A Jeep has many solid and delicate parts supporting the vehicle on and off the road. Unfortunately, with time, these parts can’t perform to the peak. A flashing ABS light issue is a prevalent issue depicting various matters in the Jeep’s engine and the electrical component. But can you drive your Jeep with the ABS light on?
It would help if you didn’t drive your Jeep with an illuminating ABS light. This light might indicate that the brakes are failing and there is less fuel. But, as a result, your braking time will be delayed causing severe accidents. Sometimes, speed sensors fail to evaluate wheel speed which causes imbalance pressure.
These reasons might seem minor, but they significantly impact your Jeep’s performance. Therefore, you should fix these issues ASAP unless you want to face any accidents.
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Case-wise Explanation For Driving A Jeep With ABS Light ON
A flashing ABS light is like a warning for various Jeep problems. You must be aware of the situation when this light flashes on your Jeep’s dashboard. If you aren’t familiar with the cases you may face, detecting the signs and solving the issue quickly is hard.
So, we’ve listed two crucial scenarios to understand the severity of the ABS light illumination issue.
Case #1: Quick Flashes While Starting The Jeep
When the ABS light flashes while staring at the Jeep, it’s pretty standard. The ABS runs a quick check throughout the system once you start the engine. So it’ll last only 2 to 4 seconds after the diagnosis.
You might hear a thumping noise when the ABS is running a test. Sometimes, the brake pedal vibrates a bit to confirm the procedure. However, the vibrations may differ depending on your Jeep model.
Case #2: Unusual If The ABS Flashes While Driving
It’s alarming if your Jeep’s ABS light comes on while driving. As stated earlier, the brake pedal vibrates when the ABS module is running an inspection. So, the brakes might not work if you notice the ABS light while driving.
However, you can still drive your Jeep using unique braking methods. But if you’re a fresh driver, you should avoid driving your Jeep with the ABS light ON. Since the ABS controls most of your Jeep’s operations, driving with a defective control system will be hard.
5 Reasons Behind The Flashing ABS Light
You’ll find numerous reasons behind an illuminating ABS light since it inspects the engine while running the Jeep. Once you understand the reasons behind this phenomenon, solving these issues is elementary.
So, tighten your seat belts to discover the causes of an illuminating ABS light.
1) Defective ABS Module
A defective ABS module is sometimes the prime reason the ABS light comes on. For example, the ABS module gets corroded and rusty when driving your Jeep for a long time.
Your Jeep’s brake will respond slowly if the ABS is faulty. Sometimes, you’ll have a hard time pushing the brake. Hearing noises while pressing the brake indicates a damaged ABS module.
2) Insufficient Brake Fluid
A Jeep’s ABS module is responsible for releasing the brake fluid, so the brake works smoothly. If there’s no brake fluid available, the light starts flashing while driving. Sometimes, the brake fluid cylinder has leakages decreasing the fluid level.
The ABS fails to maintain the brake pressure without enough fluid, causing a flashy ABS light. In addition, you’ll hear a cracking noise while braking due to less brake fluid.
3) Damaged Speed Sensor
Speed sensors send the speed data to the Jeep’s ECU to monitor performance. In addition, your Jeep’s ABS is related to the ECU, helping to control various tasks.
For example, if there’s an imbalance in a wheel’s speed, the ECU releases brake fluid to balance the velocity.
However, it fails to regulate the speed with defective speed sensors. As a result, the ECU receives insufficient data causing the ABS light to come on. If broken speed sensors are in your Jeep, you’ll notice signs like a flashing traction light and delayed braking.
4) Broken Hydraulic Pump
The Jeep’s hydraulic pump supplies the brake fluid to the wheels for normal braking. But a damaged hydraulic pump’s delayed response hampers the braking procedure.
Worsen braking performance, losing braking power due to faulty hydraulic valves, and leakages in the master cylinder are the prime indicator of a defective hydraulic pump.
5) Blown Fuse
Your Jeep’s ABS has its fuses. So, once the fuses are damaged, it affects the module’s performance, consequently illuminating your Jeep’s ABS light. The light goes off and ON when there’s a defective fuse in the ABS.
Sometimes, the brakes are a minor cause behind an illuminating ABS light. Though you shouldn’t confirm it, the light can flash for various reasons.
Step-By-Step Guide To Reset The ABS Light
Well, it’s pretty easy to turn off the ABS light once you’re familiar with the reasons and symptoms causing it to pop on.
However, some machinery eases the turning off of the process of the ABS light. So, if you want to DIY the whole procedure, this step-wise guide will come in handy.
Step #1: Detach Battery’s Positive Terminal
First, remove the positive terminal of your Jeep’s battery. Then, press the brake pedal until the Jeep loses its electric power and reset its computer to default.
Step #2: Restore Power
Attach all the removed cables to power up the whole system. Your Jeep’s ABS module will reset the ABS light if there’s no issue.
Step #3: Install New Sensor
Installing new sensors will keep your Jeep in a safe position. First, take out the wheel hub to remove the damaged sensor. Then, pull out the wires from the hub and insert new ABS sensors carefully.
Step #4: Cross-checking
You must reset the system again after you’ve installed new ABS sensors. First, run a quick cross-check to confirm the resetting process. If you fail to reset the system, contact an expert mechanic ASAP.
Cost Of Repairing ABS Light Issues
Fixing the ABS light issues means fixing the faulty ABS module parts. The repair cost depends on many factors: parts price, the mechanic’s expertise, and the repair shop’s location. Generally, various ABS parts’ prices significantly affect the fixing price.
You should pay around 20 bucks to fix the faulty ABS fuse. However, fixing the ABS module is costly. It’ll cost about $200 to $550 to fix the module. A damaged hydraulic pump is quite a rare case. However, an expert mechanic charges around $300 to $450 to repair the hydraulic valve and pump.
On the other hand, installing a new speed sensor can cost you $100 to $200 apiece. So, repairing the ABS light’s issues is quite expensive.
Bottom Line
The ABS light is a warning for you while driving your Jeep. You should never ignore an illuminating ABS light once you notice it. Try to solve the issues ASAP to avoid complex engine issues.
We hope the analysis on whether you can drive your Jeep with the ABS light ON has delivered the correct answer. Don’t try to fix the issue yourself if you’re a newbie.
Instead, run a routine cross-check in the ABS module to avoid a flashing ABS light. If things get out of hand, ask an expert mechanic to fix it.
