I started using a local garage to perform the more complex or elevated work on my 2002 2.5L Auto X-Type. Each time I took my baby to the garage, neither the ABS nor the Parking Brake warning lights were on. However, each time I got the car back, after a repair, both lights were on. Note that there were no problems with the braking system I observed either before or after repairs.



The first visit was to replace all four struts/shocks and the passenger side drive halfshaft. The young mechanic told me that it was throwing a C1095, "Hydraulic pump motor circuit fault" when he did his final diagnostic check after the work was performed. I relegated myself to replacing the ABS pump and module.

The next morning, the warning lights were still on so I disconnected the ABS module cable, inspected and blew on the connectors (like I knew what I was doing) and reconnected the cable. I restarted the car and the lights were still on. After backing up about 10' to get turned around, I started to go forward out my driveway and after about 20' the lights went off, and stayed off.

The second visit, about 6 months later, was to replace the upper/lower manifold gaskets, all plugs and coils, both CAT's and the alternator. When I got the car back, both warning lights were on again. When I questioned the mechanic, he asked me if I had replaced the ABS pump. When I told him no, and explained what I had done to fix the problem the last time, he told me that I had only "Band-Aided" the problem. I thought that either the OBD2 code reader they were using was screwing with the ABS or that they had possibly knocked a sensor. No worries, I thought, I have the fix.

The next morning I went through the same routine as before and upon exiting my driveway, both warning lights extinguished. The warning lights stayed off and braking system remained well.

A few months later I had them perform some transmission work. The ABS and Parking Brake warning lights had not come on since my last visit to their shop and were not on when I delivered the car for its repair. After the repair (repeat post-repair scenario above).

Yesterday I took the car back to have the Freon level checked in the A/C as I had not had it on (for the purpose of cooling the cabin) since they replaced the alternator earlier this winter. When I did try to cool the cabin last Friday afternoon, there was no cold air blowing from the vents.

I was at the shop the entire time the mechanic worked on the car, no OBD2 reader was used and the car never left the ground. After recharging the Freon, we let the car idle for nearly 1/2 hr checking and re-checking the A/C for proper charge and function, and shooting the bull. As I was preparing to drive away, I noticed that both the ABS and Parking Brake warning lights were on again (I was now convinced that the shop was haunted - yuk, yuk....)

I pulled into the parking lot next to the repair shop and tried my disconnect/reconnect the module cable - but this time it did not work. I got the car home and figured that my luck had run out.

Out of pure stubbornness, this morning I disconnected and reconnected the module cable before starting the car, did my 30' road test and achieved success.

The best I can figure, the ABS module is not receiving enough cool air when sitting still at an idle for extended periods of time (being so close to the radiator hose). It is highly likely that there is a weak component or solder joint in the module that goes into high resistance when hot and is causing the module to fail. I may test "idle time to failure" next weekend, to validate my theory - but in the end I will still replace the ABS module in the very near future - that or keep her out of the repair shop......