green light abs?

[GingerTI]

hi i know this only my 2nd post but im trying to sort all the little problems with the car.

its an e30 325 on g plate

on the clocks there's a green light that stays on permanently, i believe abs?
i have just fitted a new abs sensor as old one was broken and causing problems with abs.

abs and brakes are working fine now but i still have the light on the dash.

wouldn't bother me, but i guess the whole idea of the light is to tell me there's a problem?

after searching i read up that there is a abs relay? could this be the cause?

any help appreciated cheers

[DanThe]

Sounds like you put the abs bulb/holder in the wrong part of the clocks

[Sanchez]

ABS is a red light I though.

Green is front fogs.

[GingerTI]

i haven't touched the bulbs or clocks just the front sensor.
ill take a picture and upload it.
not the fog lights either

[Brianmoooore]

ABS warning light is to the left of the battery light on the RH side of the cluster, and is clearly marked "ABS".
The light has a removable bulb holder on flying leads, however, and will also fit into the trailer indicator warning light position on the LH side, which is green.
The warning light might not bother you, but it will bother your MOT tester, so needs to be fixed.
If the light does turn out to be the ABS warning light, and is on all the time the ignition is on, then your ABS won't be working, and the over voltage protection relay is most likely the problem.
It wasn't fitted to later models, but I would expect your car to have one. It can be found just to the right of the ABS ECU, clipped above the metalwork that the glovebox catch is attached to.

[GingerTI]

this is the light that's on it doesn't come on at start up, comes on when you reach about 5mph



suggestions?

cheers

[askjeevesplease]

That is the engine management light fitted to 90 onwards cars iirc.
Get it on a diagnostic machine asap to save major costs itlr.
Good luck.

[GingerTI]

not good
only thought was abs as came on same time i was having problems with it.

[askjeevesplease]

I may be wrong, please let somebody confirm this before putting up the sad face.

[GingerTI]

haha i will hopefully nothing major, cant see it being as its running fine touch wood.

[mr_dink]

askjeeves are you in the US perchance? Pretty sure there is no engine light on any UK E30.

OP, do you have an ABS light that comes on with the ignition on the other side of the cluster?

[askjeevesplease]

As i said Mr Dink im not sure, should have really Sherlock Holme'd before worrying the GingerTI T hanks.

Im not from the U S and A fortuantly.

[mr_dink]

Lucky you, lol.

It most likely is as brianmoooore suggested that the ABS light has been moved to the wrong position, probably to try and trick an MOT tester!

If the ABS is working correctly it should come on with the ignition and go off when the engine is started.

If it's going off but then coming back on once moving this could be a sensor issue.

[GingerTI]

it did use to come on with the ignition and go off when the engine is started until i had an abs problem the i fixed the sensor but light now still on.

if relay is faulty would this cause for it to be permanently on?

[GingerTI]

ive just had a little google as this is doing my head in and found a few links saying this

http://www.angelfire.com/blues2/bimmer/ ... relay.html

and i have jumped my friends car a few times recetly as his battery has had it.

ill have a look tomorrow and see if there is a broken wire in the relay got to be worth a try before i go tacking every wheel off to check sensors.

[Brianmoooore]

If the light comes on with the ignition, goes off, then comes on again when you drive away, then there is nothing wrong with the relay.
Your problem is caused by a missing wheel sensor signal.
Check all four sensors by measuring their resistance at the ABS ECU plug.

LF 4-6 red
LR 8-9 green
RF 11-21 yellow
RR 24-26 white

All should read the same, and are normally just under 1000 ohms.

Was the sensor you've changed a front one? It's not obvious, but these are handed.

[spiny]

isn't that the light that comes on with the indicators when you have a towbar with a trailer attached ?
on mine it comes on once when you start indicating, but if i have atrailer attached, flashes with the main indicator light.

[PG325]

I spent weeks trying to resolve the same problem as you have, ABS light on with ignition, then goes out once started and then reappears once moving, the first time it was because I'd put the left sensor on the right and right on the left, I never knew they were hande, second time this happened was down to a faulty sensor loom, had to chop and repair.

As Brian suggested check the ohm rating at the ABS ECU and swap the fronts.

[GingerTI]

I have just fitted a new sensor to the front as said no idea these were handed any way of identifying which side is ment for which?

[Brianmoooore]

IIRC, there's a small raised rectangle right on the front face (business end) of the sensor.
The longer sides of this rectangle have to be parallel to the teeth of the ABS rings (or possibly at right angles).
You can connect an AC voltmeter to the ECU plug pins, raise the front wheels off of the ground, and give them a spin.
You should get a similar voltage from both sides, for the same speed of wheel rotation. Although the voltage generated isn't important for the ABS to work, there is a minimum voltage required, and with the incorrect sensor fitted the voltage may be low enough to trigger the fault light.

[Brianmoooore]

isn't that the light that comes on with the indicators when you have a towbar with a trailer attached ?
on mine it comes on once when you start indicating, but if i have atrailer attached, flashes with the main indicator light.

No, the trailer warning light is the one immediately to the left of the SI indicator, but won't have a bulb or bulb holder in it unless a towing kit has been fitted. The green light illuminated in the pic. is the one that lights on diesels to show that the glowplugs have done their job, AFAIK.

[spiny]

cool, good info

[PG325]

The left and right sensors have different part numbers printed on the cabling, the left ends with a 1 and the right ends in a 2, you'll see the difference when fitted correctly, the magnetic part of the sensor is closer to the ABS ring.