54 Avensis Abs Warning Light After Bearing Change

[Mark Dixon]

Hi all,

I had the front drivers side wheel bearing on my 54 plate Avensis 1.8 changed and since then the ABS warning light, VSC and traction control lights illuminate on the dash when I start the car and don't go off after a few seconds like they should, obviously indicating that there is a problem with the ABS system and that it is offline. Sometimes they won't come on for 15 minutes after I start driving, but in that time I can feel the ABS kicking in on the front drivers side wheel when I brake even at very slow speeds, going straight.

I have read on other forums (Mainly in the US) that the ABS sensor could be of different spec to the one that was in there and is sending odd information to the ABS system which is showing different wheel speed to the other wheels and making the ABS either actuate or flip out. It happened as soon as I drove away from the garage so I took it back in and they guys aid that the old bearing housing was pretty warn and the new one didn't fit quite as uniformly as it should (he said the wheel hub was slightly elongated).

Should I take it back to them because the ABS sensor is duff or is the guy on the right tracks and I need more work doing on it?

Thanks for any help. The people on here have always been able to help in the past.

Mark.

[t-spiritpete]

Hi all,

I had the front drivers side wheel bearing on my 54 plate Avensis 1.8 changed and since then the ABS warning light, VSC and traction control lights illuminate on the dash when I start the car and don't go off after a few seconds like they should, obviously indicating that there is a problem with the ABS system and that it is offline. Sometimes they won't come on for 15 minutes after I start driving, but in that time I can feel the ABS kicking in on the front drivers side wheel when I brake even at very slow speeds, going straight.

I have read on other forums (Mainly in the US) that the ABS sensor could be of different spec to the one that was in there and is sending odd information to the ABS system which is showing different wheel speed to the other wheels and making the ABS either actuate or flip out. It happened as soon as I drove away from the garage so I took it back in and they guys aid that the old bearing housing was pretty warn and the new one didn't fit quite as uniformly as it should (he said the wheel hub was slightly elongated).

Should I take it back to them because the ABS sensor is duff or is the guy on the right tracks and I need more work doing on it?

Thanks for any help. The people on here have always been able to help in the past.

Mark.

Hi Mark, I would go back to the garage, what sort of mechanic is he to turn out that sort of work!! Unless you actualy agreed to have the new bearing put into the worn housing that is. It could be a very dangerous practice and I certainly wouldn't do it.

Regards Pete.

[Jamesbelfast]

Could be the reluctor ring or the ABS sensor has been damaged or misaligned during repairs. In my experinece it is very rare for the bearing carrier to be worn - could be they furbarred it during fitting. Either way it is not a safe repair.:)

[in_the_no]

x

[Mark Dixon]

The sensor should have been removed before bearing work carried out, as i do with all mine, BUT there is 1 more option,the BEARING, as long as you have a pick up ring then it does effect you, some model now have the ABS pick internally in the bearing, so if it was put in back to front, then you need a new bearing as it will need to be removed and correctly fitted.

Next ,was the garage a reputable garage, did they ring you and tell you about the deffects when they found them BEFORE fitting the bearing ?? or was it a job done cheap etc etc.

Bear this in mind - you are saying they knowingly fitted a new bearing to as they state a worn deffective hub !!!

I know what i would be doing, with your invoice for work done, ask them if they will rectify the problem at no cost to you !!, if they so no, then .... i would walk away and contact my local TRADING STANDARDS and follow their guidance on the matter.

Thanks for that, it sounds like good advice. The mechanic (work was done at Charlie Browns by the way. Not my usual choice but it was the only place I could get it done through the week while I'm at work; no where would do it on weekends because they couldn't get the part) told me when I picked the car up that it was not properly seated but that it shouldnt cause me problems and that it was safe (I did specifically ask if the car was safe to drive without the ABS system as my daily trip to work is 70 miles). When I drove away and got all the warning lights the mechanic said there were no problems with it when they checked but did take it back in for another test drive round the block and the lights then came on.

I think I will be having a trip back there tomorrow.

Thanks all.

[jambbie]

Hi all,

I had the front drivers side wheel bearing on my 54 plate Avensis 1.8 changed and since then the ABS warning light, VSC and traction control lights illuminate on the dash when I start the car and don't go off after a few seconds like they should, obviously indicating that there is a problem with the ABS system and that it is offline. Sometimes they won't come on for 15 minutes after I start driving, but in that time I can feel the ABS kicking in on the front drivers side wheel when I brake even at very slow speeds, going straight.

I have read on other forums (Mainly in the US) that the ABS sensor could be of different spec to the one that was in there and is sending odd information to the ABS system which is showing different wheel speed to the other wheels and making the ABS either actuate or flip out. It happened as soon as I drove away from the garage so I took it back in and they guys aid that the old bearing housing was pretty warn and the new one didn't fit quite as uniformly as it should (he said the wheel hub was slightly elongated).

Should I take it back to them because the ABS sensor is duff or is the guy on the right tracks and I need more work doing on it?

Thanks for any help. The people on here have always been able to help in the past.

Mark.

hi mate, i have a 2004 avensis and had the drivers wheel bearing done recently.. don't think front wheels on my car have hubs only the rear. your mechanic sounds a bit like a chancer

[Jamesbelfast]

Hi all,

I had the front drivers side wheel bearing on my 54 plate Avensis 1.8 changed and since then the ABS warning light, VSC and traction control lights illuminate on the dash when I start the car and don't go off after a few seconds like they should, obviously indicating that there is a problem with the ABS system and that it is offline. Sometimes they won't come on for 15 minutes after I start driving, but in that time I can feel the ABS kicking in on the front drivers side wheel when I brake even at very slow speeds, going straight.

I have read on other forums (Mainly in the US) that the ABS sensor could be of different spec to the one that was in there and is sending odd information to the ABS system which is showing different wheel speed to the other wheels and making the ABS either actuate or flip out. It happened as soon as I drove away from the garage so I took it back in and they guys aid that the old bearing housing was pretty warn and the new one didn't fit quite as uniformly as it should (he said the wheel hub was slightly elongated).

Should I take it back to them because the ABS sensor is duff or is the guy on the right tracks and I need more work doing on it?

Thanks for any help. The people on here have always been able to help in the past.

Mark.

hi mate, i have a 2004 avensis and had the drivers wheel bearing done recently.. don't think front wheels on my car have hubs only the rear. your mechanic sounds a bit like a chancer

If the front wheels don't have hubs what on earth do the wheels bolt onto then??:)

[Beagh1958]

To Mark Dixon.

Your man is a chancer for sure. Sorry, but why would you want to give him more money. Presuming your front hub housing was elongated, i feel sure he would have been straight on the phone to point possible extra problem out (more money for him) why would he press new bearing into possible defective part.

I think you need to step back for a second, do you not have a friend, associate or a mechanic with a good reputation that could check condition of new wheel bearing repair?

You had no warning lights coming on before this person carried out work on your car ????????? Therefore it could be safe to assume that something has gone wrong during bearing renewal at this garage.

As above, a second opinion will not hurt, before you persue the matter further. Have your car put up on ramp & check work that has been carrried out properly.

If you find fault with his workmanship, allow him the chance to put it right at his cost. If that's a NO, if you are with a breakdown company, you might be able to have technician come out & check work carried out on your car.

Regards, Beagh.

[Konrad C]

Hi all,

I had the front drivers side wheel bearing on my 54 plate Avensis 1.8 changed and since then the ABS warning light, VSC and traction control lights illuminate on the dash when I start the car and don't go off after a few seconds like they should, obviously indicating that there is a problem with the ABS system and that it is offline. Sometimes they won't come on for 15 minutes after I start driving, but in that time I can feel the ABS kicking in on the front drivers side wheel when I brake even at very slow speeds, going straight.

I have read on other forums (Mainly in the US) that the ABS sensor could be of different spec to the one that was in there and is sending odd information to the ABS system which is showing different wheel speed to the other wheels and making the ABS either actuate or flip out. It happened as soon as I drove away from the garage so I took it back in and they guys aid that the old bearing housing was pretty warn and the new one didn't fit quite as uniformly as it should (he said the wheel hub was slightly elongated).

Should I take it back to them because the ABS sensor is duff or is the guy on the right tracks and I need more work doing on it?

Thanks for any help. The people on here have always been able to help in the past.

Mark.

Hi Mark

As the others have said, get indipendant advice. I re-read your statement, and it sounds like the mechanic installed a different inner hub on to your bear and hub carrier.

I recently changed my front wheel bearing myself. When the old bearing is pressed out, the hub is first pressed out taking part of the inner race with it. The race has to be removed before the inner hub can be pressed into the new bearing. It sounds like he could not do it or was lazy and used a different inner hub. This may have caused the ABS errors you mentioned.

The other question is - did he damage any of the ABS system during the work?

The inner hub and the hub carrier cannot be worn unless again, they were damaged during the bearing change. What tools were they using?!

Hope you get sorted.

[Mark Dixon]

Hi Konrad C,

I had thought of going to another garage and asking them to take a look and see what they thought of the work and if they could see what had been done. I have no idea what tools they used or what the actual part was (i.e. the brand/supplier) that they replaced.

I also seem to have misplaced the invoice that I got from them!

[Mark Dixon]

NOT a happy customer!

Took car to another garage on Sunday and asked them to take a look and they found something interesting.

The guy put the car up on the lift and looked inside the wheel arch and found that whilst Charlie Browns had been replacing the bearing, they had broke or lost a bolt holding the ABS sensor in place, and instead of replacing it with the proper bolt or even telling me about it, they put in a bolt that was about three times longer than the one that was in originally, so there was about 4cm of it sticking out of the hole it was supposed to be in. He compared this to the other side, and I saw it should be a tiny little bolt that goes all the way in flat to the thing its screwed into and not sticking up.

The garage I took it to (Motorsave in Doncaster) said that he didn't have the right bolt but put a nut on the bolt that was there and tightened it so it kind of holds the sensor in place which has made the ABS a lot better, the lights don't come on, but the wheel still "judders" when braking at slow speeds. Motorsave didn't charge me for the time or the bolt.

A case for trading standards perhaps?

[Q.S.]

NOT a happy customer!

Took car to another garage on Sunday and asked them to take a look and they found something interesting.

The guy put the car up on the lift and looked inside the wheel arch and found that whilst Charlie Browns had been replacing the bearing, they had broke or lost a bolt holding the ABS sensor in place, and instead of replacing it with the proper bolt or even telling me about it, they put in a bolt that was about three times longer than the one that was in originally, so there was about 4cm of it sticking out of the hole it was supposed to be in. He compared this to the other side, and I saw it should be a tiny little bolt that goes all the way in flat to the thing its screwed into and not sticking up.

The garage I took it to (Motorsave in Doncaster) said that he didn't have the right bolt but put a nut on the bolt that was there and tightened it so it kind of holds the sensor in place which has made the ABS a lot better, the lights don't come on, but the wheel still "judders" when braking at slow speeds. Motorsave didn't charge me for the time or the bolt.

A case for trading standards perhaps?

A lesson to be learnt here, I think. Never trust the 'supermarket' type garages (charlie browns, quickfit, Halfords, etc.) with anything more complex than tyres, batteries or exhausts.

In my experience (you may have read this in my comments before), the majority of their so-called mechanics are little more than trained monkeys. There are a few exceptions of qualified personel in these places but they are few and far between.

Far better to use a local, long established independant than the 'supermarket' types. Their staff are skilled, apprentice trained mechanics, not just someone who has done a course on certain items.

Sorry to bang on but have seen too many disaster stories from these places.

[Mark Dixon]

NOT a happy customer!

Took car to another garage on Sunday and asked them to take a look and they found something interesting.

The guy put the car up on the lift and looked inside the wheel arch and found that whilst Charlie Browns had been replacing the bearing, they had broke or lost a bolt holding the ABS sensor in place, and instead of replacing it with the proper bolt or even telling me about it, they put in a bolt that was about three times longer than the one that was in originally, so there was about 4cm of it sticking out of the hole it was supposed to be in. He compared this to the other side, and I saw it should be a tiny little bolt that goes all the way in flat to the thing its screwed into and not sticking up.

The garage I took it to (Motorsave in Doncaster) said that he didn't have the right bolt but put a nut on the bolt that was there and tightened it so it kind of holds the sensor in place which has made the ABS a lot better, the lights don't come on, but the wheel still "judders" when braking at slow speeds. Motorsave didn't charge me for the time or the bolt.

A case for trading standards perhaps?

A lesson to be learnt here, I think. Never trust the 'supermarket' type garages (charlie browns, quickfit, Halfords, etc.) with anything more complex than tyres, batteries or exhausts.

In my experience (you may have read this in my comments before), the majority of their so-called mechanics are little more than trained monkeys. There are a few exceptions of qualified personel in these places but they are few and far between.

Far better to use a local, long established independant than the 'supermarket' types. Their staff are skilled, apprentice trained mechanics, not just someone who has done a course on certain items.

Sorry to bang on but have seen too many disaster stories from these places.

I totally agree - I have a fear of being ripped off by chain-store garages but I couldn't get the work done at any other time so was forced into using them. I was probably overcharged as well, even if the work had been done properly. I work in IT and know how people can be taken advantage of when they have little or no knowledge of the subject and leave it in the hands of an "expert".

I now have photos of the work and will challenge them and ask what they will do to rectify the problem. Today, the car was ok until I came to crawling round a car park at 5mph looking for a space, then the brake on that wheel constantly rumbled and made the car hum!