QuestionI have a 93 T&C minivan that has always given us an ABS light on the dash, but it has developed problems that have me confused. With the engine off the brakes are rock solid, yet with the engine running, the ABS motor seems to work over time and the peddal goes beyond it's normal stopping range. If the peddal is "pumped" the pedal goes all the way to the floor. The system is also loosing brake fluid with no visible signes of where it is going. I find no fluid on the wheels or around the calipers, and no visible signs of brake fluid around the firewall behind the master cylinder.
As far as past history of the vehicle is concerned, we had to have the transmission rebuilt about a year ago, and it went out again about 6 months ago, but since has been reliable. Outside of that and normal service it has been very good to us. Oh we also had to have a front end alignment done to it about a week ago.
right now it is being towed to a dealer to be "tested" for a recall that was issued for the ABS system on our vehicle. Well, I hope no one takes offence, but I dont trust dealers to be honest, and I am trying to compile as much info as possible to make me a better informed consumer. Thank you in advance for your assistance.
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AnswerHi Art,
I don't have experience with the ABS units, but my reading of the '93 manual would lead me to suspect that the hydraulic bladder accumulator (the globe-shaped container) may have developed a leak in the bladder so that the space that formerly contained nitrogen gas under pressure is no longer sealed and that the gas has dispersed and the void has been filling with brake fluid. That is just a guess on my part due to the fact that you can't find any leaks and that is the only space in the system that might fill up. There is a diagnostic capability in the ABS system which is accessed by the diagnostic readout box II unit that the dealer has which may provide a quick response as to the cause of the pedal behavior. So if the recall repair doesn't fix it you could have them do a readout for fault codes stored in the control unit.
That is about all I can contribute. The ABS unit covers about 40 pages in the manual which I would be willing to xerox copy and mail to you at just the copying and postage that I spend to get it to you.
Roland
