The ABS and brake light suddenly came on and has stayed on continously, it doesn't matter if I'm moving or not. My local mechanic got a RAM & ROM error and told me I had to bring it to the dealer, which I'm reluctant to do at $75/hour. Any ideas, other than covering the lights with electrical tape? I've been driving it for about three weeks and everything seems okay except that I don't have ABS which really doesn't bother me.

 

possible ABS sensor could be out.. does your parking brake work? If so, I'd count out the parking brake. My guess would be that an ABS sensor is shot somewhere. Ask the dealership first if that could be the problem. I know it sucks paying the $75/hour, but if thats what it takes to get it fixed, then ya best do that. I had a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am before I bought my 2000 Dodge Dakota Sport 4x4 a month ago. My car wouldn't fire all the time, hard starting, and when you'd shut off the car the gauges would go crazy. Checked the alternator and that was fine, and new battery (2 months old at the time). I called the local pontiac garage and the guy was a total dick (everyone around town knows that he is, but it really pissed me off). He said it was a module and that to fix it would cost $600+
So I said "screw you" and took it to a GMC/OLDS dealer and they listened to what I said, and took it in. Come to find out that the jackass at the pontiac garage would have ripped me off and not found the problem. What they found at the GMC/OLDS garage was that my positive battery terminal was corroded but you couldn't see it from just looking at it. That caused the gauges to go nuts after the car was shut off because the car had power, and then didn't, etc. About the starting problem. They changed my fuel filter and cleaned the fuel injectors. Put everything back together and... DONE!! Completely fixed for $195.00.. much better than the $600+
What I'm saying is.. ask them if that could be a problem. And then decide if you want to get it checked out there. Also, once they think they've found the problem, ask how much it's going to be approx. so you have an idea. It pays to really have it checked out.

hooby

 

Most likely it is the rear wheel speed sensor - this goes out relatively frequently on Dodge trucks. It costs about $28 from your local dodge dealer, and only requires hand tools to swap out. It's located on the top of the axle pumpkin in the back.

 

Wheel sensors sound like a good place to start. They provide feedback to the ABS computer. I've seen them bent, broken and just plain not work. There is 2 channel, 3 channel and 4 channel ABS. 2 channel is front and back. 3 channel is independent front and 1 channel for the back. 4 channel ... all wheels have their own sensor. Also be sure to check the distance for each sensor to the wheel. Inductive prox switches need to read the spoked wheels independent increments. Make sure the back of the wheel isn't packed with mud.