The Holy Trinity of dash lights…

[Nystagmus]

I’m pretty sure there’s been some divine intervention going on in my three vehicles lately. I’ll try to keep it brief, but it’s a long story.
-2012 Chevy Traverse 95k miles: wife’s car. Last December she called and said it died on her and wouldn’t start. The Traction Control, ABS, and Brake lights were all on. Had it towed to a local shop, they scanned it and replaced one spark plug and coil. Less than $50 !!! WooHoo !!!
Wife said occasionally the lights would come on, but never died and eventually went off. Couple weeks ago while nearly 3 hours from home the lights came on, car died, wouldn’t start at all. Had to have it towed home….over $500. Shop said the next day it started up, smoked, then ran fine. Nothing wrong they could find !!! That’s usually a good thing, but I wanted something fixed !!!

2011 Subaru Outback 121k miles: 16 year old daughter’s first car. Owned it 3 months. Last Wednesday wife and daughter took off to Florida in it. 6 hours from home guess what happens ? Those three lights came on. ABS, Traction Control and Brake. I panicked when my wife called. It was already dark (9:30 pm) and they had 3-4 hours to go. I told her to get a hotel room and get it looked at / finish the trip the next day. She wasn’t having it. Drove on and made it fine. Lights went off.

And Now Today:
-2014 Ram Longhorn 1500 (94k miles) I’m driving down the road and hear a warning tone….I bet you can guess what happened. SAME DAMN THREE WARNING LIGHTS !!!! How does this even happen ? Truck was running fine. Stopped by
Autozone (mistake, I know) and used their scanner. Anti-Lock Brake Module failure.

How could three different vehicles, that couldn’t be any different from one another, have the same warning lights come on in a matter of 3 weeks ?

I did lots of research on the Traverse and found this to be a common occurrence. Replaced the PCV valve and associated tubes. Cleaned the throttle body and air intake snorkel. It’s been fine ever since.

Where would you start with my Ram ?

.

 

[csuder99]

Not Autozone Somebody with a "shop level" scan tool needs to read the ABS module, could even be AlfaOBD which at least reads the DTCs from all modules. Shop level means the tool knows the specifics of manufacturer and model, the typical auto store tools are mostly limited to generic OBDII functionality (a.k.a. figuring out why the check engine light came on).

 

[Nystagmus]

Not Autozone Somebody with a "shop level" scan tool needs to read the ABS module, could even be AlfaOBD which at least reads the DTCs from all modules. Shop level means the tool knows the specifics of manufacturer and model, the typical auto store tools are mostly limited to generic OBDII functionality (a.k.a. figuring out why the check engine light came on).

I know…Autozone just happened to be on the way home. When I told the guy with half shaved head and incredible B.O. that the traction control light was on…he said,” Oh, that’s just a button to push and the light will go off”. I knew I was getting nowhere with him.

 

[WadXpress]

Not Autozone Somebody with a "shop level" scan tool needs to read the ABS module, could even be AlfaOBD which at least reads the DTCs from all modules. Shop level means the tool knows the specifics of manufacturer and model, the typical auto store tools are mostly limited to generic OBDII functionality (a.k.a. figuring out why the check engine light came on).

I just downloaded alpha obd for other projects I’m working on. I just got the abs and traction control light. Alpha can tell me which wheel and if it’s the speed sensor or wheel bearing or the abs module?

 

[Jeepwalker]

When you get AlfaOBD hooked up, test your brake pedal (switch) first. It's the easiest to do and a common failure. The switch weighs about 10 grams so it's no wonder they're not long-lived. Replaced mine a couple yrs ago (same warnings). Press the brake pedal repeatedly numerous times ...and look for a no-go reading. If you drove back and fourth to work and used your brakes 30 times, it only takes one no-go to light up the three-amigo lights.

But it could also be a wheel sensor, or a couple other less-likely faults. My money is on the brake switch.

Let us know what it turns out to be.

 

[XBrav]

Mine was definitely a wheel speed sensor. Ended up being a broken wire a previous owner tried repairing and failed. I took the time and swapped out the speed sensor as well to confirm, but it was a rather quick fix. The code also self clears if it's fixed which is nice.

AlfaOBD will show 655.35km/h or equivilent if a wire is broken or the sensor is pooched. But the actual ABS codes will state which sensor is failing.

 

[Dr. Righteous]

This happened on our 14 Jeep Compass with 4wd. When it happened it become undriveable and went into a limp mode. I had to trailer it back home. It was the right front wheel speed sensor was all. But because the nature of the "automatic" AWD; if the wheel speed reading are not correct the whole thing flakes out.

 

[Nystagmus]

Cross your fingers, boys. Went for about a 40 mile drive in the country yesterday and the lights went out during the trip. Haven’t been back on yet.

(But might be on when I go out there this morning…who knows)

.

 

[Dusty]

I’m pretty sure there’s been some divine intervention going on in my three vehicles lately. I’ll try to keep it brief, but it’s a long story.
-2012 Chevy Traverse 95k miles: wife’s car. Last December she called and said it died on her and wouldn’t start. The Traction Control, ABS, and Brake lights were all on. Had it towed to a local shop, they scanned it and replaced one spark plug and coil. Less than $50 !!! WooHoo !!!
Wife said occasionally the lights would come on, but never died and eventually went off. Couple weeks ago while nearly 3 hours from home the lights came on, car died, wouldn’t start at all. Had to have it towed home….over $500. Shop said the next day it started up, smoked, then ran fine. Nothing wrong they could find !!! That’s usually a good thing, but I wanted something fixed !!!

2011 Subaru Outback 121k miles: 16 year old daughter’s first car. Owned it 3 months. Last Wednesday wife and daughter took off to Florida in it. 6 hours from home guess what happens ? Those three lights came on. ABS, Traction Control and Brake. I panicked when my wife called. It was already dark (9:30 pm) and they had 3-4 hours to go. I told her to get a hotel room and get it looked at / finish the trip the next day. She wasn’t having it. Drove on and made it fine. Lights went off.

And Now Today:
-2014 Ram Longhorn 1500 (94k miles) I’m driving down the road and hear a warning tone….I bet you can guess what happened. SAME DAMN THREE WARNING LIGHTS !!!! How does this even happen ? Truck was running fine. Stopped by
Autozone (mistake, I know) and used their scanner. Anti-Lock Brake Module failure.

How could three different vehicles, that couldn’t be any different from one another, have the same warning lights come on in a matter of 3 weeks ?

I did lots of research on the Traverse and found this to be a common occurrence. Replaced the PCV valve and associated tubes. Cleaned the throttle body and air intake snorkel. It’s been fine ever since.

Where would you start with my Ram ?

.

I had a 2014 Ram 1500. There were approximately 1200 known unreliable Anti-Lock Brake Controllers used during one period of production. Also, the control module was moved from low on the frame to another location in subsequent years because splash water could get into the module connector.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 3 June 2018. Now at 74263 miles

 

[El Huapo]

NE Arkansas? Lots of rain, maybe winter roads get salted? Undercar problems *might* be from corrosion. Just a thought. If that feels likely, maybe pressure-wash occasionally underneath in winter?