Yesterday my "ABS" and "BRAKE" light came on in the dash cluster. I had driven about 1/2 mile and had just made a sharp right turn. I drove about another mile and a half to where I needed to go. When I came out and restarted the truck, all the dash cluster lights flashed as usual when starting engine. After the bulb check, all lights went out. As I pulled out onto the street making a sharp left turn, the "ABS" and "BRAKE" lights came on again. they stayed on all the way back home. I restarted the ruck again after about a 2 minute shutdown. All lights stayed out after bulb check. I checked brake fluid, it was full. I checked all fuses for entire truck, all were good. No fluid leaks in brake system that i could find. Brakes were not spongy or hard, no pulling to either side. I tried going to local auto parts store to have it scanned for codes today, but missed closing time by 10 minutes. Will go again Monday morning.

Without codes, what, if anything, should I be looking for or check?
I have a 2001 Ram 1500 SLT Larriat 4X2 automatic with posi rear and 5.9 magnum engine and 156,000 miles. I'm second owner and hae put on less than 2,000 miles myself. I am on a VERY fixed income, so can not afford to throw a bunch of money at it or take to dealer. I am above average mechanically inclined and ability.

Thanks, in advance, for any and all help or advice given.

Dave

 

From my experience, likely an ABS sensor... more often than not the rear.

 

Parts store scanner won't show any codes as you can't read ABS codes on these trucks unless it's high end (a Snap-On couldn't even read the codes). Don't need ABS so it's not like it needs fixed right now. But what you can do is ground pin #13 in the OBDll connector (a wire will do) and count how many times the ABS light flashes.

 

I agree, as this is what happened to my rig a few years back. A conventional code reader will not pick it up as it is with the abs system.

 

2 or 4 wheel ABS? Parts store by me can read ABS and SRS codes.....

 

They are able to but not on these trucks. Even my Airtel or Bosch can't even read the codes. It tells you to ground theOBDll connector and count the flashes.

 

HeyYou,

I'm not sure which i have. I looked up the build sheet on 2 different sites an one said i has "RWAL" the other said i had "4 wheel ABS". Is there some other way to find out which I have?
Dave

 

Look under the hood. If you have the motor/controller, it's 4wal, if you just have the dump valve, its Rwal. Can also check and see if you have wheel speed sensor wires in front. They are required for 4wal.

 

MoparFanatic21,

When grounding pin #13, do I ground it with the key on or off, engine running or not? If I shut off the engine, the lights go out when restarted. I have to run it over about 35 to 40 mph and make either a right or left sharp turn for them to come on.

Dave

 

Get the lights to come on, shut the engine off, key on. It will flash. A long pause means a 2 digit number (ex be one flash, long pause, one flash is 11)