# ABS, ESP/BAS, TRAC lights are lit up on dashboard.



## MozartMan (Jul 31, 2010)

Hi everybody,

I got three lights lit up on dashboard on my wife's 2009 Routan SEL - ABS, ESP/BAS, TRAC. I went to Autozone, but they couldn't get any codes. I don't have time to go to VW dealership yet.

Anybody have suggestion what could be the problem?

Thanks.


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## DieGTi (Jun 19, 2001)

Steering angle sensor in your clock spring potentially. See my post in this same forum. 

Could also be abs related. Any abnormal operation preceding the lights? 

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## MozartMan (Jul 31, 2010)

DieGTi said:


> Steering angle sensor in your clock spring potentially. See my post in this same forum.
> 
> Could also be abs related. Any abnormal operation preceding the lights?


Yesterday, Monday, my wife turned from neighborhood road to the main road, which has a lot of small pot holes where bunch of them turned into small bumps after city workers patched them with asphalt. Also, about hundred yards of this main road from the neighborhood road have two curves. By the time my wife got onto strait section of the road and stopped at the traffic light those three lights were on.


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## DieGTi (Jun 19, 2001)

She may not have noticed the extra throttle input required to overcome the abs activating related to the clock spring/steering angle sensor. Mechanic can verify but this sounds familiar, can point them in that direction maybe. 

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## MozartMan (Jul 31, 2010)

DieGTi said:


> She may not have noticed the extra throttle input required to overcome the abs activating related to the clock spring/steering angle sensor. Mechanic can verify but this sounds familiar, can point them in that direction maybe.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk


Thanks for replies.

I saw your other post. Where is that part located?


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## DieGTi (Jun 19, 2001)

It's directly under the steering wheel, steering column runs through it.

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## Zambee500 (Jun 23, 2011)

It's likely either clock spring or bad wheel bearing/hub assembly. I thought the clock spring sets off a check engine light with code, but I'm not certain about that. 

When it happened to me, I didn't have any check engine light and it turned out to be a bad wheel bearing hub assembly. Reputable indie shop couldn't figure it out, said it was a dealership issue. VW dealership kept van for a couple days and couldn't figure it out. Tried my other indie mechanic (who is now my #1 choice) and he has a scanner that can read the wheel speed sensors so he identified which wheel was reading wrong speed (front pax side in my case). We tried replacing the wheel speed sensor first, which initially seemed to help but the lit-up dashboard came back within about a week, same 3 lights you mention. Did the wheel-shake test for bad wheel bearing and there was just a hair of wiggle that was barely noticeable. Replaced wheel bearing hub assembly and everything's been fine for 2 years now.

Long way of saying pay close attention when checking the wheel bearing. Also, the other side went bad several months later, so might consider replacing both sides especially if you can do the work yourself. Timken and Moog make great after-market parts for about $100, and include new wheel speed sensors.


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## Zambee500 (Jun 23, 2011)

It's also possibly the ABS control module, and i've read (I think over on the Chrysler minivan forums) that sometimes the dealership will start with the ABS control module, which is very expensive. I wouldn't let them make that diagnosis without first doing a road test hooked up to a scanner that can read the ABS wheel speed sensors to confirm all 4 are reading same speed, and if they're not then pay close attention to wheel bearings. Just my $0.02.


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## Zambee500 (Jun 23, 2011)

One last point (the memories come flooding back)... if you do try replacing ABS wheel speed sensors before doing the wheel bearing hub assembly, the Napa branded part is actually OE Mopar (made by ATE) for about half the cost. Or was at the time....


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## MozartMan (Jul 31, 2010)

Zambee500,

Thanks a lot for information.


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## MozartMan (Jul 31, 2010)

I took my Routan to Chrysler dealership yesterday (it is much closer that VW dealership). They called me this morning and said that wheel bearing/hub assembly and sensor on the left rear wheel had to be replaced and caused those three lights.


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## Zambee500 (Jun 23, 2011)

Good deal. Glad it was the lesser expensive of the possible culprits. Sounds like you have a good and reputable dealership nearby.

The wheel bearing hub assemblies deteriorate so slowly that the increased noise is almost unnoticeable...until you replace the bad wheel bearing. Amazing how much of the "wind noise" goes away!

It shouldn't be surprising if the other side starts to go bad in the coming months. You can pick up a Moog or Timken on Rock Auto or Amazon for about $100, so you can plan ahead and save some cash compared to dealership repairs. I don't know how O.E. Mopar prices, but the kits I've seen online (and purchased) come with new ABS wheel speed sensors, so you can kill both birds with one stone planning ahead.


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## kirk_augustin (Jul 21, 2012)

Yes, the first thing for ABS, traction control, etc., is always to suspect a simple wheel sensor.
And usually they are not even really bad.
All it takes is for them to build up some rust dust from the rotor, and they will stop functioning.
Usually all you have to do is clean off the metallic dust and they start working fine once again.


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