ABS light staying on

Saint rob

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 26, 2019
Messages
327
Location
Northwest UK
I've tried various searches but I'm still not clear whether it's possible to check for/read or just simply delete any ABS codes.
A bit of back story, the bike is a 2018 Z (so a UK bike and no electronic suspension) and the ABS light came on solid after washing the bike following a recent trip. Everything was working perfectly before and during the trip - and I know I should have just left it dirty instead of washing all the Scottish midges off, but I've never seen so many of them
I've tried the following:
Removed and cleaned both wheel sensors - no chewed or frayed wires
Removed both wheels and cleaned the the abs rings with switch cleaner
Removed and tested all 3 fuses
Disconnected both battery terminals, cleaned and reconnected them
Jumpered the black/blue lead and switched the ignition on with the kill switch off to successfully cycle the pump
Connected an OBD tester to the diagnostic port near the fuse boxes and it doesn't show any DTC's - but then I didn't expect it to

I haven't yet followed the sensor wires through and checked where they connect to the main wiring harness - that's tomorrows job, along with checking any connections to the abs ecu and pump.

I'm pretty certain that it was a dirty sensor/ring issue but I can't figure out how to check for codes and delete them, the light just stays on solid with no flashing - until the blue & black wires are jumpered and then it flashes.

Can anyone help or suggest anything else to try please?
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,817
Location
Joshua TX
My son had a similar issue with the ABS light. Discovered that there was a coyote peeing on his wheel/brakes at night. His sensor, rotor was getting rusty. He cleaned it, the coyote changed his foraging route, and no issues since. I think he used brake cleaner, and a toothbrush.
 

Saint rob

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 26, 2019
Messages
327
Location
Northwest UK
My son had a similar issue with the ABS light. Discovered that there was a coyote peeing on his wheel/brakes at night. His sensor, rotor was getting rusty. He cleaned it, the coyote changed his foraging route, and no issues since. I think he used brake cleaner, and a toothbrush.
Cheers Sierra, I figured switch cleaner should be good for that but maybe brake cleaner would be better and the wheels are easy enough to get out so it’s worth trying
 

Jlq1969

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 5, 2018
Messages
1,749
Location
Argentina
did you spin the rear wheel with a gear engaged, mounted on the center stand?…
.if the speedometer works, you can discard the rear sensor
 

Saint rob

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 26, 2019
Messages
327
Location
Northwest UK
did you spin the rear wheel with a gear engaged, mounted on the center stand?…
.if the speedometer works, you can discard the rear sensor
Thanks for the reply, I turned the rear wheel by hand when washing the bike but it definately wasn't in gear and neither was the ignition switch turned on.
The speedometer is still working - I'm presuming then that the rear wheel sensor provides the input for this to be calculated?
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,817
Location
Joshua TX
Thanks for the reply, I turned the rear wheel by hand when washing the bike . . . .
Speaking of which, the son that had this issue with his FJR, and myself, frequently wash our bikes. The only time that his sensor was tripping the ABS light, was when it was getting peed on. Although your issue started with a wash, maybe something else is effecting the sensor, or it's a bad senor. 'Cuz, soap & water, don't seem to cause the issue.
 

Jlq1969

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 5, 2018
Messages
1,749
Location
Argentina
Thanks for the reply, I turned the rear wheel by hand when washing the bike but it definately wasn't in gear and neither was the ignition switch turned on.
The speedometer is still working - I'm presuming then that the rear wheel sensor provides the input for this to be calculated?
Exactly, the rear sensor reads the pulses, which are used for the speedometer, ABS and TCS .... if the speedometer works correctly the sensor is fine. "But" ... it may have failed at some point, then it failed to read, it generated a fault code that was saved and that is why the abs light is on ... because there is an error saved. As the error affects the abs, it is likely that it is stored in the abs memory, not in the ecu. That is why with a common scanner you will not be able to erase it. you have to use a scanner for yamaha
 

Saint rob

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 26, 2019
Messages
327
Location
Northwest UK
Speaking of which, the son that had this issue with his FJR, and myself, frequently wash our bikes. The only time that his sensor was tripping the ABS light, was when it was getting peed on. Although your issue started with a wash, maybe something else is effecting the sensor, or it's a bad senor. 'Cuz, soap & water, don't seem to cause the issue.
With your bikes obviously being US bikes, am I correct in thinking that you can access the diagnostic screen and delete the codes yourself and delete them whilst the UK/EU bikes don't have that facility?
 

Jlq1969

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 5, 2018
Messages
1,749
Location
Argentina
From 2017 onwards, the diagnostic mode cannot be accessed using the dash buttons, regardless of the country / continent. … 1) I don't know what obd2 scanner you used, but an interface connected to the motorcycle's obd port and an application (TORQUE-style) on the phone has some good results (at least to erase fault) .
. 2) remember that you have “ another ”reading port (4 pins identical to that of the ecu) that is exclusive to the abs and is under the driver's seat
 

Squibb

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2014
Messages
1,064
Location
Bedford, UK
If the speedo works, then it points to being a fault with the front ABS sensor.

Ideally you need to get a dealer to check for codes on a 2017> model & then clear the history - I doubt your generic reader is telling the full story.
 

Saint rob

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 26, 2019
Messages
327
Location
Northwest UK
From 2017 onwards, the diagnostic mode cannot be accessed using the dash buttons, regardless of the country / continent. … 1) I don't know what obd2 scanner you used, but an interface connected to the motorcycle's obd port and an application (TORQUE-style) on the phone has some good results (at least to erase fault) .
. 2) remember that you have “ another ”reading port (4 pins identical to that of the ecu) that is exclusive to the abs and is under the driver's seat
Thanks Jlq, the scanner I used is a cheap Autel OBD2 scanner, it's worked OK to identify & clear a couple of engine related codes and I suspect it may be able to identify/clear the ABS codes if I could connect it to the ABS diagnostic port but it's a different connection on my bike.
It looks fairly similar, but to start with the the ABS connector has pins rather than sockets and it's slightly smaller, the first 2 pictures show the ABS port (with & without the bungs) the 3rd image shows the ECU diagnostic port (with the blank plug removed)
 

Attachments

Last edited:

Saint rob

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 26, 2019
Messages
327
Location
Northwest UK
If the speedo works, then it points to being a fault with the front ABS sensor.

Ideally you need to get a dealer to check for codes on a 2017> model & then clear the history - I doubt your generic reader is telling the full story.
Thanks Squibb, I'm beginning to draw that conclusion - I just hate visiting the dealers!
The speedo works as does TCS, it's the fact that TCS is working that I think it was a dirty front sensor/ring as I understand that TCS works by comparing wheel speeds - so if it's working then the front sensor must be OK now and I just need the codes clearing to turn the light off.
If that is the case I just think it's a bit crap that the codes can't be user cleared and it's a trip to the dealers every time after washing the bike
 

Squibb

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2014
Messages
1,064
Location
Bedford, UK
Thanks Squibb, I'm beginning to draw that conclusion - I just hate visiting the dealers!
The speedo works as does TCS, it's the fact that TCS is working that I think it was a dirty front sensor/ring as I understand that TCS works by comparing wheel speeds - so if it's working then the front sensor must be OK now and I just need the codes clearing to turn the light off.
If that is the case I just think it's a bit crap that the codes can't be user cleared and it's a trip to the dealers every time after washing the bike
Yamaha had no option but to go OBD under Euro4. Those of us with older bikes have diagnostics on the dash, as it should be IMHO.

Don't fret though, it's a rare occurrence, hopefully just some contamination on the front sensor or wiring/connections damaged somehow.

BTW, I've used Chorley Yamaha in the past - seem like a decent enough dealer.
 

Saint rob

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 26, 2019
Messages
327
Location
Northwest UK
Yamaha had no option but to go OBD under Euro4. Those of us with older bikes have diagnostics on the dash, as it should be IMHO.

Don't fret though, it's a rare occurrence, hopefully just some contamination on the front sensor or wiring/connections damaged somehow.

BTW, I've used Chorley Yamaha in the past - seem like a decent enough dealer.
I don’t really have a problem with OBD Squibb, it’s the fact that they choose not to use the standard interface connection - so that you have to keep going back to them. Why adopt 1/2 a standard?
I’ve got a dongle to connect to the engine diagnostic port but they use a different connection again for the ABS
I’m pretty sure that it was dirty/contaminated sensors and they are now clean/dry, I just need to clear the code - I think.
It looks like I’ll have to call Wigan Yam and see if they’ll hook it up and sort it out, it just annoys me as it’s something I could do myself if they didn’t use a proprietary interface.
 
Top