help !! ABS Motor noise

Kingclever · August 8, 2002

Hey guys, I need help. I have a 1999 5.3 Silverado and I noticed my ABS light came on today and my ABS motor under the frame is making lots of noise. I unplugged it. Does anyone have a motor for sale? Also, once I replace it, I'm sure I need to extensively bleed my brakes, unless someone else had this happen and knows of anything else I need to do instead.

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gmcjoe · August 8, 2002

Very common problem on the 99-00 pickups.

CMNTMXR81 · August 8, 2002

It's a problem with GM trucks in general, not just Silverado's that utilize the Kelsey Hayes modulator. There is a TSB (don't know it on the tip of my brain) but before going and replacing stuff, make sure a wheel speed sensor's and/or it's reluctor isn't the culprit first. This too is common on the full size trucks which will engage the ABS at slow speeds when braking.

GnatGoSplat · August 8, 2002

Plug the motor back in and unplug the fuse underhood.

The previous owner unplugged my motor, and the positive terminal in the connector rotted out.

You'll need a new ABS computer, and it's not cheap. If it's under warranty, take it in. Otherwise, you're SOL. I think it costs $850+ out of pocket to get it replaced.

I've just been living without ABS!!!

Oh yeah, you can replace it yourself IF you can get the ABS computer off of the ABS unit. Most people can't, and have to pull the whole assembly. If you do that, then you DO have to bleed the brakes and also have your truck towed to a dealer so they can charge you $60+ to hook it up to a Tech2 tool to invoke a special bleed procedure in the modulator unit.

GreenRado · August 8, 2002

Kingclever,

I just finished down the same path as you w/ my '99 5.3. I also assumed that you'd need to replace the entire unit, not just the motor assembly, so I thought the brakes will need to be bled. If it's truly the motor (and not the sensors, as CMNT pointed out above), the brakes will not need to be bled.

My motor ran even after shutting off the engine - I had to pull the fuse block under the hood (look inthe manual - it's one of those gray OMRON blocks) to shut the noise off.

My dealer said it's $950 list cost to replace the unit - I managed to sweet talk them down by levelling with them asking for help, and to their credit they did help considerably.

Here's the topic I started about this if you want to read all the details! This may not be the only topic here as it seems to be an issue with any vehicle with the Kelsey-Hayes units.

ABS Control Module Topic

Good luck and keep us posted!

Kingclever · August 9, 2002

O.k. gus, I have replaced the unit and that was the problem. I called to several placed and prices ranged from 798.00 to 386.00 on a website. The website price was very cheap, I think it was gmpartsdirect.com...but they hit you very hard on shipping 80.00 roughly. Well, I was able to work with a local dealer and he was able lower the price to 500.00 and he had it in stock. Replacing it was a breeze. Took me about 20 minutes with basically a small torx bit in my 1/4 drive ratchet, pulled off three plugs on the unit and 'voila!

I wiped the solonoids [6] clean and the mating surface and put the new one on. I didn't have to remove anything else. Well, this new ABS control module has a new part number: 88982286, made my Kelsey-Hayes. Suuposedly it is a better built unit. I hope so. Plus I was given a 12/12 warranty on it. Wehn I talked to numverous dealers yesterday, they all commented on how common this part was on failure. Similar to the honda accord ABS module failures of 94-96. Maybe they were made by the same people?...not sure.

Thank you for all your help guys!! ;)

GnatGoSplat · August 9, 2002

WOW! You were lucky! I haven't done mine yet just because ALL 4 screws stripped!!!!! I don't even know how I'd get any kind of tool in there to grind off the screw heads without pulling the entire assembly.

Can I have your old module for investigative purposes?