a nasty RTA on Sunday night & come home today to find a warning from E bay saying they removed listing & not to buy ?? Trouble is I paid & now I have had no answer, to much on at the moment looking after my daughter & visiting wife ., I'll just reverse the payment through paypal i guess...

Sorry to hear about your wife, and I hope she makes a full and speedy recovery. I've seen that happen a couple of times. Durametric are (understandably) very protective, and keep an eye on eBay and report sellers like this. Hope you are successful in getting a refund. If you funded the PayPal payment with a Credit Card, you should be able to get your money back from them. It takes a while, but it can be done. If you are lucky, PayPal will sort it out, but it is never straightforward in my experience.

Strange thing the guy has sent an E mail this evening saying its on its way , thanks for the tip regarding the update. yes MY WIFE , unfortunately she will take a time to heal both psyically & more so metally as she took quite a spill, but she came home today & thats a positive. http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/rant-room/238391-what-scum-people-are.html

Ok I have read the codes & I have this : 4200 Front Right Speed sensor Wire (open circuit/short to ground/short to B+) Do I have to buy a ABS soeed sensor or is there another Speed sensor ?

That's the one indicated in the diagram above. There is anly one speed sensor per wheel. First off, check the connections at the plug & socket - also look for damaged wires to it. Drop me an email and I'll attach the diagnostic sheets to a reply.

Well what a swine to get the old sensor out, in the end it was not pretty...as per pic. Fitted the new sensor turned it on no ABS/PSM lights !! Started it up & pulled away, 20 yds on the ABS/PSM lights were back on ? Put the Durametric on it & now its shows code 4201, cleared the codes turned it back on no lights ,reversed out of the drive across the road to the opposite kerb & rolled forward back into driveway no lights?

If the lights, and fault codes, don't come back I wouldn't worry. If they do:

Jeez this getting a right pain.The ABS kicked in once during low speed braking and the PSM and ABS lights did not come on, I had at that point only travelled 20yds from my drive.They did come on when I travelled into the next road & reached a higher speed (20 - 25mph)they came on & have stayed on. I am going to walk the dog , when I come back I will take sensor out again & try too clean up the area where the sensor fits into with a magnet & brake cleaner spray, I am hoping its just debris left when I had to break up the sensor to get the thing out, worse fear is that I have managed to damage the toothed ring ?? Richard thanks for walking me through this, top man as usual ETA: Still 4201 ?

Richard, I have the dreaded PSM/ABS warning light issues. Plugged it into the diagnostics when I was last at WrighTune and the computer said it was the front left sensor. Checked it...looked ok...cleaned it. No lights...great. Two days later, start her up and lights on. Then off for the next journey, then on again! Anyway, I'm guessing that the sensor is actually faulty, so I'll have a look this weekend. I also have a question about your link to the Durametric kit. I definitely want to get one, but am concerned by what "Excludes coding functions" means for the enthusiast package?? Thanks in advance.

Holy thread resurrection, Steve! The Durametric Professional Version 6 will do a certain amount of coding. Things like enabling cruise control, and coding certain comfort features on the later cars. There is no restriction on the number of vehicles the Pro version can be used on. The Enthusiast package has a limit of 3 vehicles. It records the VINs of the first 3 cars connected, and won't connect with any others. You can read and reset fault codes with the Enthusiast version, but the only coding you can do is enable the OBC, which won't be any use to you. Its real value is the ability to read and reset codes, view live sensor outputs, datalog, and control devices from the PC. Well worth having.

Fair one. Proves that I at least searched for the solution before asking though... Think I'll invest in the enthusiast version as my 996 is now of the age where these 'wear & tear' niggles are more common. Cheers PS. I mentioned your name in vein to Tony at WrighTune and you'll be pleased to hear he sung your praises very highly!