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Car Forum / Jeep / February 2007ABS disabled on XJ
Hi, In December, I bought a '98 XJ 4.0L. The guy who sold it to me said it has ABS, and the brake fluid reservoir looks like the ones in the Haynes manual for cars with ABS. The problem seems to be in the fusebox. It appears someone has taken out the fuse for ABS. Could I cause anything bad to happen by replacing the fuse? Is there any reason someone would have removed the fuse? On a somewhat related note, do I want ABS on a Jeep? I have plenty of experience driving without ABS, but only a few winters in cold weather. There hasn't been much snow in Pittsburgh this winter, but I got a few chances to test the Jeep on lightly packed or freshly fallen snow and it stops remarkably well. (At first I thought they had gotten rid of the pulsing feeling in ABS.) I suspect I do want ABS if only because it can handle cases where the traction is different on the right and left. But I thought it's worth asking. Thanks, Ivan The brake reservior isn't the issue with ABS, it's the ABS controller which should be located somewhere under the master cylinder. It'll look like a metal box that the brake lines run into. If it's there, you have ABS. If you only have brake lines running from the MC to the undercarriage, you don't. If there is no ABS fuse and there is no ABS light lit up on the dash, I would suspect you in fact do not have ABS. ABS was optional that year according to kbb.com. PS Haynes manuals suck. > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Thanks, > Ivan > The brake reservior isn't the issue with ABS, it's the ABS controller which > should be located somewhere under the master cylinder. It'll look like a > metal box that the brake lines run into. If it's there, you have ABS. If > you only have brake lines running from the MC to the undercarriage, you > don't. I meant to take pictures, but forgot. There is a small metal box with brake lines running into it, but it doesn't look like much more than a splitter of sorts. There are 3 lines running out, one towards each front wheel, and one towards the back. I'm guessing that means no ABS. There is a big cylindrical thing I'm guessing is just for power brakes. > If there is no ABS fuse and there is no ABS light lit up on the dash, I > would suspect you in fact do not have ABS. ABS was optional that year > according to kbb.com. Yeah, that's why I asked the guy. He said he would check, and then later he said it did have ABS. > PS Haynes manuals suck. I saw they had a different manual at Advance Auto. Don't remember what it was called. Is that any better? As you can tell, I don't know much about cars. Before about a year ago, the only maintenance I had done myself was adding fluids and changing wipers and bulbs. I'd like to learn more, but lack of a garage is kind of discouraning in the winter. I changed one of my front hubs in the cold, only to later find out the replacement was also bad. Ivan Haynes and Chiltons manuals cover too many years to be of detailed value although the Haynes CJ manual does have good diagrams of the vacuum tubing system if I recall correctly. What you will generally find recommended on this board is a "Factory Service Manual" which is specific to your model and year. These manuals are pricy to buy new, used copies are often a better value. Think of it as any specialized tool you need to buy....... the first time you use it it will pay for itself. For some misc pages for a FSM http://s112.photobucket.com/albums/n171/Billy_Ray_2006/WJ%20Technical/ >> The brake reservior isn't the issue with ABS, it's the ABS controller >> which [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Ivan >> The brake reservior isn't the issue with ABS, it's the ABS >> controller which should be located somewhere under the master [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > ABS. There is a big cylindrical thing I'm guessing is just for power > brakes. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/brake.htm  SignatureDougW >>> The brake reservior isn't the issue with ABS, it's the ABS >>> controller which should be located somewhere under the master [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > http://auto.howstuffworks.com/brake.htm Ok, yeah, no ABS then. Thanks for the help, Ivan >> The brake reservior isn't the issue with ABS, it's the ABS controller >> which [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > splitter of sorts. There are 3 lines running out, one towards each front > wheel, and one towards the back. That's the proportioning valve. The ABS controller is bigger with a larger wiring harness connected. I'm guessing that means no ABS. There is > a big cylindrical thing I'm guessing is just for power brakes. Yep. >> If there is no ABS fuse and there is no ABS light lit up on the dash, I >> would suspect you in fact do not have ABS. ABS was optional that year [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > I saw they had a different manual at Advance Auto. Don't remember what it > was called. Is that any better? Probably a Chiltons. They suck too. Factory Service Manual is what you need. http://www.4x4abc.com/4WD101/ABS_offroad.html http://www.naxja.org/html/techarticles/uninstall_OEM_ABS.htm God Bless America, Bill 0|||||||0 mailto:LWHughes3rd@aol.com http://www.billhughes.com/ > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Thanks, > Ivan a vehicle with working abs is far safer to drive than one without > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Thanks, > Ivan Do you have any statistics or even anecdotal evidence to back that up, or is it just something you pulled out of your butt and blind allegiance to industry propaganda? I have driven a few hundred thousand trouble-free and accident-free miles without ABS. If I could be even safer than I am now, wow, that would be real safe. Ivan, plug in the fuse and see what happens. With a vehicle this old, it wouldn't hurt to flush the brake fluid and do a visual inspection of brake lines, pads, shoes, sensors, sensor wires, etc. Maybe the previous owner used the vehicle on gravel roads or did some off roading, and just forgot to plug the fuse back in one time. Earle > a vehicle with working abs is far safer to drive than one without > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Thanks, > > Ivan Hi Earle, I wonder how many follow their maintenance guide and flush their brake fluid at sixty thousand: http://www.billhughes.com/WJLubeSchedule.jpg God Bless America, Bill 0|||||||0 mailto:LWHughes3rd@aol.com > Do you have any statistics or even anecdotal evidence to back that up, or is > it just something you pulled out of your butt and blind allegiance to [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Earle I did....... with Valvoline's SynPower DOT4. It takes about a quart to flush the old dirty stuff out. (the cost was $4.99 + tax) > Hi Earle, > I wonder how many follow their maintenance guide and flush their brake [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >> >> Earle Bullcrap. First most folks don't know how to use ABS, and the result is that vehicle with ABS, due to driver stupidity, have a slightly worse accident rate than vehicles without it. A small contribution to that statistic is drivers who believe ABS overrules the laws of physics and think ABS will stop you instantly. [Both of these are easily researched at dot and sae] Second, on some surfaces ABS cannot stop as fast as wedging without ABS. Those surfaces are where jeeps tend to go. philthy proclaimed: > a vehicle with working abs is far safer to drive than one without > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >>Thanks, >>Ivan > Bullcrap. First most folks don't know how to use ABS, and the result > is that vehicle with ABS, due to driver stupidity, have a slightly [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Second, on some surfaces ABS cannot stop as fast as wedging without > ABS. Those surfaces are where jeeps tend to go. ABS can also cause a "run away" situation on downhill. Nearly bit it on a steep downhill dirt trail when the brakes refused to brake. After that experience I always take the fuse out. Eventually I want to put in a bypass switch inside the cab. Now ABS is great on ice and on wet pavement. Providing you know it's so you can steer around the problem. SignatureDougW Ditto. God Bless America, Bill 0|||||||0 mailto:LWHughes3rd@aol.com http://www.billhughes.com/ > ABS can also cause a "run away" situation on downhill. Nearly bit it > on a steep downhill dirt trail when the brakes refused to brake. After > that experience I always take the fuse out. Eventually I want to put > in a bypass switch inside the cab. Now ABS is great on ice and on > wet pavement. Providing you know it's so you can steer around the > problem. If you don't have to stop for stop signs in the snow: http://www.4x4abc.com/4WD101/ABS_offroad.html God Bless America, Bill 0|||||||0 mailto:LWHughes3rd@aol.com http://www.billhughes.com/ > a vehicle with working abs is far safer to drive than one without >Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >Thanks, >Ivan In my '01 WJ I often had a problem approaching an intersection under moderate braking if there was a reasonably sharp bump in the road... the live axle up front would momentarily go airborne and the ABS would kick in... nearly slid through the intersection a number of times. This happened from new so it wasn't old flabby shocks. Personally, I would rather not have ABS but then I would also prefer a standard transmission too. reboot --- avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean. Virus Database (VPS): 000710-3, 02/05/2007 Tested on: 2/5/2007 9:29:55 PM avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2007 ALWIL Software. http://www.avast.com > In my '01 WJ I often had a problem approaching an intersection under > moderate braking if there was a reasonably sharp bump in the road... [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Personally, I would rather not have ABS but then I would also prefer a > standard transmission too. As it turns out, I don't have ABS after all. I did make sure to get a standard transmission. For a while I was worried I might not be able to find one and was thinking about an automatic Grand Cherokee. I didn't even ask to test drive it, because it really seemed like the Grand Cherokee is a sort of luxury car designed so you could claim it was an SUV. :P As it is, I ended up with enough fancy stuff like power windows that freeze shut and cruise control. At least I don't need to feel bad about getting it dirty. The extra leg room wouldn't have hurt though. (I'm 6'5".) Ivan Congrats on choosing the XJ, they are far superior to the Grand! One thing to REALLY pay attention to is the the "DOOR HINGES". If you do NOT keep them well lubed, they will sieze and rip loose from the body. NOT a good thing and a pain to get repaired correctly. I prefer the original "Liquid Wrench" which has some actual oil in it (unlike WD-40 which is useless) along with some additives, it penetrates the joint and seems to stay awhile. I lube mine every 3 months and they are tight as when new! Bruce |
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