Grinding noise, drive resistance and ABS error after standing T5.1 4motion

Thanks for that @WillWillWill - reassuring to know that you had the same fault codes on your 4motion when it was just a failed sensor. There isn't loads of info generally about 4motions I find. I was wondering if there was something more serious going on.

I run a dashcam with park mode off my vehicle battery and it had been standing for a day or so when I took the voltage, so it'll have drained the battery before hitting the low voltage cut off - hence my lower voltage. I didn't go through the other diagnostic steps, it'll be a bit more involved as I'll need to take the passenger seats and swivel base out to locate and access the connectors.

Swapping the sensor is reasonably easy to do, as long as the current one comes out nicely, so I think I'll probably do that as my next step. If that fails, then I'll take the passenger seats and swivel base out and get into the diagnostic steps with the wiring loom.
 
When swapping the sensors, keep in mind that they are handed - i.e. one design fits the front and rear right, and one fits the left. I also wouldn't want to take the sensors out anyway unless you have to - as you found with your previous one they seize in and are too fragile to be swapping about.

What I meant was swap the cables over in that under-seat connector so the module sees the left sensor on the right cables and vice versa. As an alternative, considering you can't easily get to that connector, try unplugging the cable from the left and right rear sensors, and then making a couple of new cables that run across the rear of the van to swap them this way so left cable is plugged into right sensor etc. If you get the warning after moving just a small amount it doesn't need to be anything pretty.

Then if your fault code changes to be left rear sensor, it narrows it down to likely be the sensor, and if it still shows as right, it is probably the cabling.
 
Thanks @WillWillWill, I should have said swapping the sensor with a new one, rather than from the opposite side.

I have noticed that they seem to be very sacrificial - having changed the wheel bearing on the opposite corner recently, the sensor wasn't reporting errors but I couldn't get it out without breaking it to reuse it!
 
New sensor arrived this morning, fitted this evening, cleared my fault codes and went for a drive and all is good again!

Old sensor came out reasonably cleanly but did split a bit. I will try my luck at getting a warranty replacement, it's only a year old and had a 5 year warranty but no doubt in this condition it'll be a no.

Thanks for all the help, hopefully I won't need to resurrect this thread again...until next year! :rolleyes:
 
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drooke said:
Wanted to give an update on this in case it's useful for others.

I've had a few attempts at this but managed to get the old sensor out today. I followed this type of method

I removed the top part of the old sensor. Heated up a screw with a heat gun and screwed it into the remains of the sensor. Cooled it with water. Attached mole grips to the screw and levered it out. I didn't think it was going to give at first and didn't want to snap the screw but applied a bit more pressure and it came out. Cleaned up the hole and the surface ready for the new sensor, hoovered it out as well to remove any bits. Applied some grease to the new sensor and gently tapped it in. Secured with the bolt. I cleared the error codes and all good so far after a couple of short runs out.

Ended up costing me £30 for a new Bosch sensor and £14 for a heat gun.

View attachment 116369
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Gave this a go yesterday on my 4motion but it's well and truly stuck in there :( with the screw just coming out and leaving a hole on it.
So I suppose my next step is the strip the hub down and attack it from the inside? - any other genius tricks? before i do this or just take it to the garage
 
jimthevan said:
Gave this a go yesterday on my 4motion but it's well and truly stuck in there :( with the screw just coming out and leaving a hole on it.
So I suppose my next step is the strip the hub down and attack it from the inside? - any other genius tricks? before i do this or just take it to the garage
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No more bright ideas from my side sorry. I've used this method twice and it has worked.

I can't remember what access you'd have if you take the drive shaft out of the hub either but I'm wondering if it's limited. Just looked back at my photos from my hub replacement and it doesn't show it sorry.
 
I melted mine out from the top with a soldering iron. Shoved it right down through the middle and took that out, and then the “shell” could crack into the new void and away from the bore, and then lifted it out with some needle nose pliers.
 
drooke said:
No more bright ideas from my side sorry. I've used this method twice and it has worked.

I can't remember what access you'd have if you take the drive shaft out of the hub either but I'm wondering if it's limited. Just looked back at my photos from my hub replacement and it doesn't show it sorry.
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thanks for checking
 
WillWillWill said:
I melted mine out from the top with a soldering iron. Shoved it right down through the middle and took that out, and then the “shell” could crack into the new void and away from the bore, and then lifted it out with some needle nose pliers.
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i'll give that a go cheers
 
WillWillWill said:
I melted mine out from the top with a soldering iron. Shoved it right down through the middle and took that out, and then the “shell” could crack into the new void and away from the bore, and then lifted it out with some needle nose pliers.
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Bingo! - that did the trick - melted the top 10mm, picked away the crusty rusty bit - re-inserted hot screw - wd40 - pulled out the rest of it.

Fitted new sensore and no more warning light - happy man, thank you!
 
jimthevan said:
Bingo! - that did the trick - melted the top 10mm, picked away the crusty rusty bit - re-inserted hot screw - wd40 - pulled out the rest of it.

Fitted new sensore and no more warning light - happy man, thank you!
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Did you have to take the driveshaft out for that?
 
Hi Drooke, I too have a fault similar to yours, the brakes seem to hold the van back when pulling away but more worrying recently, they seem to apply the brakes when slow turning into a junction or even applying them at motorway speeds very briefly, both rear sensors have been changed and ran ok for a few months but scanned today points to the NS front speed sensor. (2013, 5.1, 4 motion California)
 
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