Fault codes trick

Hi guys. Had a little problem yesterday after I knocked front left wheel against a curb. After a few miles the amber ABS light came on for a short while. Later in the journey it came on and stayed on. I suspect therefore a fault with the front n/s abs sensor

From reading various forums it seems I need to find the fault code from the ECU to confirm this? I have read that if you short a connection somewhere under the dashboard, the fault code will blink in the dashboard. I have the fault codes list, and I found a .pdf workshop manual. Only thing I can't find easily is the location of the connector I need to short out. Don't want to shove a paperclip in the wrong connector and cause more problems. Also don't want to be ripped off by a Honda dealer.

Can anyone help please? Apologies if this is listed elsewhere but I spent a bit of time searching and can't find anything

Welcome to the forum Johny.Personally i would try and get hold of a proper code reader there are plenty on ebay.

brett, i'm sure he knows that exist on ebay code fault readers...but what he wants i guess is something like this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M5BaAa6tCM

also,brett how i get the discount code to buy from hh? cheers

ABS fault codes cannot be read with cheap OBD2 readers, those can only read 'powertrain' codes. You could buy an eBay chinese clone Honda Diagnostic System (HDS) that should read all error codes, but they are quite a bit more costly and can be awkward to use (i.e. you need an RS-232 computer port for them). I am aware that Civic fault codes can be read using a paper clip method, but they have a different dash display that can show the fault code(s) in full.

OBD2 connector is down near the accelerator pedal under the dash.

Thanks for the quick replies. I guess when you talk about the OBD2 plug its the one with lots of connections. I have seen a youtube vid where a couple of these pins are shorted to produce a code, but it was not the same model as mine. Whereas Eric the car guy is shorting a blue 2 pin connector, for an older Honda, but it is ABS specific. That blue connector was the one I was after as it seems there is less chance of shorting/damaging the wrong circuit

Found this for the ODB2 connector

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKcwkWsHk98

Not sure if this is the ODB2 connector. The workshop manual refers to a Data Link Connector 16p (16 pin?) in the ABS circuit in that location area. Only 7 of the 16 pins are used, and the pins 4 and 9 in the text to the video are indeed in use for that connector. So may give it a go when it stops raining.

I have also come across some mention of restting the ABS data by disconnecting the battery and pressing the brake pedal. Does that ring any bells and will I have to reset anything else if I disconnect the battery?

Checked as per the vid in my last post and it works. Difficult to work out the code though. Slow and then quick but each time I count it seems a bit different does it a couple of times then stops. To get it to repeat from the beginning you have to take out the bent paper clip, ignition on then off, put clip in again.

I think I'm getting 1 - 5, 1 - 6 and 1 - 7. All of which are ... wheel sensor (open/short to body ground/short to power). So not sure where to start checking or what would cause that

johny...
i'm glad i could help you...
so can you be more specific what have you done and how? on the video i've posted eric counts the error like a single number 76 or 59...and the code should be the same not changing only repeating....
from the video you posted it i don't see very well what pins were shorted, 4-9! and the code that i have read is 84!
where did you find the code error - specification?
also try to disconnect the battery for 10/15min maybe its a memory fault...only the code from radio or navigation to be handy!
if that is the specification of your error code is 15(1-long 5 short) /16/17 i think is understandable that the problem is (i'm guessing):
1. it has no power to the sensor coming
2. it has no ground or it's short-circuit the ground wire..
3. it's defective

anyway check well the connections very well and inspect the sensor how you can...in the end tell here the result..
chris

So far all I have done is to short the 4 and 9 pins to see if it gives me a response. I'm going to recheck it in the morning

The Data Link Connector is, as adivsed above, on the drivers side above the throttle pedal, under the dash immediately beneath the coin tray. This image is the same detail as the workshop manual I have



Pins 4,5,7,9,12,14,16 are in use in the connector

I'm using the official Honda 2003-2006 Service Manual on .pdf file

I bent a paper clip and put it in 4 and 9. The clip is better than a wire as you can bend it to make sure it pushes sideways - staying in and maintaining contact

The codes flash on the ABS amber panel light in the order 1 long then a number of short flashes

why not take it to a diagnostic garage to fix, rather than potentially screw up and make it even more expensive to fix. the wheel sensor is probably goosed they are a tad too delicate for my liking on hondas, seem to be quite a common fail

Because I have had bad experiences with Honda dealers. On the last occasion they charged £90 for an hours work to tell me that my brake lights worn't worikng (the reason I took it in) but it might be something to do with the tow bar connections. Went to local garage and the guys said something like 'disconnect the blue wire and green wires'. Bingo free fix. Oh and the europarrts price for a sensor is £160 and I don't even know if thats the problem. It could just be dirt

And I do not know if it is a single sensor that is causing the problem. Can't see why a relatively mild knock on a wheel rim should damage a sensor. That may have just been coincidence because the light did not come on immediately. Because I'm getting multiple codes my guess is that it is something that affects all 4 wheels at once. But I don't know what. I will post if I find a solution. Tomorrow I will re-check the codes, and the basics like brake fluid, fuses and disconnect the battery for 15 minutes

take it to any decent indy garage, forget honda so doesn't matter. any decent indy can read off codes with a snap on scanner

the most he should charge is 30, tops. might get it for less.

then you can go get whatever is needed.

wheel sensors are extremely easy to break, i am pretty sure its the cause.

Thanks toffee_pie. Haven't done any work today yet but a thought occurs to me. If the sensor was broken when I knocked the curb then surely I would have got the fault immediately. The sensor code suggests a poor connection to all wheels

Realised my MoT was about to go overdue so went to back street garage for both. They read and reset the fault, it disappeared and didn't return. Fault was o/s rear sensor and battery charge faulty. Garage guy said it's sometimes indicative of a flat battery. So my guess is the battery may be on it's way out. Thanks all

Oh and worth noting the bent paperclip method of reading codes does not seem to give accurate results

A few weeks on, with a new battery, and the ABS fault light has returned. The exact error readings reported by the garage were:

1. O/S/R SENSOR CIRCUIT?
2. BATERY CHARGE FAULTY

After worrying that my old battery was screwed because it wasn't getting a proper charge, I checked the new one today and it seems good. 12.4V at rest which jumps to 14.3 on engine start showing it's getting a charging voltage

So the off side rear abs sensor will come under scrutiny next. But I suspect a loose/poor connection somewhere, as this problem is intermittent. Anyone know of a connection which might involve the sensor and battery charging? Or perhaps it's 2 seperate faults - the first being the previous battery was shot