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ATL ZJ
12-26-2004, 07:00 PM
Yes, I too have disabled the ABS system on my ZJ. I've never worried about turning the ABS light off. But I'm actually asking this question for a buddy who is selling his ZJ very soon. It's a very clean stock 96 with a fully operable brake system minus ABS, since the ABS computer crap died on him. He wants the ABS warning light on the dash to go off. Yes, I have looked myself and come up with nothing. Is there a relay for that light. I know on some XJs there is, but I haven't seen it on a Grand. Or is there no easy way? How is it done?

nate
12-26-2004, 07:35 PM
Some people said pulling the fuses would shut the light off. I pulled all the fuses and the light was still there. So I just pulled the light bulb out. Takes a few mintues to unscrew the dash, but it's not all that bad.

MaineZJ
12-26-2004, 08:39 PM
so your friend wants to disable the light because he's selling it? Hope he tells the buyer the ABS doesn't work.

robselina
12-26-2004, 08:55 PM
that's kinda dishonest if he's doing it to sell it. Just tell him to explain why it doesn't matter....

OverkillZJ
12-26-2004, 09:08 PM
Um... He wants to make the light go away so he can sell it?

That's not just dishonest, it's negligent.

Kraqa
12-26-2004, 09:11 PM
ignorance is bliss.


i pulled the light bulb. btu i'm not selling it. i did it to pass my vehicle inspection

OverkillZJ
12-26-2004, 09:15 PM
ignorance is bliss.


i pulled the light bulb. btu i'm not selling it. i did it to pass my vehicle inspection

Me too. But if I bought a ZJ I knew to have ABS, I'd drive it according to it having ABS (aim where I want to go in a sliding situation.)

If it didn't work properly, I'd be fucked, not to mention pissed, and you bet your ass I'd go after who I bought it from if I suspected they covered such a problem up.

gearhead313
12-26-2004, 11:18 PM
No ABS is better than working ABS all day long

OverkillZJ
12-26-2004, 11:28 PM
No ABS is better than working ABS all day long

Maybe or maybe not, but the point is if you're expecting ABS to work, then you drive completely differently than if you're aware of a failed ABS system.
Selling it with a broken ABS system and DISABLING a safety warning device that would warn the buyer of the failure, is just plain bad.

LouisianaZJ
12-27-2004, 02:09 AM
i agree. tell them ABS is not working ... hell make them sign a written statement saying the ABS is non functional or you could be getting yourself into a liabilty issue if the new owners get in an accident later on.

ATL ZJ
12-27-2004, 03:04 AM
I understand the safety concerns. I have mentioned to him the importance of informing the buyer about the lack of ABS. I'm aware of the moral issue at hand, but in the end it's his decision, not mine. Figuring I would benefit myself from knowing how to turn the light off since mine is on too, he simply asked me if I could research it for him.

The thing is that his 2000 XJ came from the factory without ABS and of course it still stops fine. You could also argue that the typically naive drivers of most stock vehicles don't conciously consider the presence of a vehicle's ABS system constantly in everyday driving. So maybe in his mind, it is not that much of an issue. I'll go over the seriousness of it with him again. I might just encourage him to keep the light on, or tell him that there's no feasible way of turning it off. A white lie would be the lesser of two evils here.

MaineZJ
12-27-2004, 10:20 AM
it may even be a legal issue. Selling with a disabled saftey devise.
Imagine selling a car with a disabled air-bag system.... may come back to sue your ass (er, his)

gearhead313
12-27-2004, 10:20 AM
Im still wowed by how important this has been made out to be. I couldn't count the number of cars I've gotten in that the light was on and i just yanked the abs bulb from the dash and sent them on there way. Out of all of those cars, I have not had one come back for complaint.

...its funny how it was said "a failing abs system", even though that infact would owe to a properly working brake system. :roll:

ATL ZJ
12-27-2004, 02:51 PM
may come back to sue your ass (er, his)

Don't play this out like it's me who's actually selling the vehicle and I made up a ficticious "friend" in order to transfer the blame to someone else. I only own one Jeep, and it's not getting sold.

I'll just tell him to either fix it, or sell it as is. It's not something I want to have been involved with when someone comes back after an accident. People will sue any way they can these days.

OverkillZJ
12-27-2004, 03:16 PM
...its funny how it was said "a failing abs system", even though that infact would owe to a properly working brake system. :roll:

Again, matter of opinion. Opinion can't be submitted as fact.

What can be considered fact is the simple knowledge that the Jeep says "ABS" and doesn't have it. Selling it with that knowledge puts him at some decent legal risk. I've learned about risk and liability all too much in the last couple of years.

That is all.


ps I just pulled my bulb years ago :shock:

Nordic1
12-28-2004, 04:49 AM
Some people said pulling the fuses would shut the light off. I pulled all the fuses and the light was still there. So I just pulled the light bulb out. Takes a few mintues to unscrew the dash, but it's not all that bad.


I did the same... 40amp fuse under the hood, the amp in the cab and the bulb... eventually I'll do something like kung-foo brakes and eliminate the ABS motor as well

POSJEEP
12-29-2004, 12:09 PM
Pull the dash cluster out and remove the bulb..............
Hell break the bulb and put it back in let em try an sue ya.

ATL ZJ
12-29-2004, 03:40 PM
I just told him to sell it as is. Better that he do a little explaining now than have to do a lot of smooth talking later if something happened.

Jeepin' Wolf
12-29-2004, 06:24 PM
The thing is that his 2000 XJ came from the factory without ABS and of course it still stops fine. You could also argue that the typically naive drivers of most stock vehicles don't conciously consider the presence of a vehicle's ABS system constantly in everyday driving. So maybe in his mind, it is not that much of an issue. I'll go over the seriousness of it with him again. I might just encourage him to keep the light on, or tell him that there's no feasible way of turning it off. A white lie would be the lesser of two evils here.
Not to bash you or your friend cause I just don't care but while the jury is still out whether to ABS or not to ABS, thinking that you do have ABS on board and realizing that you don't mid way onto a collision is not the way to go. With or without, braking techinques differ and they're not interchangeable and that can lead to trouble. Found that out first hand when I kept forgetting I pulled the ABS fuse from the Jeep. Personally I'd tell the people who'd buy my truck "There's no ABS, just old fashion brakes, live with it".

ATL ZJ
12-29-2004, 06:29 PM
The thing is that his 2000 XJ came from the factory without ABS and of course it still stops fine. You could also argue that the typically naive drivers of most stock vehicles don't conciously consider the presence of a vehicle's ABS system constantly in everyday driving. So maybe in his mind, it is not that much of an issue. I'll go over the seriousness of it with him again. I might just encourage him to keep the light on, or tell him that there's no feasible way of turning it off. A white lie would be the lesser of two evils here.
Not to bash you or your friend cause I just don't care but while the jury is still out whether to ABS or not to ABS, thinking that you do have ABS on board and realizing that you don't mid way onto a collision is not the way to go. With or without, braking techinques differ and they're not interchangeable and that can lead to trouble. Found that out first hand when I kept forgetting I pulled the ABS fuse from the Jeep. Personally I'd tell the people who'd buy my truck "There's no ABS, just old fashion brakes, live with it".

That is true. Come to think of it, when I let a buddy drive the Jeep, or even just move it 50 feet, the first thing I tell them about is the lack of ABS.

nate
12-30-2004, 12:06 AM
Hmm. Personally I think the Jeep stops 11ty billion times better without ABS. There were a few times with mine where the ABS computer got cofused and the brake pedal just got hard... no brakes at all! What an awesome system. Now it just stops... no 80 feet stops because it's icy and it's afraid to lock up a tire.
ABS on the trail sucks big time as well.

Now if having ABS makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside, that's cool to. The ZJ was the first vehicle I have owned with ABS and I have to think ABS is the suck.

OverkillZJ
12-30-2004, 01:33 AM
I think a lot of us here agree that ABS sucks. The point in fact that is being argued is that it might not be a good idea to sell something, presenting it as having ABS when it infact doesn't. It's borderline fraud.

Whether ABS is good or bad was never the point :)

ATL ZJ
01-19-2005, 02:39 AM
Update:

Turns out it is a pretty small world after all. The ZJ was bought by my Dad for my brother :o :lol: who is 16 and needs some transportation. After I heard this I finally got the bright idea of replacing the ABS computer in the '96 with the one from my '94. (The ABS computer is the malfunctioning part, says the stealer that checked it out for my friend, the previous owner). And the ABS computer is worthless to me anyways since I don't have stock axles anymore.

Anybody know if it's a straightforward swap and if the computers are compatible? The Haynes manual is outside in the Jeep and it's about 25* (cold for SC), and it's getting pretty late on top of that...

snarfer86
01-19-2005, 02:50 AM
I dont think it will be verry easy, in my 93' I think the abs controller is next to the air box and I have no clue where it is on my friends 96. dont hold me to this though im not too bright :idea:

ATL ZJ
01-19-2005, 03:04 AM
I dont think it will be verry easy, in my 93' I think the abs controller is next to the air box and I have no clue where it is on my friends 96. dont hold me to this though im not too bright :idea:

Yep, on my 94 it's right by [where the airbox used to be] as well. As long as it's the same computer it should work. Mine's a 4.0 and his is a 5.2, but knowing how cheap Jeep is, I am almost positive that will have no bearing on whether or not they are different. The slight redesign for 96 will be the reason for the change if there was one.

Cam