A month or so ago my ABS light started to turn on every now and then (still isn't on constantly). When the light wasn't on and I was coming to a stop the brakes *sometimes* felt rough as if the ABS system was more or less spazzing out and just turning on and off randomly and gripping the brakes when there was no need. It has since gotten to the point that the system will squeeze so hard that it actually causes the wheels to lock up. Luckily this has only happened at low speeds like when I'm pulling into a parking space. I'm trying to go about fixing this as cheaply as possible, but I don't have access to a VAGCOM to try to scan the system (Audi wanted $130 to do it for me). Has anyone heard of a problem like this? I'm thinking it could be a bad connection in the module since the light isn't always on..?

If anyone has any thoughts your feedback would be much appreciated.

 

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but without knowing what the ABS computer thinks is the problem, there's no 100% sure way to know...

There is a site where you can look up people (individuals) who have VAG-COM and are willing to help out, but for the life of me I can't remember the site.

VAG-COM is definitely one of the best investments I've made when it comes to my Audi, I've used it COUNTLESS times and have been able to help out a couple other people along the way.

 

My sons car does the same thing, the ABS goes off at about 3 or 4 mph as your pulling up to a light or stop sign slowly. No ABS lamp though, and it doesn't come on if you really grab the brakes unless its needed. I think its just dirty ABS sensors, as when I log the sensors a couple of them seem to drop to 0 mph from about 6 or 7, and they seem to stay at 0 until your reach about 6 or 7 mph. I need to pull the sensors and clean out the space behind them and the tone rings with some brake cleaner or something similar.

 

Same symptoms for me as well, in my case this behavior was caused by two different things: damaged ABS sensors, or sensors that were not pushed in close enough to the rings. However, without a way to view the values the ABS sensors are reading (like with VAG-COM) there's no easy way to know which sensor(s) is (are) causing the problem.

 

vagtoolfinder.com is that website.

 

Well I pulled my ABS module today and the random dragging problem has stopped. I know it isn't sensors because I had one damaged one that I replaced and I cleaned all the others real well when the problem initially started. I'm getting shipping stuff together and sending it in to get repaired this week since the problem ceased when the unit was removed. I'll let you know what happens when I reinstall it.

 

Of course it stopped when you pulled the ABS module out, thats what controls the whole system. Without the brain all you have is the mechanical brakes and theres nothing there to cause the problem. Were you getting any failure to communicate codes or fault codes from the ABS sytem at all?

 

I don't have access to a vagcom so I have no codes to go from. I put the repaired module back in and all was well for two days then it's right back to the same problem so I'm going to have to get it scanned