ABS problem - RAV4.2 1.8

[MsChopsy]

Hello

Sorry to play the 'dozy female' card but I need some help. My 2002 1.8 Rav4 has ABS problems. The brakes have been checked multiple times and I am told they are safe. The problem is, my ABS kicks in sporadically, making that awful noise, even when braking at slow speed in a straight line, with clutch engaged. Other times, the ABS light on the dash comes on, and the ABS does NOT disrupt braking when this light is on. The light used to only come on when I was doing high speed but it is happening more often now, even at first start up.

My regular mechanic had it for a few days and found no obvious fault or fault codes. He just sent it to an electrician that came up with the same result.

As the car is so old and worth so little (only has 80k on the clock though) the mechanic said he would just keep it as it is. I am worried about that though, for obvious reasons. It is also very embarrassing to sound like you are crunching the gears every time you brake. I live on the top of a hill, so I use the brakes often.

Does anyone have experience of this, or any advice I can pass on to my mechanic? My next stop will have to be a Toyota dealership. I don't hold out my hope of getting good advice from any dealership though as it took weeks to find out if my husband's Superb had a dual mass flywheel.

Thank you in advance.

[TonyHSD]

Hi, 

when the car trigger abs light on dashboard there should be a fault code stored. You need to run a proper diagnostic first to see the code which will show you from where to start.
The problem you have described sounds like a speed sensor fault or bad connection on some of the wheels sensors.
This needs to be confirmed.
The car is old and likely to have accumulated rust or debris on the vital components on the wheel hub, this will prevent the sensor to read and send data to the abs unit, could also be a faulty wheel hub bearing., these two can be intermittent and difficult to find. Driving your car without abs it’s not ideal and strongly suggest to you to find a mechanic or another place that will run a thorough diagnostic again and visually inspect all wheels hubs, sensor wires etc. Refrain from going into a dealer service. They aren’t the best for tracking and finding faults that aren’t so obvious, they are expensive and even if the mechanics are good the structure of the business does not allow them to help customers. 
Choose a trustworthy local mechanic or garage willing to help. Pass them the information above if they haven’t check that of yet. 
Good luck 

[GBgraham]

My initial thought would be a cracked or damaged reluctor, but as Tony has said you must first get it diagnosed. Most garages and repair shops have the equipment to do this so the trip and cost of the main dealer may not be necessary.

[MsChopsy]

Thanks for your advice everyone. I think I'm gonna try and find a brake/ABS specialist locally. If they can't pinpoint the prob, I'll ask them to take the fuse out to disable it. From what I understand from the little reading I have done, that will make it safer?

I've got 8 months MOT left so I guess I'll just use it until then? I only do 1.5k miles a year so it's really hard to justify repair costs and the monthly tax DD now, no matter how reliable my lovely old RAV has been since I had it.

[MsChopsy]

I'm worried again now! I've just looked at a fuse panel diagram and it states that the fuse for the ABS also controls the airbag system and hazard lights, among other things!

Am I looking at the right diagram? Surely nobody would suggest pulling that fuse?

By the way, I called the only ABS specialist listed locally online and they said they couldn't help me as they don't deal with 'that kind of thing'.