ABS/ESP/SERV - independent garage diagnostics?

[CrippsCorner]

Hi so I've got the ABS/ESP/SERV lights coming on every now and again. Tried the brake pedal switch adjustment, and although I wasn't getting the 'clicking' noise that it seems you should get... I pulled it out thus resetting it and it's made no difference (lights come on perfectly when pedal is pressed)

Have read through more than 5 threads on here tonight all about the same thing, and it seems there's just so many different things it could be! I have a service coming up in 200 miles time, I'm thinking of getting the garage to run a diagnostics check and hopefully that'll point me to where the problem lies... question is will an independent garage's equipment be up to the job? Don't really wanna go down the Renault/Clip route as I know they will charge a bomb.

Thanking you...

 

[shiftspark]

i have just been quoted £50 +vat just to reset it from my local stealer

 

[MRBILLYUK]

i have just been quoted £50 +vat just to reset it from my local stealer

Resetting it's no good . You need to find out what's causing it and recify it .

 

[Dan519]

I know my gear will tell you pretty much everything

 

[shiftspark]

Resetting it's no good . You need to find out what's causing it and recify it .

I realise that !

 

[scotty2hotty81]

My snap on machine will do it, if the garage you use has a machine I don't see why it shouldn't, best thing to do instead of guessing.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

I realise that !

Well you didn't say that . You just said £50 + VAT to reset it . It could be numerous things . Have you changed your brake discs or pads recently ? You might have knocked the sensor or even a bit of sh1t on the sensor could throw up a false fault . You could get yourself an OBD2 diagnostic scanner for less than £20 , it'll tell you the fault code and you can reset it yourself . The fault " might " go away once reset .

 

[CrippsCorner]

I personally haven't changed anything recently... but only picked the car up last month.

Something like this worth picking up? Cheapest there is lol...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/U480-CAN-BUS-Diagnostic-OBD2-ENGINE-SCANNER-CODE-READER-/270853752357?pt=UK_Diagnostic_Tools_Equipment&hash=item3f10244625#ht_4195wt_1396

Or worth paying a bit more for something better?

 

[Dan519]

I personally haven't changed anything recently... but only picked the car up last month.

Something like this worth picking up? Cheapest there is lol...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/U480-CAN-BUS-Diagnostic-OBD2-ENGINE-SCANNER-CODE-READER-/270853752357?pt=UK_Diagnostic_Tools_Equipment&hash=item3f10244625#ht_4195wt_1396

Or worth paying a bit more for something better?

that will tell you very very little, if it communicates at all. At best thats a tool for turning lights off

 

[MRBILLYUK]

I personally haven't changed anything recently... but only picked the car up last month.

Something like this worth picking up? Cheapest there is lol...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/U480-CAN-BUS-Diagnostic-OBD2-ENGINE-SCANNER-CODE-READER-/270853752357?pt=UK_Diagnostic_Tools_Equipment&hash=item3f10244625#ht_4195wt_1396

Or worth paying a bit more for something better?

Exactly that one . Lots of people have em on here . They're good for resetting intermittent faults , like when people put on decats etc .... obviously if you keep getting the warning lights then there's an underlying problem that needs looking at at a garage . I just reset a problem on my mates Peugeot 307 , into went into limp mode and lots of forums were quoting £600 to fix it . The fault never returned and his cars running sweet as a nut now .

 

[MRBILLYUK]

that will tell you very very little, if it communicates at all. At best thats a tool for turning lights off

I disagree . Granted it's never gonna replace being plugged it into a clip , but for an intermittent fault they can be useful . It's horses for courses .

 

[scotty2hotty81]

My snap on was 2k and that's a cheap one, you do get what you pay for.

 

[Dan519]

My snap on was 2k and that's a cheap one, you do get what you pay for.

I borrowed a Solus Pro for a couple of weeks. Didn't get on with it at all and it did nothing extra on the vehicles I work on, so I invested in some updates to my Ethos instead. I can't see how a £7 tool can even come close, LOL

 

[MRBILLYUK]

I borrowed a Solus Pro for a couple of weeks. Didn't get on with it at all and it did nothing extra on the vehicles I work on, so I invested in some updates to my Ethos instead. I can't see how a £7 tool can even come close, LOL

Well it worked for me mate . Saved me taking it to a dealer and paying £50 plus to knock off the emissions light for my decat plus told me i had a misfire so changed my spark plugs . I'd say it was money well spent :approve: . I paid £18 for mine by the way a couple of years ago I'm not saying it's a replacement for Renaults clip or similar but for home remedies i think they are a handy little tool and i'm sure others who have used them will agree . At the end of the day if he pays £13 and it works then he's saved himself a few quid and got a tool he can use in the future should any other problems arise eh

 

[Mike@Rentech]

Most Renault specialists have clip systems, phone round your local ones.

 

[JBC27]

I disagree . Granted it's never gonna replace being plugged it into a clip , but for an intermittent fault they can be useful . It's horses for courses .

Got the orange thing off ebay myself this week due to engine management light being on and not going away for weeks (no impact on the cars performance or feel etc). Gave a code as cat not working efficiently. Reset and been driving about all week and it's not come back. So I guess as a cheap starter for ten it'll possibly point you in the right direction and turn off any lights so you can at least check if whatever caused them to come on is still causing a problem (as they will re-occur) and thus requires proper kit to find the root cause. If it does turn out you need 'proper' diagnostics like clip then £20 isn't much to have spent and it may come in useful in the future....

 

[MicKPM]

The cheaper generic readers are good at best for code reading. The live data they churn out is hit and miss; they will be strong on one make of vehicle but weak on another. Also, some of them speak in "Chinglish" which is funny but not always helpful.

Danny is right, they do not compare to a proper piece of diagnostic equipment as they will only do the Engine management side which is one of a possible twelve systems on a modern Renault. On the flip side of that coin though, for the price, every DIYer should have one in the toolbox as they can be usefull. Snap-On gave me a Vantage to play with for a month and it frustrate the shiz out of me with its slow boot, poor touch screen and even worse presentation of live data feeds but the scope and built in "idiots guide" telling you what to probe and what results to expect impressed.

The best pieces of kit on he market are only ever as good as the person driving it and this should be what you pay for. You cannot and should not ever 100% replace parts based on a "P" code and garages that do this are most likely gonna waste your money IMO.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Well for that price I've ordered one anyway. Not sure it will help as my fault lights go off when I turn the car off anyway... then reappear a day, or up to a week later.

Seeing as though it seems to not really effect the car much I guess I can take my time fixing this one, and work my way up from the cheapest solution

Alternatively, I could pop into my old work place and chuck Clip on it... although it might be a bit cheeky seeing as though I haven't spoken to them in over 2 years.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Okay the one from eBay never turned up! Have had to open a case on there...

But I ran it through at the local garage up the road and it came up with the following:

• Brake Pedal Status / Pressure Coherence
• Injection Multiplexed Emission Missing
• Multiplexed Network

What are the last two!? Complete crap it sounds to me lol. First one would relate to the brake sensor that I tried adjusting as per the guide on here right? I guess it's time for a completely new one?

 

[MicKPM]

Any idea on the actual codes as descriptions can be vague and/or incorrect?

From the descriptions above you have a fault with the brake pedal switch (common and a new switch is required now) and then there's an issue with the CAN Out from one of the modules... Possibly linked to the ABS issue you're having so I'd fix the brake pedal first, level the codes and try again.

Mick

 

[Tony Hunter]

Okay the one from eBay never turned up! Have had to open a case on there...

My snap on was 2k and that's a cheap one, you do get what you pay for.

Or not, or not in this case.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Any idea on the actual codes as descriptions can be vague and/or incorrect?

From the descriptions above you have a fault with the brake pedal switch (common and a new switch is required now) and then there's an issue with the CAN Out from one of the modules... Possibly linked to the ABS issue you're having so I'd fix the brake pedal first, level the codes and try again.

Mick

Okay thanks. Do you or anyone else know the part number and price!?

Codes from the 'Multi Tester Pro' were... 50CE/50E2/50E1.

 

[scotty2hotty81]

We need p codes, letter p followed by four numbers, p****

 

[Dan519]

sounds like they're still only using EODB, and not a vehicle specific system

 

[CrippsCorner]

Nope not vehicle specific that's all they said I'm afraid!

 

[lemonnobby]

have you tried the 1mm gap between the pedal and the top of the switch?

 

[CrippsCorner]

Sorry, but what do you mean by 'tried' lol... tried what exactly?

 

[Tony Hunter]

Is there a gap of 1mm between the pedal and the top of the switch?, is what he saying.

Thought that was quite obvious really.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Okay so... after you guys telling me it was the brake switch, and having it confirmed via diagnostics, I ordered a new one.

It's on now.

It's changed nothing...

Don't understand, what can I try next!? CC & SL still not working either btw.

 

[scotty2hotty81]

Think they said check the gap? Not replace.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Okay well yes iirc the old one had a small gap, probably about the 1mm mark as stated. The new one however, doesn't seem to have a gap at all really... what does this mean exactly? Something there need adjusting I take it.

 

[MicKPM]

No, it means there's most likely another problem somewhere on the brake pedal switch circuit and it needs proper diagnosis. Just because the code says there's a problem with the Switch doesn't always mean it is the actual switch causing the problem.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Okay, thank you for your help. So it could be the wiring after (or before, depending on how you look at it) the brake switch... is there anything worth checking myself? I don't mind if it's time consuming or whatever as obviously this isn't a major problem, in that it's not stopping me from driving the car, it's just very frustrating!

 

[RS Charlie]

Apologies for rising this thread from the dead but it is similar to my issue .

Basically, my car drives fine. At low speed it will now and again cut the ABS in very briefly almost as if it is doing it on the wheel rotation. Above say 30MPH all is fine. The lights however are not on.

The other day the ABS/ESP/SERV combo illuminated. It did however go out upon being illuminated.

Naturally my U480 OBDII reader (read el cheapo) did not read it and claimed the car had no codes. I would use my ELM327 lead on it but that has been modified to use on a Ford with the HSCAN/MSCAN modules (the switch accesses both of these).

The other day I got access to the Snap On Solus Ultra. It came back with the following code:

58 Brake System Status/Pressure Incoherence

Vaguenesss FTW....

Since this thread (or even the original poster) has anyone else had issues with this error and found the cause? Or shall it be down to finding the issue elsewhere. FWIW I did clean the ABS ring up when I changed the discs at the front. Furthermore I know for sure that the nearside ring is crack free from checking it the other day. I shall check the offside but I am sure that there were no splits in it last time.

 

[MicKPM]

It is usually due to an incorrectly setup brake pedal switch causing a failure of the two switched circuits failing to "crossover" in synch. The ECU/ABS see's the brake line system pressure rise but doesn't get a signal to confirm the brake pedal is actually being pressed. This causes it to raise a WTF flag and turn the lights on.

To be honest, it has been covered a few times before since this 2012 thread

Mick

 

[Benjye]

Its the brake pedal sensor - i had the same issue , i tested it over and over and it SEEMED ok when i checked that the rear lights came on ... but trust me , play around with the sensor ... e.g pull it out a few clicks and try , then in a click and try again check to see if the lights on the dash come on as well as the rear lights themselves.

i parked against a wall at night to do mine - the slightest touch should bring on the brake lights, if its anything more than this the esp,abs and serv lights will come on.

my rs tuner pointed me in the right direction for this fault - saying brake light circuit error

may be worth tinkering with your sensor before shelling out the cash - it was a 2 min free fix for me

hope this helps

 

[RS Charlie]

I shall have a mess around during a weekday, and then order in a sensor if I get nowhere. Fingers cross the ABS pump is fine!

 

[botfch]

Also got this problem,
Solid lights on all the time, abs seems to be working fine. (wheels not skidding etc)
Sounds like a pump turning on and off when on ignition only.

Just after what codes are for a abs sensor and which are for the pedal switch.