I have a 2004 Town and Country Limited with 3.8 V6. The ABS warning light has been coming on, and the Trac Off light follows it. When I start the vehicle, I hear a funny noise up front and the brake pedal is spongy for a few moments. I had it put on the computer, and the computer indicated that the ABS sensor on the right front was faulty and possibly the ABS module. I ordered the sensor, took the van in, and the ABS light would not come on despite road testing, so the sensor was not installed. If the ABS warning light comes back on, the mechanic told me that it would probably be the ABS module - he said the sensor does not stop working and then work again, it's either broken or not. The warning light did not come back on as I drove home. So if the light comes back on, how do I acquire a preprogrammed reconditioned ABS module for my van? I want to avoid having to purchase OEM through a Chrysler dealer - that sounds like BIG bucks. It sounds like a mess to have a mechanic install a non-programmed ABS module, have the van towed to a Chrysler dealer, and have the dealer program the module.

 

Your mechanic is wrong about the sensor - well, to be precise not the sensor failing but the ABS module not getting a decent signal from the sensor one day then fine the next is very common. Try driving in the rain or through a few puddles and see if that causes the ABS light to come on. ABS and traction control both use the signal from the wheel speed sensors, so they both tend to go into fault mode together.

I'm fairly sure the ABS module doesn't need coding to the car, you should just be able to fit a replacement if it turns out to be at fault

Regards
Richard

 

Yes, I can also vouch for the sensors indicating a fault for a few days and then being OK for a while. I'm experiencing that at the moment wih my GV. My ABS was indicating a fault for a couple of weeks but then cleared for a few days, then came back on for a day or two but currently it's been clear for over a week. I'm about to order two front sensors anyway because my MOT is due later this month and SOD's Law dictates that ...

 

Thank you for your replies. Last night, I drove over 60 miles without the ABS light coming on. I'm hanging on to the right wheel sensor that I have. Do you think I should just go ahead and replace both left and right? Also, you mentioned about rain affecting the sensors. This ABS light first came on when I was driving in a lot of slushy snow up north. The light would go off, then come back on after driving in the slush, and then go off again.

 

ABS warning light came on - diagnosis - right front ABS sensor replacement needed - ABS warning light went off but I still have the right front ABS sensor - diagnosis do nothing. If the ABS warning light comes on again replace the right front ABS sensor. It could be many things including the ABS ring full of crap but 99 times out of 100 its the ABS sensor and not any other part, and 99 times out of 100 replacing the ABS sensor also cures the TRAC [tion] fault.

 

I drove 70 miles today and no ABS warning light and no Trac Off light. I will just assume that the problem is a faulty sensor, and keep the sensor that I ordered. If the light comes back on, I will have the sensor replaced. Thanks for the input.

 

This is the exact issue I am having with our 2007. The only difference is, the light can go on/off during any drive. Just before the light goes off, I can feel/hear the ABS modulator pumping/pulsing. So I know that is working. Then a block down the road, re-applying the brakes, the light will come on again, as well as the "Trac Off" will come on again.

Right away I figured a WSS. I think we had this once before, but it was handled by Chrysler when it was in there for other major stuff, taking advantage of the lifetime powertrain warranty that came with the van.

My issue is, being a former GM tech, I have all the tools for GM (Tech 2, MDI, GMSI, etc), but I have nothing for Chrysler. So I can't figure out which WSS it is. According to AutoZone, the driver and passenger front use two different sensors, and both rears share the same one. So essentially there are three WSS's. Is there a way to diagnose this without taking it to the dealership or somewhere that can determine which wheel it is acting up?

 

My mechanic hooked up the computer to the van and took it for a ride with the computer hooked up. The computer told him that it was the right WSS.

 

I figured a DRBIII or equivalent would be able to tell you, unfortunately I don't have one. I guess my question is, is there a way to check it with a multi-meter or something, checking for resistance in the sensor? Or other way? Say for example, a properly operating WSS has 5 ohms of resistance, so you check all four WSS's, and find the one with infinite resistance and voila, you know which one is the culprit.

 

you can use a scan tool which is capable of displaying live data from the ABS module - this will show you the wheel speed being reported by each sensor. Or a better option for an intermittent fault is to use an oscilloscope and study the waveform generated by each sensor.

Regards
Richard