First post but I've been lurking in the shadows for a while.
Maybe someone will have an idea here.

After I get on the road for 10 min or so, my brake and ABS dashboard lights will turn on. There doesn't seem to be any other symptoms. It has been happening for a little over a year.

I have a 2001 Ram 1500 with the off road pkg and automatic transmission. I’m the original owner and purchased the truck in 2000. It has 53k miles on it. Gas prices put a real damper on my driving. I don’t have antilock breaks which really confuses me with the ABS dummy light. I’ve been turning up the radio and fixing my gaze away from the dashboard. The lights stay on until I shut off the truck. On little trips, the lights don’t turn on.

I’m more or less looking for ideas. I’ve read other recommendation such as disconnecting the battery and such. I’m not sure if that applies since it’s not always on.

All in all, it’s been a great truck. Only complaint is my wife doesn’t know how to drive without using both feet “One on the brake and one on the gas”. I can’t blame her for the indicator lights, it was happening before she started driving my truck. Only other related brake issue is that sometimes it seems like the power assist stops working when I stop. It doesn’t seem to correspond with the light indicators. Just once in a while when I’m stopping at a stop light, I feel the peddle drop a little and I have to push hard to stop.

 

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought I read somewhere that the Off-Roads have front wheel ABS?

 

Check your brake fluid level first. Many times this problem you describe with the lights is caused by a bad speed sensor in the rearend. This part is available at your dealer only, about $45. It is not hard to change.

 

It definitly does not have ABS. I know that the fluid level is good. I'll check with the dealer on the speed sensor. Thanks

 

It does not have ABS (4 wheel) but it DOES have RWAL (Rear Wheel Anti-Lock) ... they all do. The dash light makes no distinction between the two systems.

USUALLY, lighting up the ABS and Brake light at the same time is an indication of a faulty rear wheel speed sensor (on the top of the rear differential housing). However ... the indication is immediate. The fact that it doesn't happen until after 10 minutes of driving (and you don't claim to have speedometer/odometer errors) leads me to believe that the problem is actually a problem in the RWAL or brake system.

 

probably one of the speed sensors on one of the wheels...

 

Thanks for the clarification...I knew the O.R. had at least two wheels with ABS, just couldn't remember which

 

Still only one sensor though ... the RWSS. If the RWAL computer sees the speed pulses instantly drop to 0, it activates a pressure dump system (rear only).

 

Thanks. I do not have speedometer/odometer errors or none that is apparent to the me when I am driving. I fear that this type of repair just went from $50 to high dollar. This weekend, I'm putting on new front rotors and pads. I have some little dealer things that need to be fixed and I may just have them look at that then.

I don't have any issues with stopping but it is rare that I have to stomp on the breaks. Something that is going through my mind is the other symptom that I have on occasion. Sometimes, it seems that I am loosing the power assit when I abruptly stop at a light or something. It is a very rare thing for me but my wife constantly gives me grief over it. If there is an ABS issue, and there is infact ABS in the rear wheels, that may be what is happening.

 

yesterday I have had this, with the ABS and parkbrake light, just start with me, however I had the CE light come on as well, P0720, which is "Low Output Speed Sens, over 15MPH"

while the vehicle was stopped, the speedometer was pulsing up to 50-60km/h and back down to zero, then when I started driving again it would quit pulsing and work normally. ( so far it only happened once )

another code, that has just recently started with me is the P0132 (i think), which is a o2 sensor short.
all I know is Im glad I have PCM programmer so I dont need a dealership taking my 100bucks to do a CE light diag.

so if I change out the sensor, i should hopefully fix this problem? is it a tough fix, quick 6min fix outside, or is it something that usually takes alot of time in where you need to be in a warmgarage to do so?