ABS Light Only Appears Momentarily on Startup when Cold

Mustang, Taurus, Tempo and Cougar. Town Car, Mercury and Escort.
Ask our auto mechanics for help to all your Ford car questions.
searchlight
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:07 pm

ABS Light Only Appears Momentarily on Startup when Cold

Unread post by searchlight » Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:13 pm

I recently purchased a used 1997 Sable and noticed that whenever the car sits overnight, and the engine is cold, when I start the car the yellow ABS light blinks momentarily when I start the car, and then goes out.

After the engine warms up, and I use the car throughout the day, the light no longer appears.

Is this normal? Is it designed to do an ABS system check once a day, and only when cold?

User avatar
carriedi
Posts: 2573
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:42 pm

Re: ABS Light Only Appears Momentarily on Startup when Cold

Unread post by carriedi » Thu Oct 15, 2015 11:52 pm

There should be a prove out when you turn on your ignition. but that should happen ever ytime you cycle the key from off to on. It should be like a two second prove out where the light comes on and then goes out if there are no codes. If you mean that the light actually blinks on and off more than just the one time you should check to see if there are any codes in the abs system. Using a scanner, see if you have codes. Record all the codes that you may have. The codes will appear in order of importance ( if there is more than one). Look to fix the first code first and then clear codes and drive and rescan to see if other codes return.
Browse "SIMILAR TOPICS" At The Bottom Of This Page.

searchlight
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:07 pm

Re: ABS Light Only Appears Momentarily on Startup when Cold

Unread post by searchlight » Fri Oct 16, 2015 12:09 am

To be more specific, the ABS indicator never lights steadily after the engine starts, nor while I am driving.

What is weird is that when I turn the ignition to Run, and all the indicator lights, light momentarily, that I only see the ABS light momentarily when the engine is cold.

If the engine warms up, and I should drive a while and then park the car, and then restart it again, the ABS light does not blink unless the engine is cold.

That is why I am wondering whether this is a one time system check by design every 24 hours.

I have no codes, nor Service Engine Soon indicator lights with my code reader.

User avatar
carriedi
Posts: 2573
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:42 pm

Re: ABS Light Only Appears Momentarily on Startup when Cold

Unread post by carriedi » Fri Oct 16, 2015 12:20 am

It does not have a cycle like every 24 hours or something like that. But as long as the light doesn't come on while you're driving, I would not be too worried about it. I would only worry if it does come on while you are driving and stays on. There could be times when the ABS light will come on momentarily when you are driving when you drive over something that will cause a tire to slip like wet leaves on the road or something like that, that would be normal too. it's the abs system telling you that it sees the wheel speed difference between the tires. but it should go out right away and the wheel speed matches back up to the other tires.
Browse "SIMILAR TOPICS" At The Bottom Of This Page.

  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post