Ignition Module ABS light

[B29 Engineer]

 Replaced Ignition Modgel  That I purchased At Auto Zone It Did Not Work Engine acted like it was missfireing. replaced with old one.  Reatta has been running great for about 12 miles. hopefully the EGR problem was solved.       Next problem took car to a dealer to check ABS light staying on, he could read no codes, I tryed jumping the terminals A/H could not read any codes.      Dealer Said  It was not commuting with the ECBM. Any Suggestions.    Thanks   Richard DeWitt  1990 Reatta

[Frogware]

Do the visual check first. It is most likely one of your ABS sensor cables in the front that has the shielding frayed or completely broken.

[Ronnie]

...   Next problem took car to a dealer to check ABS light staying on, he could read no codes, I tryed jumping the terminals A/H could not read any codes.      Dealer Said  It was not commuting with the ECBM. Any Suggestions.    Thanks   Richard DeWitt  1990 Reatta

 

You should check the ABS fuse and the ABS relays on the firewall to make sure they are good. And check the ABS Controller fuse located near the steering column as shown in the photos below.

 

http://reattaowner.com/roj/images/stories/articlephotos/88-89_relays_firewall.jpg[/img]

 

[DAVES89]

Check the EBCM plug connection at the trunk. If it is not connected no ABS braking, ABS warning light on, and no ability to read codes. [Ask me how I know!]

[B29 Engineer]

Check the EBCM plug connection at the trunk. If it is not connected no ABS braking, ABS warning light on, and no ability to read codes. [Ask me how I know!]

 

OK, How Do You Know???????????????????????????

[DAVES89]

The Red was a one owner car always serviced at the Buick dealership was in great condition. I really liked the Reattas and wanted to be able to drive it full time year round but didn't want the car to rust. So I contacted Jim Finn who knew of a real nice car [the Black] that was available. I bought it and about after a year I developed a ABS warning light situation on the Red. I was sure it was the EBCM in the trunk and I had the Black right there so I put the Black's into the Red and the Red into the Black. I got the connection right when I put it in the Black but not in the Red.

As it didn't fix the Red's amber light situation I figured that I would get my mechanic buddy involved. He said the first thing to check would be the ALDL codes. So when we jumpered the pins the lights didn't flash. So I figured it was the dash light that was out. [This was the same bulb that failed when I first purchased the Red while driving it back from Florida. Nothing like getting a "beep" and a warning message every couple of minutes from the CRT for about 800 miles]. But fortunately my buddy said just turn the key on and see if the bulb lights and it did, so back to the trunk he looks and sees that I didn't connect it correctly.

After we got the plug connected right we ran a test and the ALDL flashes indicated right front sensor lead which as we know is incorrect. When the ALDL says right front it is as if you are looking at the car which means it is the drivers side. So we looked at the wrong side first which was good [we tested with an ohm meter first] and then checked the drivers side which was bad.

We swapped that out and I learned all about EBCM connectors and how to best test the ABS leads [First visually and then with an ohm meter].

[B29 Engineer]

The Red was a one owner car always serviced at the Buick dealership was in great condition. I really liked the Reattas and wanted to be able to drive it full time year round but didn't want the car to rust. So I contacted Jim Finn who knew of a real nice car [the Black] that was available. I bought it and about after a year I developed a ABS warning light situation on the Red. I was sure it was the EBCM in the trunk and I had the Black right there so I put the Black's into the Red and the Red into the Black. I got the connection right when I put it in the Black but not in the Red.

As it didn't fix the Red's amber light situation I figured that I would get my mechanic buddy involved. He said the first thing to check would be the ALDL codes. So when we jumpered the pins the lights didn't flash. So I figured it was the dash light that was out. [This was the same bulb that failed when I first purchased the Red while driving it back from Florida. Nothing like getting a "beep" and a warning message every couple of minutes from the CRT for about 800 miles]. But fortunately my buddy said just turn the key on and see if the bulb lights and it did, so back to the trunk he looks and sees that I didn't connect it correctly.

After we got the plug connected right we ran a test and the ALDL flashes indicated right front sensor lead which as we know is incorrect. When the ALDL says right front it is as if you are looking at the car which means it is the drivers side. So we looked at the wrong side first which was good [we tested with an ohm meter first] and then checked the drivers side which was bad.

We swapped that out and I learned all about EBCM connectors and how to best test the ABS leads [First visually and then with an ohm meter].

 

Thanks Dave89, Checked front L/R leads both checked at 805 ohmsl ABS light still on????

[DAVES89]

While 805 ohms is a bit low it still reads. What you might want to do is get the front end up in the air and put the car in nuetral. Set up your ohm meter and give the wheel a spin and see if it reads. Both Jim Finn and Mc_Reatta recomended this.

If that all checks out take a look at the rear. They typically don't go bad, but then again sometimes they do.

If those are good then I would look at the EBCM.

You could have a failed EBCM.

[Ronnie]

Did you get your ABS problem fixed. If so what did it take to fix it. Letting us know might help someone else in the future.