2006 KJ - ABS, traction control and ESP/BAS Christmas tree, but no codes!

[MadMoo]

I've been driving with this Christmas tree for a little while now, but the rush of unintentionally drifting around corners in the wet has worn off. My code scanner is fairly good and I've never had an issue with it, but after plugging it in to check the DTCs there were none to be found? I've done a bit of crawling around under the car but I can't find anything immediately obvious like busted harnesses or unplugged connectors, any ideas on troubleshooting pathways?

 

[lfhoward]

It’s possible your OBDII scanner isn’t sophisticated enough to read ABS codes. Mine isn’t that awesome either. Most auto parts stores will have a good scanner and will read your codes for free. (At least in the US they do.)

 

[Musty]

It’s possible your OBDII scanner isn’t sophisticated enough to read ABS codes. Mine isn’t that awesome either. Most auto parts stores will have a good scanner and will read your codes for free. (At least in the US they do.)

I just got the "Christmas Tree Light Display" a couple of days ago and it's driving me nuts. Everything was fine until I had to drive through a construction area where the city had been tearing up the pavement etc. It got pretty bumpy and I certainly wasn't driving fast but a few hard jolts and lights went off all over the dash for ESP BAS, ABS, etc.

I did some reading online and saw mentions of things like realigning your Steering Angle, tried that multiple times and there was no change/help. I was confused by the fact I'm not getting any Engine Codes referring to anything that might be causing the lights. Then I saw your comment about some Scanners not being sophisticated enough to read the ABS Codes. For what I paid for my scanner that would NOT surprise me. I was happy it was able to print out the Codes in Arabic Letters and Numbers which we use in English vs. in its Native tongue of Chinese Logographic Characters. Just hope I can find a scanner that has that capability for a cost of less than what I paid for the entire vehicle.

 

[Ksat]

You probably have a problem with 1 or more wheel speed sensors. I had one of them go bad, which was caused by a worn wheel bearing, and it caused similar a symptom as you described.

If your scanner can't read ABS, it won't show any codes like that, even if they're present. If you have one near you, you might want to try Advanced Auto and have them check it, as the scanner they use seems more capable than Autozone's, at least in my area.

 

[Billwill]

Is this a 2006 CRD or a Gasser?

 

[Deb'nKJ]

It costs me £30 (at mates' rates) to get my ABS faults read (mercifully no TC on an '04) but ABS and TC lights suggests a wheel sensor - or the wire, but you need (someone with) a pretty special scanner to tell you which one.

 

[Musty]

I checked the local parts store and found 2 stores that had the scanner I needed to check the codes for ABS and Traction Control. However, I refuse to do business with those stores and will never step inside their store again. So I checked for a scanner to purchase and found the one that would work and picked it up. Got home, connected to it via BlueTooth and my Cellphone and waited for it to download, install the software, and bring up the testing program. WOW, was I lucky, it appears the company that makes this scanner shut down their Servers for 2 days to update all their software etc, so I couldn't even use it for over 2 days!

But when it did come back up, the test went fast and immediately pointed at the right front wheel speed sensor! So got online and ordered the new Speed Sensor, and picked it up the next morning. Got home and started taking the right front tire off, so I could get to the sensor to replace it. Of course that was just too easy so I knew something was going to happen! Well I have no idea who put that tire back on either after the front end work was done by the previous owner's mechanic, or if it was the tire installer than put the new set of tires on, but somebody was a knucklehead! I couldn't even budge the Lug Nuts using my electric Impact wrench. Couldn't budge them using my standard 3/8" drive breaker bar. Went back to the Hardware store this morning and grabbed a 30" breaker bar, 1/2 drive and some new sockets. Finally got 4 of the 5 bolts loose enough to turn a little, so can get those off. I don't know what that put that last nut was put on with, or what kind of material that last nut is made of, but the nut will not budge and the flat edges of the nut are gone all the way around. It didn't take a lot of oomph to do it either almost wonder if they put an aluminum nut on there as the metal does not seem very hard to round off that easily. To be safe going to replace all the bolts and nuts all the way around so I know they'll be good. Will try a small chisel and hammer and split the nut back to the wheel and hopefully open it enough to get it off.

But while looking around and feeling around to see where the Speed Sensor was in that wheel I felt something while in the area of the sensor and now I know what the problem is. The sensor might still be good but the wire going to the sensor has two conductors. One is still connected the other is broken and dangling, so of course if there's no connection, there's no signal to interpret from that sensor. So I'm sure that's why it stopped working when going through that rough area of the construction area.

 

[blackhawk]

Wow, I hope you can solve your tire issue.

Yes, maybe the sensor is in good order. You can easily connect the cables, use heat shrink tubing to avoid corrosion.

 

[KJowner]

I checked the local parts store and found 2 stores that had the scanner I needed to check the codes for ABS and Traction Control. However, I refuse to do business with those stores and will never step inside their store again. So I checked for a scanner to purchase and found the one that would work and picked it up. Got home, connected to it via BlueTooth and my Cellphone and waited for it to download, install the software, and bring up the testing program. WOW, was I lucky, it appears the company that makes this scanner shut down their Servers for 2 days to update all their software etc, so I couldn't even use it for over 2 days!

But when it did come back up, the test went fast and immediately pointed at the right front wheel speed sensor! So got online and ordered the new Speed Sensor, and picked it up the next morning. Got home and started taking the right front tire off, so I could get to the sensor to replace it. Of course that was just too easy so I knew something was going to happen! Well I have no idea who put that tire back on either after the front end work was done by the previous owner's mechanic, or if it was the tire installer than put the new set of tires on, but somebody was a knucklehead! I couldn't even budge the Lug Nuts using my electric Impact wrench. Couldn't budge them using my standard 3/8" drive breaker bar. Went back to the Hardware store this morning and grabbed a 30" breaker bar, 1/2 drive and some new sockets. Finally got 4 of the 5 bolts loose enough to turn a little, so can get those off. I don't know what that put that last nut was put on with, or what kind of material that last nut is made of, but the nut will not budge and the flat edges of the nut are gone all the way around. It didn't take a lot of oomph to do it either almost wonder if they put an aluminum nut on there as the metal does not seem very hard to round off that easily. To be safe going to replace all the bolts and nuts all the way around so I know they'll be good. Will try a small chisel and hammer and split the nut back to the wheel and hopefully open it enough to get it off.

But while looking around and feeling around to see where the Speed Sensor was in that wheel I felt something while in the area of the sensor and now I know what the problem is. The sensor might still be good but the wire going to the sensor has two conductors. One is still connected the other is broken and dangling, so of course if there's no connection, there's no signal to interpret from that sensor. So I'm sure that's why it stopped working when going through that rough area of the construction area.

Drilling the stud out is the easiest way, the nuts should have stainless covers, when they fall off the nut is undersize.

 

[Deb'nKJ]

Most tyre shops seem to use special 900nm (that's about 1200 ft lbs) air wrenches, presumably to make sure you have to go back to them the next time.

Not sure if those lug nuts are undersized or those tin covers make them oversized but, in any event,18.5 & 19.5mm sockets are now available for that very reason.

 

[Jeremy-WI]

The nuts can get rusted from the inside and be oversized, a bunch on my KJ got that way, so I ordered a set on Amazon. My nephews 2015 Ford Focus was worse, so I replaced those too, don't remember what socket was needed as the 3/4" wouldn't fit, may have needed 19 or 20 mm