ABS nightmare

[Ste2ko]

Hi All,

I have spent 8 hours today trying to change the abs sensor on my t5.1. What should have been a 30 min job ended up taking all day and I still havent managed to fix it.

To cut a long story short, a week ago the abs and traction control lights came up on the dash, I plugged it in and the fault showed rear left speed sensor fault 00290.

I ordered the part and jacked up the van and removed the wheel, unclipped the loom connector and then the problems began. The old sensor had welded itself into the hole and would not shift, I ended up removing the rear plastic protecter from the back of the wheel and used a small screw driver to drive it out and eventually it popped out. Great I thought!

Only now the next problem arrose in that the new sensor would not slide into the abs hole, I attempted to file the rust out and in the end got a small rubber mallet to gently tap it home and then...snap! The brand new sensor wedged itself half way in and then snapped whilst trying to get it back out.

I will be booking the van in tomorrow as think the hole needs drilling to make it larger, the part number is correct, I can only assume the original VW sensor was slightly smaller or the hole where the sensor goes has shrunk.

Either way any ideas on if this is a common issue would be greatly recieved as can't believe such a simple job has proved to be so much trouble.

Cheers

 

[Dundee_Kev]

Yeah, common issue with most cars. A gentle drill out to clean the rust, but need to be careful not to nip the bearings magnet. If drilling is awkward due to position of the hole, then you can carefully shave a little portion from the body of the sensor. The part with the stick out lines running the length of the sensor

Also try to pop the sensor into the hub in the correct position so it follows the original path

 

[Kind of Blue]

Perhaps the receiving hole has swollen with the rust over time. Trying to recall another member has needed to drill out a sensor hole. I can imagine how frustrating this is. Yours is an older vehicle so might be expected perhaps but their has been a few sensor problems lately. my vehicle is a 2019 and have had issues with 4 ABS sensors since new. Corroding within the hole one wonder what can be done to prevent this?

 

[manfrotto]

I am tempted to remove mine and smear some antiseize on them as part of my next service. It seems a matter of "when" rather than "if" one will fail, and likely to be seized in.

 

[Kind of Blue]

I am tempted to remove mine and smear some antiseize on them as part of my next service. It seems a matter of "when" rather than "if" one will fail, and likely to be seized in.

Are they likely to break when removing them?

 

[manfrotto]

Are they likely to break when removing them?

So far I have only replaced one on a friends Tiguan, and it came out easily.
It probably depends on the age and the environment where the car is used as to whether they have issues or not.

 

[JDC]

I replaced the rear sensors on my 2016 T6 on Saturday. The first one I drilled out I and just lightly ran a drill bit inside the hole to ensure no more plastic was inside it. A gentle tap of a screwdriver at the strongest point, being the thicker plastic near the elec connection, made it go in a bit easier. The other I managed to prise out and it came in one piece. The new one again needed a slight tap but it went in a little easier.

 

[Ste2ko]

Hi guys,

Thanks everyone for your comments, really appreciated.

Quick update on my issue with the abs sensor. I took the van to to my local garage and explained the whole situation and how I spent 8 hours attempting the fix myself and showed him the photos.

He said he will fit my part and charge me 30 minutes labour. I asked his opinion as to why the new sensor wouldn't fit and he said 99 percent of abs sensors corrode in the hole and said a wire drill and copper grease is the key.

Again thanks for youe replies.

I'm just hoping now it is the abs sensor and not the magnetic ring on the bearing (will find out tomorrow)

 

[Kind of Blue]

Hi guys,

Thanks everyone for your comments, really appreciated.

Quick update on my issue with the abs sensor. I took the van to to my local garage and explained the whole situation and how I spent 8 hours attempting the fix myself and showed him the photos.

He said he will fit my part and charge me 30 minutes labour. I asked his opinion as to why the new sensor wouldn't fit and he said 99 percent of abs sensors corrode in the hole and said a wire drill and copper grease is the key.

Again thanks for youe replies.

I'm just hoping now it is the abs sensor and not the magnetic ring on the bearing (will find out tomorrow)

I am happy that it has been repaired at cost and that you had an empathetic garage.

 

[Ste2ko]

All sorted and fixed, really happy

 

[Kind of Blue]

So many of these things are corroding or something, wonder if some high melting point grease could be applied. I have lost 4 now since 2019.

 

[phazer]

So many of these things are corroding or something, wonder if some high melting point grease could be applied. I have lost 4 now since 2019.

It would help if people stopped using copper slip. Ceramic or synthetic compounds are the only thing that should be used on brakes that have ABS sensors