ABS and clutch light

[Wolvrin704]

The last few weeks my ABS and clutch lights have been coming on and then going off. What it usually does is about 5 minutes after driving the ABS light will come on, stays on for about 10 minutes then the clutch light comes on for a couple of minutes and then they both go off.

The only change I had made recently was adding a tuner a couple of months ago and then I disabled the speed limiter about a month ago. Thinking that this could be the cause I changed it back to factory tune but it's still doing it.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[bdcardinal]

didnt know mustangs had a clutch light. could it maybe be the traction control light?

 

[blubullett]

Can you read any codes with your tuner? If the abs or trac-control light are coming on it could be one of the sensors or rings that the abs uses at each wheel. Check to see if one is loose or one of the sensors is messed up at all. If you look behind the disk brakes you will see them.

 

[Wolvrin704]

I assummed it was a clutch light but I guess it probably is the traction control. I also had that turned off with the tuner. I checked for codes a couple of weeks ago and nothing came up. I'll check again and then check the cables.

 

[joshjwc9]

So both the ABS and TC lights are coming on? Is this after driving the car hard?

I had a bad battery terminal about 6 months ago, and whenever I turned TC on and drove it hard, when the TC light came on, the ABS light came on as well, and when the car calmed down, the TC light turned off where the ABS light stayed on until I shut the car off. In my case, the battery terminal must have caused some other electrical problems, but they are cheap to fix.

Also, you may have a speed sensor starting to go out on you..I would start checking them at each wheel to see if you have any cracks or obvious damage.

Keep us up to date, and remember if the ABS light comes on and stays on, make sure you get it towed somewhere that can read the code! (Like a dealer, or high end shop). Do not risk your safety and other drivers' safety!

 

[Mstg05]

I would say if you had your traction control turned off with a tuner, this could likely be your problem. If you had a sensor ring that was cracked or bad, you'd likely have false ABS activation, or you'd hear the ABS accumulator come on whenever you hit the brakes, and possibly even have injectors shutting down (since traction control and ABS work in conjuction with one another). A cracked tone ring will not likely give you an intermittent problem, because it can't be cracked now, and not cracked later.

I'd be comfortable saying that you are most likely looking at the tuner turning off your traction control, or a SENSOR on its way out.
Question though: Why would you want to perm. disable the traction control? I dunno about the rest of the people here, but I personally like having it, especially when you hit that slick spot in the rain. That trac. control comes on and the car straightens itself out. Is it really that much to reach down and turn it off yourself before a race, or burnout?

 

[Wolvrin704]

Just so everyone understands.....the lights are coming on normally while cruising on the highway at 70 mph. Nothing is activating, traction control or ABS, the lights are just coming on. I've also had the ABS light stay on a couple of times when starting the car up before I've even moved anywhere. The light is not coming on after driving it hard and its like clockwork, once the ABS is on for about 10-15 minutes the TC comes on and about 2 minutes later they both go out. I can almost tell you within about a mile when the lights will come on during the drive home at night.

As for tuning out the TC, as I said before I returned the car to stock so it is functioning normally again. I tuned it out because I rarely ever drive the car in rain or other adverse conditions. Thats what I bought my Mountaineer for. Personally if I have it working its the first thing I turn off anyways and it gets annoying to have to do it everytime I start the car up. As for straightening the car out I've found the clutch does wonders for that without killing my power.

I checked the car for codes again today. Nothing comes up at all. Haven't had time to check the sensors yet, maybe within the next week I'll be able to do it. If I find a solution I'll let everyone know.

 

[Wolvrin704]

Update: I have messed around quite a bit with the tuner taking tune off and putting it back on plus changing the TC and speed limiter options several times but the lights still continued to come on. With the tune written out I did a code read while the light was activated and it gave me a couple of codes (while I failed to write down) but it said the codes were noral for a tuned vehicle......but I had already removed the tune.

BUT.......it no longer matters as I had the car for sale as well and it just sold today. My next step was going to be to look at each sensor but never got to it. So for those who were interested in knowing the final solution I am sorry but I will not be able to find out what happened, although I still think it was in the tune.