Dead battery?

[zephyr]

It does make a horrible metallic noise when I start engine once in a while but I think it is when I quickly turn the ignition key. If I do slowly, this usually wouldn't happen.

As for ABS, it's a quite similar symptom described in this thread. Typical symptom is to have a pedal kickback and braking wouldn't work well. I also often hear a little noise usually when I accelerate or changing the gear to 2nd (mine's automatic) which I'm guessing this little sound indicates that ABS somehow kicks in for some reason but struggle to work causing normal braking not working properly. When I have a pedal kickback, it would make a fairly loud bang bang sound in worst case.

The ABS light could come on when this little sound doesn't settle and stops after a while, though 9 out of 10 the ABS light is off. You are right, this issue should be rectified before my next MOT (in December).

 

[solarman216]

What you describe is a failing sensor, usually one of the front ones, not usually the sensor itself but the wires to it, can be hard to track it down when it is like yours, intermittent, Rick

 

[zephyr]

What you describe is a failing sensor, usually one of the front ones, not usually the sensor itself but the wires to it, can be hard to track it down when it is like yours, intermittent, Rick

Thank you, Rick:thumbs Good to know it is coming from a failing sensor/wires So if it was a wires issue as we have seen in this forum, replacing a corroded part on the wire with new one to connect them back again? Sorry to ask a basic question, could this cable be seen if I went into underneath of the car (front wheel area)?

 

[jims-terrano]

Yes, put your front wheels on full lock and it's the only wire coming from behind the hub and up into the engine bay to the inside of the inner wing to a two pin connector. Sorry can't get a photo at the minute.

Are you ok at soldering? If so I'd be tempted to just jump in and replace a section of the cable. Just make sure you do a really good job of sealing the joints.

 

[zephyr]

Yes, put your front wheels on full lock and it's the only wire coming from behind the hub and up into the engine bay to the inside of the inner wing to a two pin connector. Sorry can't get a photo at the minute.

Are you ok at soldering? If so I'd be tempted to just jump in and replace a section of the cable. Just make sure you do a really good job of sealing the joints.

Thank you, Jim. Maybe I could have a look at it tomorrow as I'm taking a day off. As for soldering I would like to think I'm ok as I did for the reverse cam and the daylight running lights. Usually use soldering/heatshrink and amalgamating tape.

 

[jims-terrano]

Thank you, Jim. Maybe I could have a look at it tomorrow as I'm taking a day off. As for soldering I would like to think I'm ok as I did for the reverse cam and the daylight running lights. Usually use soldering/heatshrink and amalgamating tape.

Goodness you could almost be a radio ham talking about amalgamating tape:thumbs

 

[zephyr]

So I checked the behind front wheels to see the wires for ABS. Here are pictures - I think I didn't check well and didn't find a problem with the cables. When it's corroded, would it appear quite obvious? or should I do more to check corrosion? (e.g. plugging it off etc)

[Font passenger side]

[Front driver side]

Whilst I was checking front driver side, I found a crack on the bar; Might be just surface, but do you think this could be dangerous?

 

[jims-terrano]

The crack in the anti roll bar looks to be just like mine and it's just a crack in the powder coating. Noticed your anti roll bar link in same photo, the bush looks a little perished so maybe picked up on mot but not expensive. Your steering lock sops look dry too, they could do with a blob of grease, not an mot fail but an embarrassing noise on full lock.

Right the abs cable is the cable attached to the upper suspension arms with aluminium brackets. The first photo shows this cable well. Cable has a thicker section of insulation where it goes through the bracket and then up into the engine bay. Mine used to break inside the insulation around that area. Think if I remember cable looked fine but as you examined it there was more flexi in the cable where it had broken inside.

You could try jacking car one side at a time at the front and then safely supporting it. Disconnect abs sensor in the engine bay. Get someone to spin the wheel and then test the connector with a multimeter for small electrical pulses from sensor but this may not detect intermittent breaks in cable. This is why I just chopped mine and replaced the whole length of cable which resolved the problem for me.

 

[solarman216]

Best way to check ABS wires is to pull the relevant sensor plug and with crock clips fit a multi meter set on ohms to the two terminals, then while looking at the meter pull and push the wires about if you see a variation on the readings you have probably found the bad wire, analogue is better than digital for this, Rick

 

[Banshee]

Those pesky ABS sensors are a nightmare, I've had limited success in replacing them. I've had to drill one out before now and it's a very unpleasant job :doh

My 96' Maverick didn't have ABS, to be honest, I preferred that, I feel like I know where I stand with non-ABS, steering while locked up is overrated anyway

 

[Mav96]

If you ground pin 9 of your diagnostics plug (assuming 16pin plug) (pin 4 of old grey 14pin plug) to earth you will be able to count the flashes of the ABS light to determine which sensor is faulty. It is common for this to show one front and one rear at fault, ignore the rear to start with and repair the front, then recheck codes after clearing.

21 & 22 are front right
25 & 26 are front left

 

[solarman216]

That is a handy tip Mav96, where did you learn hat one? Rick

 

[jims-terrano]

Flipping heck the amount of times I could have done with that. Cracking tip Mav96

 

[Mav96]

That is a handy tip Mav96, where did you learn hat one? Rick

I've known that one since shortly after getting my mav, I have mentioned it on the forum before so I guess you missed it :nenau

 

[zephyr]

The crack in the anti roll bar looks to be just like mine and it's just a crack in the powder coating. Noticed your anti roll bar link in same photo, the bush looks a little perished so maybe picked up on mot but not expensive. Your steering lock sops look dry too, they could do with a blob of grease, not an mot fail but an embarrassing noise on full lock.

Right the abs cable is the cable attached to the upper suspension arms with aluminium brackets. The first photo shows this cable well. Cable has a thicker section of insulation where it goes through the bracket and then up into the engine bay. Mine used to break inside the insulation around that area. Think if I remember cable looked fine but as you examined it there was more flexi in the cable where it had broken inside.

You could try jacking car one side at a time at the front and then safely supporting it. Disconnect abs sensor in the engine bay. Get someone to spin the wheel and then test the connector with a multimeter for small electrical pulses from sensor but this may not detect intermittent breaks in cable. This is why I just chopped mine and replaced the whole length of cable which resolved the problem for me.

Thank you, Jim. Good as long as this crack is not a critical issue. As for anti roll bar link, actually I have bought "SUSPENSION ANTI ROLL LINK" from Milners in the last year when I was going to see Rick but these weren't changed at the time. Grease thingy is also what Rick did it for me, then I haven't done since then so it's overdue by now.

Sounds like I would need some good amount of time to do this check with ABS. But at least I will examine these cables a bit more.

 

[zephyr]

Best way to check ABS wires is to pull the relevant sensor plug and with crock clips fit a multi meter set on ohms to the two terminals, then while looking at the meter pull and push the wires about if you see a variation on the readings you have probably found the bad wire, analogue is better than digital for this, Rick

Thank you, Rick, as Jim also advised me, anyway I'd need to pull the plug for ABS. Will see if I can do this - then worst case would it be possible for you to help me next time?:bow

 

[zephyr]

If you ground pin 9 of your diagnostics plug (assuming 16pin plug) (pin 4 of old grey 14pin plug) to earth you will be able to count the flashes of the ABS light to determine which sensor is faulty. It is common for this to show one front and one rear at fault, ignore the rear to start with and repair the front, then recheck codes after clearing.

21 & 22 are front right
25 & 26 are front left

Thank you, Mav96, mine's 14pin so pin 4 to be used for this. Good to know!:clap

 

[jims-terrano]

Use Mav96's idea first, it'll save a lot of time. I wouldn't even try replacing a complete sensor as they rust into the hub. Far easier to replace a good section of cable.
Those steering stops are dead easy to grease. Put steering on full lock and grease front stop on one side and then the rear stop on opposite side. Then steering on opposite lock and repeat the process. I find it easy to get a plastic bag on my hand and blob the grease, nice clean hands:thumbs

Good luck

 

[zephyr]

Those steering stops are dead easy to grease. Put steering on full lock and grease front stop on one side and then the rear stop on opposite side. Then steering on opposite lock and repeat the process. I find it easy to get a plastic bag on my hand and blob the grease, nice clean hands:thumbs

What grease do you usually use for this? There are some choices like copper, silicone. lithium....