What is the reason for the ABS light turning on and then off after restarting?
2 Answers
ABS light turning on and then off after restarting may be an intermittent fault. The reasons why it does not light up after restarting are as follows: 1. The vehicle has not moved, and the system components have not detected any abnormal data from the sensors. 2. No fault code has been triggered, so there is no current fault code, and the light does not illuminate. Reasons for the ABS light staying on: 1. The current working condition method for exhaust emission testing requires loading the two front wheels, so the vehicle's two front wheels are placed on the rollers of the testing equipment to "drive." 2. The vehicle's ABS control unit can receive normal wheel speed signals from the two front wheels but detects zero speed signals from the two rear wheels. The ABS control unit determines this as an abnormal driving condition, so the ABS system will follow the program to illuminate the ABS light and deactivate the ABS function.
I've encountered many cases where the ABS light stays on after startup but turns off after a restart. This is mostly caused by dust accumulation on the wheel speed sensor leading to signal interruption or loose wiring harness causing self-check failure—the error light turns on when the system starts up. After a restart, the circuit may stabilize and pass the self-check, causing the light to turn off. For example, after driving in rainy or dusty conditions, the sensor gets covered in mud, increasing electronic interference. It's like a computer freezing and needing a restart—it's an intermittent issue that shouldn't be ignored. ABS failure during emergency braking can easily lead to skidding and loss of control. I recommend regularly cleaning around the wheels, using a high-pressure water spray to rinse the sensor area. If it happens frequently, visit a repair shop to use a diagnostic tool for deeper troubleshooting. Safety is no small matter—the cost of inspection and repair is low and worth the investment.