QuestionQUESTION: Hello,
We have a 1999 Pontiac GrandAm. It has the 3.4, 80000 miles, front disc-rear drum brakes with ABS. RED Brake light, NOT ABS light,, was coming on then going off. I found the brake fluid level to be very low, almost empty. After filling reservoir the light never came back on. The brakes were working fine before and after adding the fluid, good pedal feel, etc. We live in the "road salt belt" so the brake lines are heavily rusted. I had the car checked out at the shop. They said that one caliper and one wheel cylinder were leaking. There was also some seepage in a badly rusted section of a brake line, though not a full blown leak. I plan on keeping the car for a few more years so I had both calipers, wheel cylinders, and all of the brake lines replaced. After doing all of this work they told me they could not get the ABS light to go off. They worked on it for another day, checking all electrical connections etc. The bottom line is they told me that one of the actuators inside the ABS unit is stuck, rendering the ABS useless. Is this possible? Did you ever hear of this happening? Could they have done something wrong? The statement on their bill reads “REPLACED BOTH FRONT CALIPERS, REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS, ALL BRAKE LINES. BLEED ENTIRE SYSTEM. AFTER BLEEDING SYSTEM ABS CODE C1278 RIGHT FRONT SLOENOID CIRCUIT OPEN/SHORTED TO GROUND. CHECKED ALL WIRING FOUND TO BE OK, SOLENOID SHORTED”
Please advise.
Thanks,
Cliff Straka
ANSWER: Hi Cliff:
I live in the road salt capital of NY (suburb of Buffalo) so I know all to well about rust and rot! I see it each and every day. to answer your question, No that code can't be induced by doing the repairs you stated were done. It's just a coincidence. Although, it is odd for that code to set on that car. Usually what happens is the ABS control module known as the EBCM has issues with corrosion. it's mounted in the l/f wheel well and all the water salt etc sits on it and the corrosion satrts to seep into the eletrical connetor for the EBCM and then the EBCM fails. that is mor common then what they said is wrong. NOT TO say that isn't the issue at hand but if they look at it again or you take it to someone else to have it looked at don't be shocked if someone says that is the root cause here. Also Yes the ABS system will not work with the light on but the base brake system will work fine. good luck :-}
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QUESTION: thanks for the quick response! your in a suburb of Buffalo! what a coincidence I am in Kenmore-I could be right down the street for all I know!.Anyway what is your gut feeling on this? It is not that I don't trust them-he was very apologetic-he said they spent three extra hours on it trying to fix it. I don't think it is worth putting any more money in it. Just this repair was a huge expense. If it was my car I wouldn't care, I starting driving before ABS and know how to handle a car without it however it is my daughters car and she has never been without ABS. I told her what to do when slippery on the ice but I am still worried about it.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
AnswerYou just have to teach her old school driving. FWD cars well self correct when driving they want to pull the car straight instead of a RWD car that want to push you sideways down the road. as far a stopping she will just need judgment first not to dive fast in the crappy weather and to keep a safe distance between her and the car in front of her. If she feels it starting to slide to pump the brakes instead of holding the pedal on a wheel that is locked up on the ice will not steer pumping the brakes allows the tires to try to bite while rotating and turning the wheel. Just the way you drove a car as a kid before all the electronic gadgets that take all the guess work out of driving. My first 10 years of driving I drove RWD cars and to this date I still have one it's a summer classic car but none the less jsut common sense Hard to tell that to a kid. They know everything. I have a 7 year old son that thinks he's 30!
Have a nice holiday.
