ABS Light Info Needed !!ASAP!!

[DmcL]

ok to cut a long story short the car failed its MOT for a couple minor things but then theres the ABS light issue..

the manual the testers go by (here in NI anyway if its any different to UK/England) states that the ABS light should come on in the dash with the key turned to the position before the starter turns (position 2) and the light should light up and go out no more than 2 seconds later.

now my ABS works great but the light stays on till u turn the key and start the car. do all E30's do this? if so im gonna have to wage war against the testing body to get this amended otherwise ALL E30's on the road will never pass another yearly inspection here ever again nomatter if it was a brand new car thats been hidden away for 20 years with 0 miles on it.

[DanThe]

The light should not go out until the engine is started, you will find most cars are like this

[DmcL]

im hearing the same thing from the E30 boys in the states so im assuming this is the correct sequence of operation.

i dont know if this 2 second rule was only introduced for 2010 or what? may be NI only rule even? i have a friend in the local test centre says i should get a letter from BMW stating this is how it works but that doesnt solve the overall problem of the 2 second rule not covering all cars on the road.

here is how/why the system and light on the E30 works the way it does:

For the specific answer: the ABS system does not do its pump motor self-test until the engine is running. It only turns out the light after the pump motor test passes. This is so that the test doesn't drain the battery before starting, and so that the pump has full voltage during the test.

Therefore the behavior you observe (light on until after starting) is the expect behavior for correct operation.

[DanThe]

Your tester is clearly an idiot

[DmcL]

i told him thats the way it works to which he replied the "manual states..."

[Brianmoooore]

i told him thats the way it works to which he replied the "manual states..."

He's obviously misinterpreting the manual! No car can be required to meet a condition of the test that it could/would not meet when new.
If the NI test has been changed to this, then there will be an exemption clause somewhere!

[Chris-W]

They should have manufacturer & model specific guidelines for the ABS light sequence, odd that they apparently don't.

[DmcL]

a tester i know said basically i need to get a letter from BMW stating thats how it works and submit it to the test centre which will then forward it to the other centres.. u would think something like this might have been previously noticed and dealt with over the span of 20+ years..

[cirrusblau]

Your tester is retarded, find another testing station and get the car retested. Talking to people like that is like trying to teach a dog to read.

[BONNARSKI]

Let me guess Dan, you went to Newbuildings? The ABS light only goes out when you start the engine. Mines doesn't work right due to a previous owner but it still comes on at full ignition then goes out whem the car is started and then comes on again when you rev it.
Go to Coleraine lad, took the Evo up there two years in a row and the only thing i did to it was raise it up and wash it. Past both times and its a 94' lol

[Rich_W]

Tester is an idiot! Call the local VOSA. Or whatever the equivilent is over there.